The UCF College of Medicine and HCA Florida Healthcare recently announced the partnership’s first Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship. The ACGME-accredited program will be located at HCA Florida Ocala Hospital and is seeking applicants for the first cohort to begin training in July 2025.

With the new program, the UCF-HCA Florida Healthcare Graduate Medical Education Consortium has 40 residency programs and fellowships across the state, making it one of the fastest growing in Florida.

“The addition of the cardiology graduate medical education program at HCA expands our partnership through the UCF College of Medicine-HCA Florida Healthcare Graduate Medical Education Consortium and continues to support the next generation of physicians in a range of much-needed specialties,” says Alan Keesee, chief executive officer for HCA Florida Ocala Hospital. “The cardiologists of the future will be training right here in Marion County, learning at one of the nation’s top 50 cardiovascular hospitals. Through a broad range of clinical experience and academic support services such as research and curriculum development, we hope to inspire our residents’ passion to care for and improve human life.”

The need for cardiovascular specialists is growing, both in Florida and across the nation. Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the U.S., and with Florida’s aging population, the demand for expert cardiologists is critical. The new UCF-HCA Florida Healthcare Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship aims to address this need by preparing fellows to serve their local communities after graduation.

“We are excited for this fellowship that will train doctors in the critical area of cardiovascular disease as we help address the state’s healthcare needs,” says Stephen Cico, the College of Medicine’s associate dean for graduate medical education and the program’s designated institutional official.

The Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship is a three-year program designed to train physicians in the prevention, diagnosis and management of cardiovascular disorders. The program will accept three fellows per year for a total of nine accredited positions. Applicants must have completed a residency in internal medicine prior to starting the fellowship. Applications must be submitted through ERAS (the NRMP program code is 1587141F0).

Rakesh Prashad will lead the program at HCA Florida Ocala Hospital. He is a professor at the UCF College of Medicine and is board certified in cardiology, interventional cardiology, endovascular medicine, nuclear cardiology and internal medicine. Prashad is also actively engaged clinical research.

“We are committed to training the next generation of cardiologists who will lead the charge in improving cardiovascular health,” Prashad says. “Our team of board-certified faculty, state-of-the-art facilities, and a diverse patient population will ensure a comprehensive and rewarding educational experience for all fellows.”