How to Apply
Thank you for your interest in the Carle Foundation Hospital Cardiology Fellowship Program. Our program participates in the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) and only accepts applications through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS
NOTE: Due to a high volume of inquiries, we are unable to review or comment on individual applicant inquires.
Application Submission
- Begins when ERAS opens.
- Applicants must apply through ERAS. Email, paper or faxed documentation are not accepted and will not be reviewed.
- Our ACGME Program ID is 1411614001.
- Our NRMP number is 1226141F0.
- Applications are welcome from U.S. and international medical school graduates (J1 visas only for international applicants).
Application Criteria
A complete application includes:
- A curriculum vitae (CV).
- At least three letters of recommendation (waived letters), with one from residency program director.
- A personal statement.
- United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) or Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX) scores. We do not publish minimum score requirements.
Interviews:
- Interviews are by invitation only. They are held in October.
- Invitations to interview are sent via ERAS during the last two weeks of August and the first two weeks of September. Interviews are self-scheduled through ERAS.
- The interview 8 a.m. and typically includes:
- A welcome and presentation by the program director.
- Interviews with three to four faculty members.
- A virtual meeting with current cardiology fellows.
Please note that this information may be subject to change.
If you have any questions regarding our program or the application process, please contact us at CFP@carle.com or call (217) 383-4637.
About Our Core Faculty
Dr. Naveed Adoni is an Interventional cardiologist at the Heart and Vascular Institute, Carle Foundation Hospital. He is the Program Director for the Carle Foundation Hospital Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship program. He is also closely involved with the Carle Illinois College of Medicine, part of the inaugural faculty and currently a Clinical Professor of Medicine at the college. His chief passion is teaching students and residents and he is currently the Course Director for the cardiovascular block for first year medical students. Apart from coronary interventions, his focus is on structural heart interventions including TAVRs, left atrial appendage closures and PFO/ASD closures. Dr. Adoni is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular disease, Interventional Cardiology, the National Board of Echocardiography, the Certification Board of Nuclear Cardiology, and the Certification Board of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography.
Dr. Osama Alsara is the cardiac imaging lead at Carle Foundation Hospital. He earned his medical degree at Damascus University, Syria, and completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI, where he served as a fourth year chief resident. Dr. Alsara then completed his cardiology fellowship at University of Florida in Gainesville, FL. In 2018, Dr. Alsara joined Carle Foundation Hospital and became an Assistant Clinical Professor at Carle Illinois College of Medicine. Dr. Alsara is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in both Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease, the National Board of Echocardiography, the Certification Board of Nuclear Cardiology, the Certification Board of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography and the Certification Board of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance. Dr. Alsara is a fellow of several medical societies including the American College of Physicians (FACP), American College of Cardiology (FACC), American Society of Echocardiography (FASE) and American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (FASNC). His clinical interests involve advanced cardiovascular imaging, valvular heart disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and medical education.
Dr. Alina Brener earned her bachelor's degree in biology at Lake Forest College and completed medical school at University of Illinois in Chicago. She completed her residency in Internal Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Her journey took her back to Chicago for a General Cardiology Fellowship at the University of Illinois. She completed an Advanced Imaging Fellowship at Columbia University in New York City, specializing in echocardiography and structural heart imagine. Her interests include cardio-obstetrics, valvular disease and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and spending time with her two toddlers.
Dr. Anuj Garg joined Carle as a cardiac electrophysiologist in 2013. He implants devices and does complex ablations and lead extractions in addition to treating patients with arrhythmias. In the last seven years, he has established the lead extraction program at Carle and was one of the principal investigators in the 2018-2019 international RELEASE trial. Dr. Garg has also established relationships with medical professionals and organizations in the area and around the country. He is a returning presenter at the Lead Extraction Symposium held every year in Las Vegas, sharing his experience and expertise with other physicians from all over the world in the delicate art of extracting leads. Dr. Garg completed his EP fellowship at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City and his cardiology fellowship at the University of Texas Medical Branch/Methodist-Debakey Hospital in Houston. He had the pleasure and privilege of being chief resident after completing his residency in the Legacy Medical Health System in Portland, Oregon.
Dr. Sanjay Mehta is an Interventional cardiologist. He is the current Cardiac Catheterization Lab Director and also Director of Research at Carle Heart and Vascular Institute. He has held the positions of Division Director and Director of Nuclear Medicine in the past. He is involved in multiple clinical trials and has been closely involved in teaching students and residents. His area of passion and focus is structural heart interventions and he is one of the leads performing TAVRs, Mitral Clips, PFO/ASD closures and other advanced structural interventions at the Heart and Vascular Institute at Carle Foundation Hospital.
Dr. Issam D. Moussa is the medical director of the Carle Heart and Vascular Institute and associate dean for research at the Carle Illinois College of Medicine. Dr. Moussa earned his MD at Damascus University Medical School in Syria and his MBA in health administration at the University of Colorado. Currently, Dr. Moussa's research priorities are focused on the brain-heart axis with particular emphasis on translational and clinical applications. He is an interventional cardiologist with focus on structural heart interventions including TAVRs, left atrial appendage closures, mitral clip in addition to complex coronary interventions, peripheral interventions and he's involved in multiple clinical trials at Carle Foundation Hospital.
