6th Annual Cardiac Fitness Symposium: The Rhodes Course for Clinical Exercise Physiology, Testing, and Interpretation for Congenital Heart Disease
- Continuing Education
Gain practical skills and clinical insight in pediatric exercise testing through the first course dedicated to exercise physiology in children with congenital and acquired heart disease—designed for health care professionals and featuring online content, interactive discussions, hands-on learning, and case-based applications inspired by the work of Dr. Jonathan Rhodes. Dr. Rhodes was faculty at Boston Children's Hospital and a pioneer in the field of pediatric exercise cardiology. His memory lives on as a friend and mentor to many pediatric exercise cardiologists around the world and this educational course honors his legacy.
- Live Online or In Person
Participants may attend either virtually or in person for highly interactive, practical, and case-based learning.
Boston Children's Waltham, 9 Hope Ave, Waltham, MA; Virtual Option
$750
This is the standard physician price, for a full list of professional pricing, see below.
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Early Registration Deadline:
Continuing Education Credits
Earn up to:
15.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™
On This Page
Overview
This is the first course dedicated to pediatric exercise physiology and testing in patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) and pediatric acquired heart disease. Educational goals are to understand the science and practice of cardiopulmonary exercise testing in these patients and to be able to make clinically useful insights. The course is intended for physicians, exercise physiologists, physical therapists and advanced practice practitioners involved in exercise training and assessment for CHD. This course will utilize virtual and in-person group discussion, lecture, and hands-on learning and demonstrations. Clinical case examples will be used throughout to illustrate key concepts including practical aspects of conducting an exercise test, proper protocol selection, motivation, data integrity, and approach to interpreting data outcome metrics. Clinical applications will also be discussed. The development for this course is in response to the overwhelming requests for practical instruction in exercise assessment for this population and is in honor of the late Dr. Jonathan Rhodes who was a pioneer in the field. His textbook “Exercise Physiology for the Pediatric and Congenital Cardiologist” will serve as a key course reference.
Learning Objectives
- Identify the Fundamentals of Exercise Physiology Across the Lifespan: Describe the basic principles of exercise physiology with an emphasis on patients with congenital heart disease (CHD)
- Acquire Skills to Conduct and Interpret Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing (CPET): Acquire the ability to set up and conduct CPET and interpret key CPET variables and effectively report findings in patients with CHD
- Analyze Physiological Responses in CHD Patients: Use clinical case examples to evaluate physiological impairments and how these affect a patient’s exercise capacity and health outcomes
- Apply CPET Data to Guide Clinical Decisions: Utilize CPET insights to inform decisions on management for patients with CHD
Developed and Offered By:
Continuing Education courses are developed by faculty from Harvard Medical School's teaching hospitals and accredited by Harvard Medical School. This course is offered by Boston Children's Hospital.
Participant Types
Pediatric Cardiologists, Exercise Physiologists, Advanced Practice Providers, Trainees, Allied Health Professionals, Other
Schedule
All agenda sessions are in Eastern Time.
Friday, October 3, 2025
Scope of Exercise Testing and Training in CHD
2:00-2:30 pm
Motivation - Importance for Testing, Training, and Outcomes
2:30-3:30 pm
Motivation “How-To” Workshop: Testing and Training Zones
3:30-4:30 pm
Facilitated Networking
4:30-5:00 pm
Saturday, October 4, 2025
Clinical Exercise Physiology Principles
8:15-9:30 am
Conducting an Exercise Test (Protocols, Equipment, Age Considerations)
9:30-10:00 am
Break
10:00-10:15 am
Safety Considerations, Test Termination Indications
10:15-10:45 am
Understanding CPET Data Parameters, Prediction Equations, and ECG
10:45-11:15 am
Data Acquisition & Extraction (Case Study + Magic Spreadsheet Applications)
11:15 am-12:00 pm
Lunch
12:00-1:00 pm
Putting It All Together: Rhodes vs Wasserman Algorithms
1:00-1:15 pm
Interpretation of Normal CPET Cases: Facilitated Small Groups
1:15-2:15 pm
Break
2:15-2:30 pm
Introduction to CHD Cases & Categorization Lecture
2:30-2:50 pm
Interpretation of CHD Cases 1: Facilitated Small Groups
2:50-4:00 pm
Wrap Up and Summary
4:00-4:15 pm
Break
4:15-5:00 pm
Social Event
5:00-7:00 pm
Sunday, October 5, 2025
Live Demo Exercise Test + Small Group Discussions
8:45-10:15 am
Berak
10:15-10:30 am
Interpretation of CHD Cases 2: Facilitated Small Groups
10:30-11:45 am
Final Wrap Up and Summary
11:45 am-12:00 pm
Faculty
Harvard Medical School Continuing Education attracts the best and brightest faculty from all around the world. As a student in this course, you’ll have access to outstanding course directors and faculty.
Course Directors
Naomi Gauthier, MD
Course Director
- Medical Director, Exercise Cardiology
- Director, Cardiac Fitness
- Program Director, Advanced Fellowship in Exercise Cardiology
- Associate Cardiologist, Department of Cardiology
- Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School
Tracy Curran, PhD
Course Director
- Cardiac Exercise Program Development Manager, Department of Cardiology
- Instructor, Exercise Physiology, Lasell University
- Instructor, Human Movement and Rehabilitation Sciences, Northeastern University
William Orr, MD
Course Director
- Associate Professor of Pediatrics
- Cardiology Director
- Pediatric Exercise Physiology Lab Director
- Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Program
Adam Powell, MD, MS, FACC
Course Director
- Medical Director, Ambulatory Cardiology
- Medical Director, Cardiorespiratory Sports Clinic
- Medical Director, Pediatric Cardiorespiratory Testing and Rehabilitation Advanced Fellows Program
- Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati
Aimee Layton, PhD, RCEP
Course Director
- Associate Professor of Applied Physiology (in Pediatrics) at CUMC
- New York Presbyterian's Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Cardiology
Additional Faculty
Kendra M. Ward
MD, MS
- Pediatric Cardiologist, Electrophysiologist; Director, Cardiopulmonary Exercise Lab and Cardiac Exercise Program; Director, Preventive Cardiology; Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Location
Venue:
Boston Children's Waltham
9 Hope Avenue
Waltham, Massachusetts, 02453
Hotel Information:
Please use the links below to explore available hotel options.
Courtyard Boston Waltham
Embassy Suites by Hilton Boston Waltham
Extended Stay America – Boston - Waltham
Hampton Inn and Suites Boston/Waltham
Hilton Garden Inn Boston/Waltham
Holiday Inn Express Boston-Waltham by IHG
Residence Inn Boston Waltham
The Westin Waltham Boston
Request Information
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Course Fees
Fee Disclaimer
You may register through our secure online environment and will receive an email confirmation upon receipt of your payment. Prices include CME credit, electronic syllabus and access to recordings for 60 days after the course.
At the end of the registration process, a $10 non-refundable processing fee will be added to your registration.
Early Registration Deadline:
| Role | Standard Price |
|---|---|
| Physician (MD/DO) | $750.00 |
| Nurse (RN/APRN) | $300.00 |
| Exercise Physiologist | $300.00 |
| Resident/Fellow | $150.00 |
| Student | $150.00 |
Accreditation
The Harvard Medical School designates this live activity for a maximum of 15.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
For the purpose of recertification, the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board and American Nurses Credentialing Center accept AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ issued by organizations accredited by the ACCME (Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education). We would also suggest that learners check with their state licensing board to ensure they accept reciprocity with AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ for re-licensure.
The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) states that AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ are acceptable for continuing medical education requirements for recertification. We would also suggest that learners check with their state licensing board to ensure they accept reciprocity with AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ for re-licensure.
The American Medical Association (AMA) has an agreement of mutual recognition of continuing medical education (CME) credit with the European Union of Medical Specialties (UEMS). Additional information regarding this agreement may be found on the European Union of Medical Specialties website.
The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada recognizes conferences and workshops held outside of Canada that are developed by a university, academy, hospital, specialty society or college as accredited group learning activities.