Description
Director, Complex High-Risk and CTO Intervention Program
Division of Cardiovascular Medicine | Medical College of Wisconsin / Froedtert Hospital
The Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is recruiting an interventional cardiologist to serve as Director of the Complex High-Risk Interventional Procedures (CHIP) and Chronic Total Occlusion (CTO) Program at Froedtert Hospital and the Medical College of Wisconsin. This is a senior physician-leader role with an established referral base, dedicated cath lab resources, and demonstrated case volume that is ready to lead a regional and national CHIP/CTO referral center.
We will consider candidates across two tracks:
- Established CHIP/CTO operators ready to assume directorship immediately, and
- Exceptional early-career interventional cardiologists or graduating fellows with dedicated CTO training who will join with a defined development pathway leading to the named directorship.
A Demonstrated High-Volume Opportunity
Under prior dedicated leadership, this program supported 200+ complex coronary and CTO cases annually and was the highest sustained CHIP/CTO volumes in the region. The referral pipeline, hybrid operating room access, mechanical circulatory support availability (Impella, IABP), and integrated Heart Team are already in place. The next Director steps into a program with proven volume rather than building from ground zero and is positioned to grow it further across the Froedtert Health and MCW network.
Program and Institutional Context
The MCW/Froedtert academic cardiovascular practice includes more than 60 cardiologists across general, interventional, structural, electrophysiology, advanced heart failure, and imaging subspecialties, supported by a full-service ACGME interventional cardiology fellowship. The cardiac catheterization laboratory operates a comprehensive complex coronary and structural heart portfolio (TAVR, M-TEER, T-TEER, TTVR, WATCHMAN/LAAC, paravalvular leak closure, BASILICA, LAMPOON, transcaval, ASD/PFO/VSD closure, etc.) and is an active site for industry-sponsored and investigator-initiated trials.
The CHIP/CTO Director will work alongside the Medical Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory and Structural Heart Disease Program leadership in a collaborative, growth-oriented division. Faculty rank and academic appointment will be commensurate with experience.
Role and Responsibilities
The Director provides strategic, clinical, academic, and operational leadership for the CHIP/CTO program, including:
- Clinical leadership for CTO-PCI and complex high-risk PCI, including hybrid algorithm case selection, pre-procedural planning, and Heart Team coordination
- Strategic vision and execution for program growth, regional referral development, and outreach to community and interventional cardiologists across Wisconsin and neighboring states
- Oversight of evidence-based protocols aligned with ACC/AHA/SCAI guidelines and PROGRESS-CTO benchmarks
- Direction of the CHIP/CTO educational curriculum for interventional fellows, including antegrade wire escalation, antegrade dissection/re-entry, and retrograde technique training
- Leadership in clinical trials, NCDR CathPCI and PROGRESS-CTO registry participation, and scholarly productivity
- Quality, safety, and compliance oversight, including program-specific M&M, radiation safety, and outcomes reporting
- Evaluation and adoption of new technologies (guidewires, microcatheters, dissection/re-entry devices, intravascular imaging, mechanical circulatory support)
Candidate Profile
- Board certified or board eligible in Cardiovascular Disease and Interventional Cardiology, eligible for medical licensure in Wisconsin
- Fellowship training or focused experience in CHIP and CTO techniques, including the full hybrid algorithm
- For candidates entering directly into the directorship: demonstrated personal procedural volume consistent with a program leader, typically 100+ complex/high-risk PCI cases per year with substantial CTO experience
- For early-career candidates and graduating fellows: dedicated CTO/CHIP fellowship training or substantial focused CTO/CHIP experience during interventional cardiology fellowship, with clear leadership trajectory
- Track record (or strong potential) in program development, education, and scholarly contribution in complex coronary intervention
- Comfort with mechanical circulatory support, intravascular imaging, calcium modification, and contemporary CTO equipment and strategy
- Collaborative approach to Heart Team, fellowship education, and multidisciplinary care
Pathway to Directorship for Early-Career Candidates
Outstanding fellows and early-career interventional cardiologists with dedicated CTO/CHIP training are encouraged to apply. For these candidates, MCW will provide a structured development pathway to the named directorship, including:
- Joining the program as a CHIP/CTO interventional cardiologist with proctored, high-volume case experience under senior faculty
- Defined milestones across clinical volume, quality outcomes, education leadership, and scholarly contribution
- Mentored progression to assume the named directorship at agreed-upon milestones, with full directorship authority and stipend at that point
- Faculty mentorship from the Medical Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory and Structural Heart leadership throughout the development period
What MCW/Froedtert Offers
- Named directorship with defined authority, a renewable 3-year term, and an administrative stipend commensurate with similar division program leadership roles
- Protected time for program development, quality oversight, and scholarly activity
- Established referral base and demonstrated 200+ annual case volume to build on
- Dedicated cath lab time for complex cases and access to contemporary CHIP/CTO technology
- Administrative support for registry participation, data collection, and referral coordination
- Active clinical trial portfolio and an academic environment supporting publications, national society engagement, and proctoring opportunities
- Competitive academic compensation, comprehensive benefits, and relocation support, in a metropolitan Milwaukee community recognized for quality of life, schools, and recreation
Application
Interested candidates are invited to submit a CV and a brief statement of interest to:
Gina Haldiman, CPRP
Senior Physician and APP Recruiter, Medical College of Wisconsin
The Medical College of Wisconsin is an Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity. MCW is committed to building a community in which every member is welcomed and respected.
