Contact Us
For more information, please contact our program administrator.
Welcome from our team
Thank you for your interest in our program, where we are deeply committed to excellence in clinical training, academic inquiry, and compassionate, patient-centered care.
The HCA Orange Park Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship is a three-year, ACGME-accredited program, training primarily at Orange Park Hospital, along with two large outpatient sites serving Duval and Clay Counties. Orange Park Hospital is a 433-bed care center in Clay County serving as the primary referral hospital for much of Clay County. Fellows are mentored by diverse faculty and gain exposure through outpatient practice within First Coast Cardiovascular Institute. Upper year fellows are offered opportunities for electives at Mayo Clinic, experiences designed to support fellows' academic and career objectives.
The fellowship provides comprehensive training across the spectrum of cardiovascular medicine, with a strong emphasis on both noninvasive and invasive cardiology. The first two years focus on core rotations, during third year fellows may individualize their training with up to seven months of electives.
Fellows train across a diverse patient population and gain experience in all core disciplines of cardiovascular disease, supported by state-of-the-art facilities. Our trainees benefit from high-volume clinical exposure, and faculty engagement. Questions are encouraged, innovation is celebrated, and education is tailored to help each fellow reach their potential. We place emphasis on education, research, and professional growth. Our faculty are deeply invested in teaching and mentorship, and our fellows pursue scholarly activity aligned with their interests.
Equally important, we foster a supportive and inclusive culture that values teamwork, wellness, and mutual respect. We believe that excellence in cardiovascular care begins with caring for one another. We take pride in cultivating a community that is collegial, intellectually vibrant, and genuinely enjoyable.
If you are seeking a fellowship that combines top-tier academic training with a relaxed, respectful, and motivating culture, we are excited to welcome you.
About our program
The HCA Florida Orange Park Hospital Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship is a three-year, ACGME-approved academic program committed to developing the next generation of physicians and physician leaders.
Founded in 2018 by Dr. Youssef Al-Saghir and Dr. Andrea DeNeen, our program's interdisciplinary approach to learning fosters excellent opportunities for professional growth, committed mentorship and clinical research. Alongside dedicated attending physicians and enthusiastic colleagues, fellows strive for excellence in their training and provide high-quality healthcare and community-oriented service in patient-centered environments.
Our program is built on the belief that the best physicians are trained in settings that challenge them intellectually while also respecting balance, curiosity, and personal growth. We are deeply committed to rigorous clinical training, strong scholarly mentorship, and meaningful research opportunities, all delivered in an atmosphere that values approachability, teamwork, and open dialogue. We aim to prepare physicians for leadership in cardiovascular medicine through rigorous clinical exposure, strong mentorship, and individualized career development. We have worked hard to create an environment where academic excellence thrives alongside a truly supportive culture.
Mission Statement
The HCA Florida Orange Park Hospital Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship program's mission is to develop the next generation of physicians and physician leaders.
As a part of HCA Healthcare, we are driven by a single mission: Above all else, we are committed to the care and improvement of human life.
This program is designed to offer residents a rewarding, educational environment where residents are provided individualized learning opportunities by faculty and staff who support and sustain one another throughout quality care delivery. Our faculty are committed to ensuring the resident's clinical experience and educational needs are fulfilled while expanding residents’ perspectives to be inclusive of cultures, values and ideals.
Program Overview
Our interdisciplinary approach to learning fosters excellent opportunities for professional growth, committed mentorship and clinical research. Alongside dedicated attending physicians and enthusiastic colleagues, fellows strive for excellence in their training and provide high-quality healthcare and community-oriented service in patient-centered environments.
Our program director and staff
Our team is comprised of skilled experts with deep experience and knowledge from which residents and fellows can benefit.
Mubbasher Ameer Syed, MD, MPH, FACC, FSCAI
Program Director
Program details
Curriculum and rotation schedule
Our program is structured as a twelve-month block rotating through the following core areas:
- Cardiac catheterization lab
- Continuity clinic
- Critical care unit
- Echocardiography
- Electrophysiology
- Inpatient Cardiology Service
- Nuclear medicine
During the 2nd and 3rd year in fellowship, we have electives available which include extra months of the rotations listed above as well as:
- Advanced nuclear imaging
- Cardiac heart failure/transplant
- Vascular
- Research
Each rotation allows variable research time in order to facilitate the completion of scholarly activity and pursue specialized goals.
Benefits
The hospital provides a comprehensive list of personal benefit package options. The most current plan, enrollment and renewal information may be found on the hospital human resources benefits site. Benefits include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Medical benefits, dental and vision
- Short-term disability
- Long-term disability
- Life insurance
- Flexible spending accounts
- CorePlus voluntary benefits
- HCA 401(k)
- Employee assistance program (EAP)
- Employee stock purchase plan
- The hospital will provide worker’s compensation insurance consistent with the hospital’s benefits program.
- Professional memberships
- Conference and travel expense
- Cell phone
- Laptop/iPad
- Other board prep and educational expense
Vacation sick or holiday
Each resident and fellow receives three weeks annual paid leave for vacation, sick, holiday or other time away from work. Vacation requests must occur prior to the beginning of each academic year. The three-week annual leave does not carry over to the next academic year and residents and fellows will not be paid out for time unused.
Salary
The following salaries are for the fiscal year 2025-2026 and may differ from future years' salaries.
| Year | Salary | On-Call Meals | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| PGY4 | $69,701 | $950 | $70,651 |
| PGY5 | $72,842 | $950 | $73,792 |
| PGY6 | $76,128 | $950 | $77,078 |
FAQ
We offer two positions each year. Applications are reviewed through the ERAS program, and we participate in the National Residency Match Program (NRMP).
We sponsor J-1 visas when required. We do not sponsor H1B visas.
Last year, graduating fellows averaged:
- 500 left heart catheterizations
- 150 right heart catheterizations
- 800 transthoracic echocardiogram s
- 150 transesophageal echocardiograms
- 200 nuclear stress tests
- 50 stress echocardiograms
- 200 vascular studies
PGY-IV: 12 weekend calls/65 weekday call
PGY-V: 12 weekend calls/65 weekday call
PGY-VI: 2 weekend calls, backup to first year call for the first two months, then only the holidays barring special circumstances.
We do not have a night float system. Fellows take call from home.
Here is a recent schedule:
First Year: 3-2 inpatient consults/CCU, 2 ECHO/TEE, 2 Cath, 2 Nuclear, 1 EP, 4-3 Electives [No outside electives in 1 year]
Second Year: 2 inpatient consults/CCU, 2 ECHO/TEE, 2 Cath, 2 Nuclear, 5 Electives [options to take EP, Advanced HF and Imaging rotations at Mayo Clinic]
Third Year: 2 inpatient consults/CCU, 2 ECHO/TEE, 2 Cath, 7 Electives [options to take EP, Advanced HF and Imaging rotations at Mayo Clinic as well as an INP/CCU block at HCA Memorial Hospital Jacksonville]