Letter of Verification

SCMR LETTER OF VERIFICATION FEES

  SCMR Member Non-Member
Level I $50 $100
Level II $150 $300
Level III $300 $600

PLEASE NOTE: Letter of Verification Applications are reviewed on the first of every month and can take up to 8 weeks to process.

Level I
Level I training is intended to provide introductory knowledge in cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR). Level I competency represents knowledge of the indications for and capabilities of CMR, but not to the extent that is sufficient for independent practice and clinical interpretation of CMR. The topics to be covered in Level I training are listed in Table 1 at the bottom of this section.

Level I competency can be achieved by meeting the requirements of either Track A or B.

Track A is tailored for fellows or residents in training, and Track B is designed for physicians who have completed medical training.

The mentored cases and time spent in training in Track A in can also be applied towards meeting Level II certification requirements.

 

Track A (Formal fellowship or residency training)

It is recommended that all training programs (cardiology, internal medicine, radiology, pediatric cardiology, and nuclear medicine) incorporate basic training in CMR to familiarize the trainee with the indications, methods and applications of CMR.

Level I CMR competency can be achieved by meeting the following requirements, typically during the course of residency or fellowship training:

  • A minimum of 1 month of cumulative (need not be consecutive) exposure to the methods and applications of CMR.
  • Training must be under the aegis of a Level II or preferably Level III qualified mentor.
  • Training must provide exposure to the topics listed in Table 1 below.
  • Exposure to a minimum of 50 mentored cases.

Documents Required:
ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS MUST BE SUBMITTED AS ONE PDF FILE

  • Letter of verification from the trainee’s laboratory director or qualified mentor verifying that the above requirements have been met.
    The letter MUST be on appropriate letterhead with the laboratory director/ mentor’s contact information and follow EXACT format and wording provided in the template: SCMR Level I Template- Track A

 

Track B (Course*-based training)

*If you are a course director seeking support in planning Level I course, please click here.

This track is designed primarily for physicians who have completed medical training.  Level I CMR competency can be achieved by meeting the following requirements, typically attained during a dedicated training course:

  • The course must include a minimum of 2 full days of intensive, live instruction (either in person or remotely via a video-conferencing platform) in the indications, methods, and applications of CMR.
  • The course director must be Level II or preferably Level III qualified.
  • The course must cover all topics listed in Table 1 below. These topics may be presented as both didactic lecture and as case studies.

Documentation Required:

ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS MUST BE SUBMITTED AS ONE PDF FILE

  1. Proof of attendance
  2. Course syllabus
  3. Letter from the course director verifying that the course meets the SCMR Level I  requirements. The letter MUST be on appropriate letterhead with the course director’s contact information and follow EXACT format and wording provided in the template:
    SCMR Level I Course Verification Letter Template- Track B

Table 1:

Topics to be covered in Level I training:

  • CMR safety: magnetic fields, contrast agents, and contraindications
  • MRI contrast agents; mechanisms and applications
  • Flow imaging and quantitative analysis of velocity-encoded images
  • CMR of cardiovascular structure and anatomy
  • CMR of right and left ventricular function
  • CMR of myocardial infarction, scarring, and viability assessment
  • CMR of myocardial fibrosis and edema
  • Pharmacologic stress testing with CMR
  • CMR of vascular pathology, including aortic disease
  • CMR of valvular heart disease
  • CMR of pediatric and adult congenital heart disease
  • CMR in cardiomyopathies and heart failure
  • CMR in arrhythmia
  • CMR of pericardial disease
  • CMR for cardiac masses and tumors

PLEASE NOTE: Letter of Verification Applications are reviewed on first of every month and can take up to 8 weeks to process.

APPLY NOW FOR LEVEL I

Level II

Level II training refers to the additional training in 1 or more areas that enables some cardiologists to perform or interpret specific procedures or render more specialized care for specific patients and conditions. This level of training is recognized for those areas in which an accepted instrument or benchmark, such as a qualifying examination, is available to measure specific knowledge, skills, or competence. Level II training in selected areas may be achieved by some trainees during the standard 3-year cardiovascular fellowship, depending on the trainees’ career goals and use of elective rotations. It is anticipated that during a standard 3-year cardiovascular fellowship training program, sufficient time will be available to receive Level II training in a specific subspecialty. In the case of CMR, Level II training is required for individuals who wish to perform and interpret CMR examinations as part of their practice of cardiovascular medicine.

SCMR Training Guidelines

Documents required:
ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS MUST BE SUBMITTED AS ONE PDF FILE

  1. Fellowship completion letter (Template)
    This letter MUST be on appropriate letterhead from a Level 2 or 3 director, with the director’s contact information and EXACT format and wording provided in the template
  2. Copy of appropriate board certification
  3. Copy of active medical license
  4. CV or resume

SCMR Level II Letter Template

PLEASE NOTE: Letter of Verification Applications are reviewed on first of every month and can take up to 8 weeks to process.

APPLY NOW FOR LEVEL II

Level III

Level III training requires additional training and experience beyond the standard 3-year cardiovascular fellowship to acquire specialized knowledge and competencies in performing, interpreting, and training others to perform specific procedures or render advanced specialized care at a high level of skill. In the case of CMR, Level III training would enable the trainee to direct a CMR laboratory or train others in CMR. As for other noninvasive imaging modalities, Level III training in CMR requires training in multimodality imaging.

SCMR Training Guidelines

Documents required:
ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS MUST BE SUBMITTED AS ONE PDF FILE

  1. Fellowship completion letter (Template)
    This letter MUST be on appropriate letterhead from a Level 3 director, with the director’s contact information and EXACT format and wording provided in the template
  2. Copy of appropriate board certification
  3. Copy of active medical license
  4. CV or resume

SCMR Level III Letter Template

PLEASE NOTE: Letter of Verification Applications are reviewed on first of every month and can take up to 8 weeks to process.

APPLY NOW FOR LEVEL III

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