Program Leadership
Omar Siddiqi, MD
Program Director
I was born in Karachi, Pakistan, and immigrated to the US with my family in 1999. After graduating from college at the University of Rhode Island, I attended medical school at Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine. Initially planning on becoming a neurosurgeon, I was quickly enticed by cardiovascular physiology and decided to pursue internal medicine followed by fellowship training in cardiology. I completed my internal medicine residency training at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and my cardiovascular medicine fellowship at Boston Medical Center, from where I graduated in 2014. My clinical interests include echocardiography, cardiac amyloidosis, cardio-oncology, and adult congenital heart disease. My academic interests lie in medical education, particularly around developing curricula for ECG teaching at the medical school level, and incorporating simulation training for echocardiography and clinical cardiology.
Program Director
I was born in Karachi, Pakistan, and immigrated to the US with my family in 1999. After graduating from college at the University of Rhode Island, I attended medical school at Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine. Initially planning on becoming a neurosurgeon, I was quickly enticed by cardiovascular physiology and decided to pursue internal medicine followed by fellowship training in cardiology. I completed my internal medicine residency training at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and my cardiovascular medicine fellowship at Boston Medical Center, from where I graduated in 2014. My clinical interests include echocardiography, cardiac amyloidosis, cardio-oncology, and adult congenital heart disease. My academic interests lie in medical education, particularly around developing curricula for ECG teaching at the medical school level, and incorporating simulation training for echocardiography and clinical cardiology.
Katy Bockstall, MD
Associate Program Director
I was born in southern California and raised in central Florida. I first moved to Boston to attend Boston College, followed by medical school at Tufts University. I then set off for NYC, where I completed my Internal Medicine Residency at Mount Sinai Hospital and Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship at NYU School of Medicine. I met my husband in New York and we moved home to Boston to begin my first faculty position at BUSM/BMC in 2018. I am honored to care for our patients at BMC and to work with such dedicated trainees and faculty. My professional interests include echocardiography, hypertension, and curriculum development. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with family and getting outside as much as possible for running, biking, and amateur gardening.
Associate Program Director
I was born in southern California and raised in central Florida. I first moved to Boston to attend Boston College, followed by medical school at Tufts University. I then set off for NYC, where I completed my Internal Medicine Residency at Mount Sinai Hospital and Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship at NYU School of Medicine. I met my husband in New York and we moved home to Boston to begin my first faculty position at BUSM/BMC in 2018. I am honored to care for our patients at BMC and to work with such dedicated trainees and faculty. My professional interests include echocardiography, hypertension, and curriculum development. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with family and getting outside as much as possible for running, biking, and amateur gardening.
Alexandra Pipilas, MD
Assistant Program Director
I was born and raised in Boston and attended Boston University for my undergrad degree. I left Boston for a short time to attend medical school in Chicago before returning for internal medicine residency, chief residency, and fellowship here at Boston Medical Center. I could not have been happier to stay on as faculty after the completion of fellowship in 2023. My clinical interests include women’s health, cardio-obstetrics, and echocardiography. My academic interests lie in medical education, especially in curriculum development. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my husband Danny and two sons Noah and Max. We love to get outside as much as possible and look forward to ski season all year long!
Assistant Program Director
I was born and raised in Boston and attended Boston University for my undergrad degree. I left Boston for a short time to attend medical school in Chicago before returning for internal medicine residency, chief residency, and fellowship here at Boston Medical Center. I could not have been happier to stay on as faculty after the completion of fellowship in 2023. My clinical interests include women’s health, cardio-obstetrics, and echocardiography. My academic interests lie in medical education, especially in curriculum development. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my husband Danny and two sons Noah and Max. We love to get outside as much as possible and look forward to ski season all year long!
Frederick L. Ruberg, MD
Chief of Cardiovascular Medicine
Thomas J. Ryan Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine
I was born in the City of Brotherly Love (aka Philadelphia PA) and raised in the city of Buckeye Love (aka Columbus, OH). I returned to Philly for college (Haverford College) and medical school (University of Pennsylvania) and moved to Boston for residency (Brigham and Women’s Hospital). I came to BU/BMC as a cardiology fellow in 2001 in the lab of Joseph Loscalzo, and other than a year at BIDMC for cardiac MR training, I have remained ever since. BMC has been my clinical and research identity for the entirety of my professional life. My clinical interest is in cardiac imaging including CMR (I direct the cardiac MR program) and echocardiography. The majority of my clinical time is spent caring for patients with cardiac amyloidosis as the senior cardiologist in the BU/BMC Amyloidosis Center, an internationally recognized center of excellence for clinical care and research in amyloid diseases. I live in Brookline, MA with my wife (medical microbiology at Boston Children’s Hospital) and three daughters, one of whom is a first-year student at BU in the 2020-21 academic year. In my ample spare time, I enjoy music (listening/performing), politics/current events, useless trivia, trying my best to stay in shape, and binge-watching Netflix.
Chief of Cardiovascular Medicine
Thomas J. Ryan Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine
I was born in the City of Brotherly Love (aka Philadelphia PA) and raised in the city of Buckeye Love (aka Columbus, OH). I returned to Philly for college (Haverford College) and medical school (University of Pennsylvania) and moved to Boston for residency (Brigham and Women’s Hospital). I came to BU/BMC as a cardiology fellow in 2001 in the lab of Joseph Loscalzo, and other than a year at BIDMC for cardiac MR training, I have remained ever since. BMC has been my clinical and research identity for the entirety of my professional life. My clinical interest is in cardiac imaging including CMR (I direct the cardiac MR program) and echocardiography. The majority of my clinical time is spent caring for patients with cardiac amyloidosis as the senior cardiologist in the BU/BMC Amyloidosis Center, an internationally recognized center of excellence for clinical care and research in amyloid diseases. I live in Brookline, MA with my wife (medical microbiology at Boston Children’s Hospital) and three daughters, one of whom is a first-year student at BU in the 2020-21 academic year. In my ample spare time, I enjoy music (listening/performing), politics/current events, useless trivia, trying my best to stay in shape, and binge-watching Netflix.
Program Objectives
Thank you for your interest in the ACGME-accredited Cardiology Fellowship Program at Boston University Medical Center. We offer seven (7) positions annually for a comprehensive three-year clinical fellowship.
- Clinical Training spans 24 months across our two primary institutions: Boston Medical Center and the VA Boston Healthcare System, providing diverse patient experiences.
- Research Training includes up to 8 months of dedicated elective time in the third year, enabling fellows to conduct original research in cardiovascular diseases under the mentorship of faculty members.
The Cardiology Fellowship aims to develop the next generation of leaders in cardiovascular medicine by providing comprehensive training in clinical care, research, and academic excellence. The program is designed to foster expertise in the evaluation, diagnosis, and management of a wide spectrum of cardiovascular diseases, including coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular heart disease, arrhythmias, and vascular disorders. Fellows will gain hands-on experience in advanced diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, including echocardiology, cardiac catheterization, cardiac MRI, and electrophysiology.
Through a combination of structured clinical rotations, multidisciplinary conferences, and research opportunities, fellows will cultivate advanced clinical skills, critical thinking, and academic inquiry. The program emphasizes a patient-centered approach to care and prepares trainees to excel in both private practice and academic settings.
Application Process
For more information about our application process, click here.