Cardiovascular Fellowship First Of Its Kind In Central Illinois
By: Alexandra Sutter WMBD/WYZZ
Updated: October 15, 2012
PEORIA -- A shortage of cardiologists is prompting the start of a new fellowship program for
central Illinois doctors.
The University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria has been working on starting a three-year cardiovascular disease fellowship for years.
Now that fellowship is officially starting next summer.
Dr. Donald McElroy said the nation needs more heart doctors. He said right now we're short by more than 1,600, and that number is expected to grow.
He said this program is an important addition to central Illinois. "Heart disease is the leading cause of death and disability in the United States and worldwide and so as the population ages, we're all getting older, the demand for cardiac services is going to go up and we need to have a sufficient number of cardiologists to meet those needs."
UICOMP is in the process of interviewing candidates.
The fellowship will begin next July.
