Home › Courses▻Postgraduate Taught Courses▻College of Medicine, Nursing, and Health Sciences▻Interventional Cardiovascular Medicine

Interventional Cardiovascular Medicine

Expand all

Course Overview

The Masters in Interventional Cardiovascular Medicine will be attractive to clinical doctors with minimum of one year postgraduate experience, who are interested in furthering their careers in interventional medicine. In addition, the course will be highly attractive to biomedical engineers in the research and development sector of the medical device industry.

Scholarships available
Find out about our Postgraduate Scholarships here.

Applications and Selections

Applications are made online via the University of Galway Postgraduate Applications System. 

Who Teaches this Course

Requirements and Assessment

Key Facts

Entry Requirements

Applicants will be expected to possess a good quality undergraduate degree (at least an upper second class honours standard 2:1 academic qualification). The medical graduates/doctors applying will require minimum one year’s postgraduate experience.


Additional Requirements

Duration

1 year, full-time

Next start date

September 2023

A Level Grades ()

Average intake

25–50

QQI/FET FETAC Entry Routes

Closing Date

 Please view the offer rounds website.

NFQ level

Mode of study

ECTS weighting

Award

CAO

Course code

MCS-ICM

Course Outline

The programme will be delivered in collaboration with PCR (www.pcronline.com). Course modules cover coronary artery disease (CAD), CAD Treatments, structural heart disease, vascular intervention and medical device innovation.

Curriculum Information

Curriculum information relates to the current academic year (in most cases).
Course and module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Glossary of Terms

Credits
You must earn a defined number of credits (aka ECTS) to complete each year of your course. You do this by taking all of its required modules as well as the correct number of optional modules to obtain that year's total number of credits.
Module
An examinable portion of a subject or course, for which you attend lectures and/or tutorials and carry out assignments. E.g. Algebra and Calculus could be modules within the subject Mathematics. Each module has a unique module code eg. MA140.
Optional
A module you may choose to study.
Required
A module that you must study if you choose this course (or subject).
Semester
Most courses have 2 semesters (aka terms) per year.

Year 1 (90 Credits)

Required MD1530: Fundamentals of Vascular Intervention


Semester 1 | Credits: 10

This module will also cover four themes:- Emerging percutaneous Stroke Intervention, Current Aortic Intervention, Novel Carotid Intervention and Critical Limb Intervention.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Diagnose assessment of aortic, carotid and peripheral vascular disease. This will be achieved by clinical examination and imaging of relevant blood vessels with CT and MRI scans.
  2. Understand procedural skills for endovascular treatments including acute stroke intervention and peripheral vascular disease.
Assessments

This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.

  • Continuous Assessment (20%)
  • Department-based Assessment (80%)
Module Director
Lecturers / Tutors
The above information outlines module MD1530: "Fundamentals of Vascular Intervention" and is valid from 2018 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Required MD1531: Fundamentals of Coronary Artery Disease (Treatments)


Semester 1 | Credits: 10

This module will focus on current treatment options for CAD. This will include medical, percutaneous and surgical treatment options. Within the interventional treatment, the module will focus on basic and complex coronary intervention. Complex coronary intervention will cover bifurcation stenting, multi-vessel stenting, left main stem stenting, treatment of calcified vessels, chronic total occlusions. The module will also cover surgical treatments of CAD.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Understand the current treatment strategies available to treat CAD.
  2. Understand how a particular treatment option is selected and clinical decisions are made.
  3. Increase understanding of the current treatment strategies available to treat CAD.
  4. Understand procedural skills in treating basic and complex coronary intervention e.g. bifurcation stenting, multi-vessel stenting, chronic total occlusion (CTOs), calcified vessels and left main stenting.
Assessments

This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.

  • Continuous Assessment (20%)
  • Department-based Assessment (80%)
Module Director
Lecturers / Tutors
The above information outlines module MD1531: "Fundamentals of Coronary Artery Disease (Treatments) " and is valid from 2018 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Required MD1532: Fundamentals of Coronary Artery Disease (Diagnostics)


Semester 1 | Credits: 10


(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Develop a knowledge and understanding of the aetiology, epidemiology and pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases (CVD).
  2. Diagnose atherosclerosis using currently available diagnostic tools. These include both non-invasive tests (exercise stress test and echocardiography) and invasive test such as gold standard coronary angiography.
  3. Understand the application of additional invasive test for assessing severity of atherosclerosis such as fractional flow reserve (FFR) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) to determine functional ischemia and intra-coronary plaque imaging respectively.
  4. Make decisions about treatment strategy for atheroscle.
Assessments

This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.

  • Continuous Assessment (20%)
  • Department-based Assessment (80%)
Module Director
Lecturers / Tutors
The above information outlines module MD1532: "Fundamentals of Coronary Artery Disease (Diagnostics) " and is valid from 2018 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Required MD1533: Research Thesis


15 months long | Credits: 30


(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Develop understanding of evidence based clinical practice.
  2. Consolidate the principles and concepts of research process.
  3. Extend knowledge of the role of research in interventional cardiology.
  4. Quantitative and qualitative data management skills.
  5. Acquire understanding of study designs commonly used in health-related research.
Assessments

This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.

  • Research (100%)
Module Director
Lecturers / Tutors
The above information outlines module MD1533: "Research Thesis" and is valid from 2018 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Required MD1538: Research Methods for Evidence Based Practice


Semester 2 | Credits: 10

This module will guide the learner through the scientific research process and the use of evidence based practice in clinical settings.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Differentiate between different theories of research and the language of research
  2. Recognise the importance and principles of evidence based practice
  3. Demonstrate an ability to perform competent electronic database and internet searches to formulate a literature review
  4. Explain the role of research methods and differentiate between different types of research design
  5. Formulate a research question and conceptualise a research project
  6. Design, prepare, and submit a research proposal for ethical approval
Assessments

This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.

  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Module Director
Lecturers / Tutors
The above information outlines module MD1538: "Research Methods for Evidence Based Practice " and is valid from 2018 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Required MD1535: Medical Device Innovation


Semester 2 | Credits: 10

The module will be delivered in collaboration with BioInnovate Ireland. The students will understand the process and steps involved in novel medical device development.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Understand the process of medical device development from identification of the unmet need to commercialization strategy of the new therapy.
  2. Understand regulatory strategy.
  3. Understand reimbursement strategy.
  4. Understand the intellectual property strategy.
  5. Understand clinical development strategy.
Assessments

This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.

  • Continuous Assessment (20%)
  • Department-based Assessment (80%)
Module Director
Lecturers / Tutors
The above information outlines module MD1535: "Medical Device Innovation" and is valid from 2018 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Required MD1537: Fundamentals of Structural Heart Disease


Semester 2 | Credits: 10

This module will cover the following themes: clinical presentation of valvular heart disease, imaging modalities and their application for diagnosing structural heart disease, current treatment options for structural heart disease, decision making in terms of treatment options for individual patient with valvular heart disease. Percutaneous Treatment of Aortic Stenosis (TAVI), Mitral Regurgitation, Transcatheter Mitral Valve Intervention (TCMVI), Tricuspid Regurgitation and Novel Interventions.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Increase understanding of Valvular heart disease and common valvular disorders such as aortic stenosis, mitral and tricuspid regurgitation.
  2. Increase understanding of pathophysiology and natural history of valvular heart diseases.
  3. Assess the severity of valvular heart disease and apply this knowledge for decision making for valvular intervention (surgical vs percutaneous intervention).
  4. Assess severity of structural heart diseases using current available imaging modalities. (Computed Tomography, 3D Echocardiography etc)
  5. Assess anatomical parameters for better device sizing and decision making for better procedural.
Assessments

This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.

  • Continuous Assessment (20%)
  • Department-based Assessment (80%)
Module Director
Lecturers / Tutors
The above information outlines module MD1537: "Fundamentals of Structural Heart Disease " and is valid from 2018 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Why Choose This Course?

Career Opportunities

After successful completion of the masters programme, graduates will have a better understanding of the field of  interventional medicine. Career opportunities will be enhanced depending on students’ interest and background. Physicians are expected to obtain easier access to training programs in cardiology or interventional fellowship. Engineers can apply for better positions within the medtech sector. The master’s qualification will increase chances to be selected for PhD programmes.

Who’s Suited to This Course

Learning Outcomes

Transferable Skills Employers Value

Work Placement

Study Abroad

Related Student Organisations

Course Fees

Fees: EU

€9,840 p.a. 2023/24

Fees: Tuition

€9,700 p.a. 2023/24

Fees: Student levy

€140 p.a. 2023/24

Fees: Non EU

€19,840 p.a. 2023/24


Postgraduate students in receipt of a SUSI grant – please note an F4 grant is where SUSI will pay €4,000 towards your tuition (2023/24).  You will be liable for the remainder of the total fee.  An F5 grant is where SUSI will pay tuition up to a maximum of €6,270. SUSI will not cover the student levy of €140.

Postgraduate fee breakdown = Tuition (EU or NON EU) + Student levy as outlined above.

Note to non-EU students: learn about the 24-month Stayback Visa here

Find out More

Programme Directors:
Dr Faisal Sharif & Professor William Wyns

Programme Lead:
Dr Haroon Zafar
T: +353 91 493 229
E: haroon.zafar@universityofgalway.ie

Downloads

  • Postgraduate Prospectus 2023

    Postgraduate Prospectus 2023 PDF (20.6MB)