James Nkurunziza
Hamilton,ON
Summary
Highly disciplined, committed, and experienced specialist in Internal Medicine and Cardiology and subsequently interventional cardiology with more than 10 years’ experience as internal Medicine physician, and more than 7 years as a Cardiologist, furthermore, I enthusiastically pursued my Fellowship in Interventional Cardiology at McMaster University from December 2020 to April 2023. On top of this interventional cardiology foundation I have started building up my career path as structural interventional cardiology, did my first year of structural interventional fellowship in transcatheter mitral and tricuspid valve interventions, left atrial appendage and patent foramen ovale closures, this happened in the period of May 2023 to June 2024, in the same period I was privileged to actively get involved in management of acute management of post cardiac surgery whereby I spent a full year doing cardiovascular ICU night calls and this enormously give me a great deal of comfort in handling various cardiac critical illnesses. My structural interventional cardiology path is now continuing in Toronto University at Sunnybrook Hospital whereby I am diving deep into transcatheter aortic valve replacement, mitraclip, triclip, left atrial appendage closure and Patent foramen closures. I Have extensive experience in managing both cardiac Inpatients and outpatients, including acute and primary care. Experience of working within specialized and multidisciplinary hospitals, in diverse specialties and sub-specialties. During this course of my career, I have been actively involved in teaching medical students, residents, and cardiology fellows. While during my fellowship at McMaster I was actively participating in patients recruitments for various studies and data reviews for some other studies. I possess excellent communication skills with an ability to adapt communication to suit the audience. Bilingual capabilities, fluent in English and good in French.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Fellowship in structural heart interventions
University of Toronto, Sunnybrook Hospital
07.2023 - Current
- Privileged to be in a high-volume center, performing TAVI: Using three various Trans Catheter valves: Evolut from Medtronic, Sapien from Edwards, and Accurate Neo from Boston scientific
- CT analyses and planning for TAVI cases
- Building on my MacMaster experience for mitraclip, triclip, PFO closure, LAAC
- I am solidifying my skills in these fast emerging cardiac interventions
Fellowship in transcatheter mitral and tricuspid valve interventions
05.2023 - 06.2024
CCCA
04.2023 - 06.2024
- Managed patients with various types of shocks but predominantly cardiogenic
- Managed patient with congestive heart failure and acute respiratory failures
- Handled various hemodynamically unstable brady and tachy-arrythmias
Fellowship in Interventional Cardiology
12.2020 - 04.2023
- Accumulated a great deal of experience in interventional cardiology
- Performed more than 2000 diagnostic coronary angiographies
- Performed percutaneous intervention of chronic and acute coronary syndromes; and have done more than 800 PCIs
- Did more than 200 PCIs of STEMI patients
- Performed right heart catheterization of various indications
- Participated in academic teachings and heart team rounds
- Participated in clinical research carried out in our Interventional Cardiology Unit
- Participated in the education of Cardiology residents for invasive cardiology
Adjunct Lecturer
University of Namibia
01.2018 - 10.2020
- Actively teaching students on approach to Cardiovascular clinical examination, management of various cardiovascular diseases, completing clinical teaching and student evaluation
Specialist Physician Cardiologist
Ongwediva Medipark Teaching Hospital
11.2017 - 10.2020
- Provide patient acute care in Cardiology
- Completing clinical assessments, requesting laboratory examinations and imaging, as well as relevant medical procedures
- Conducting out-patient or medical clinics plus primary healthcare
- Coordinating medical team in Coronary Care Unit and managing patients in general adult Cardiac high care and general adult Cardiac Ward
- Including procedures such as the insertion of catheters, endotracheal intubation, in addition to interpreting laboratory and radiological results
- Carry out medical consults to other specialties such as pre-operative assessments
- Assisted in Establishing a Catheterization Laboratory at Ongwediva Medipark
- Experienced in both acute and chronic management of Acute Myocardial Infarction
- Conducting continuous medical education (CME) for the junior medical team in the hospital, a nearby medical team and nursing team, as well as a paramedic team
- Actively engaged in several local and international conferences
- Regularly attends World leading cardiology Congresses: ESC, EURO-PCR, AFRICA-PCR, SAHA, ETC
- Having been independently performing the following procedures: Transthoracic and Transesophageal Echocardiography, Occasionally Stress Echocardiography, Interpretation of resting 12 lead ECG, Treadmill stress ECG, 24 Hours Holter ECG monitoring, Implantation of temporary and Permanent Pacemakers, Diagnostic Coronary Angiogram and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention, Use of Coronary Imaging and Physiological Assessment in Cathlab, Invasive Hemodynamic studies on Right and left heart studies, Implantation of reveal device recorders, Pericardiocentesis and Electrical Cardioversion and defibrillation
Honorary Lecturer
University of Witwatersrand, South Africa
09.2009 - 07.2017
- Provided clinical teaching for medical students completing clinical rotations in internal medicine and Cardiology, supervised interns, medical officers, and Medical Residents
Medical Residency (Registrar)
University of Witwatersrand teaching hospitals, Johannesburg, South Africa
09.2009 - 05.2014
- Diagnosed and treated patients, supervised medical officers, medical interns and both supervised and taught medical students
Medical officer
Mugonero District Hospital, Western Province, Rwanda
04.2008 - 07.2009
- Diagnosed and treated patients
Education
Fellowship in structural heart disease -
University of Toronto
Sunnybrook Hospital06.2025
Certificate in transcatheter mitral and tricuspid valves interventions -
06.2024
Certificate in interventional cardiology -
McMaster University
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada04.2023
Fellowship in interventional Cardiology -
McMaster University
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada04.2023
Fellowship in Cardiology -
University of Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa07.2017
Certificate in Sub-Specialty Cardiology -
College of Physicians of South Africa
10.2016
Residency in Internal Medicine -
University of Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa05.2014
Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery -
12.2008
Skills
- Management of acute and chronic cardiac conditions
- Performing lifesaving cardiac procedures: Cardioversion , Pericardiocenthesis
- Worked as part-timer in cardiovascular ICU managing critically sick cardiac patients
- Performing and interpreting non-invasive cardiac tests : ECG, Echocardiography ( TTE mainly and non advanced TEE skills , treadmill tests , nuclear myocardial imaging )
- cardiac catheterization: Coronary angiogram and angioplasty of various coronary complexities but not CTO operator
- pertaining hemodynamic assessment with right and left heart catheterization
- Structural heart interventions: TAVI, M-TEER, LAAC, PFO closures building up experience in triclip now
- Participated in various studies with patients recruitment and data reviews
Affiliations
- Certificate in Sub-Specialty CARDIOLOGY of the College of Physicians of South Africa – Cert Cardio (SA) CMSA
- Fellow, College of Physicians of South Africa - FCP (SA) CMSA
- Member, Namibian Medical Society
Certification
- Certified by The Colleges of Medicine of South Africa- FCP (SA), Cert Cardio (SA)
- Health Professions Council of Namibia (HPCNA)
- Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA)
Projects
Participated in The Universal randomized clinical trial on Routine Ultrasonography guidance for femoral access for cardiac procedures. Worked as a research assistant in the Cardia Study and SMARTAMI Project. Actively participated in Practical hero trial. Published in 2018 on Treatment outcomes of pre-and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Timeline
Fellowship in structural heart interventions
University of Toronto, Sunnybrook Hospital
07.2023 - Current
Fellowship in transcatheter mitral and tricuspid valve interventions
05.2023 - 06.2024
CCCA
04.2023 - 06.2024
Fellowship in Interventional Cardiology
12.2020 - 04.2023
Adjunct Lecturer
University of Namibia
01.2018 - 10.2020
Specialist Physician Cardiologist
Ongwediva Medipark Teaching Hospital
11.2017 - 10.2020
Honorary Lecturer
University of Witwatersrand, South Africa
09.2009 - 07.2017
Medical Residency (Registrar)
University of Witwatersrand teaching hospitals, Johannesburg, South Africa
09.2009 - 05.2014
Medical officer
Mugonero District Hospital, Western Province, Rwanda
04.2008 - 07.2009
Fellowship in structural heart disease -
University of Toronto
Certificate in transcatheter mitral and tricuspid valves interventions -
Certificate in interventional cardiology -
McMaster University
Fellowship in interventional Cardiology -
McMaster University
Fellowship in Cardiology -
University of Witwatersrand
Certificate in Sub-Specialty Cardiology -
College of Physicians of South Africa
Residency in Internal Medicine -
University of Witwatersrand