CARDIAC ANATOMY I - Anatomical concepts related to heart embryology and development; the heart: basic concepts regarding cardiomyocytes, connective tissue, sinoatrial node, and the conduction tissue; anatomical concepts related to heart chambers and pericardium: normal and pathological aspects; anatomical concepts related to heart valves apparatus: normal and pathological aspects; anatomical concepts related to systemic circulation anatomy: normal and pathological aspects

CARDIAC ANATOMY II - Anatomical concepts related to lung, pleural and chest wall embryology and development; chest wall: anterior and posterior landmarks and anatomic border; mediastinum and thoracic cavity: landmarks, organs’ content and relations; pleural gross and microscopic anatomy; the lung: basic concepts regarding normal anatomic structure; histology of respiratory system: structure, microscopic anatomy of trachea, bronchial tree and the functional unit of the lung: the secondary pulmonary lobule; anatomical concepts related to lung and tracheobronchial tree: normal and pathological aspects; anatomical concepts related to pulmonary circulation anatomy: normal and pathological aspects

PHYSIOLOGY - Overview of cardiovascular system; electrical activity of the heart; cardiac cell structure and function; the cardiac cycle; the heart pump: cardiac inotropy, preload and afterload; vascular structure and function; arterial and venous blood pressure; overview of respiratory system; the lung function, ventilation and principles of gas exchange; neurohormonal control of cardiovascular and respiratory system; cardiovascular and respiratory responses to physiologic stresses

PHARMACOLOGY - General overview of pharmacologic therapy for cardiovascular disease; anti-ischemic and antianginal therapies; anti-hypertensive therapies; anti-arrhythmic therapy; antithrombotic agents; antiplatelet agents; treatment of acute and chronic heart failure; lipid-modifying therapies; therapeutic principles in metabolic syndrome and diabetes; non-cardiac drugs affecting the heart; treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

PATHOLOGY - Pathological bases, macro- and microscopic evolutionary aspects and complications of myocardial infarction and chronic ischemic cardiopathy; morphological classification of endocarditis, myocarditis, pericarditis and cardiomyopathies; pulmonary granulomatous diseases: primary and post-primary tuberculosis and sarcoidosis; histological and cytologic diagnosis of pulmonary neoplasia, histological classification of lung neoplasia; histomorphological features of pleural mesotelioma

DIAGNOSTICS - Cardiovascular examination; electrocardiography; cardiopulmonary exercise testing and pulmonary function tests; overview and selection of noninvasive imaging modalities; transthoracic echocardiography and lung ultrasound; stress and transesophageal echocardiography; chest radiography and computed tomography; cardiac magnetic resonance; nuclear imaging and positron emission tomography; invasive imaging and hemodynamics

CARDIOLOGY - Arrhythmias; syncope; hypertension; dyslipidemias; metabolic syndrome and diabetes; aorta, cerebrovascular and peripheral vascular disease; valvular heart disease; infective endocarditis; myocarditis; coronary artery disease; acute coronary syndromes; interventional cardiology; heritable channelopathies; cardiomyopathies; heart failure; risk stratification and cardiac rehabilitation; pericardial diseases; pulmonary embolism; pulmonary hypertension; right ventricular failure and cor pulmonale; adult congenital heart diseases; cardiac tumors; sleep disorders and heart disease; adaptation of cardiovascular system to various physiologic conditions (aging, exercise, pregnancy, high altitude)

CARDIAC SURGERY - Surgical anatomy of ischemic, valvular and congenital heart diseases; basic concepts regarding treatment of coronary artery diseases; basic concepts regarding treatment of mitral, aortic and tricuspid diseases; basic concepts regarding treatment of congenital heart diseases.

VASCULAR SURGERY - Diagnosis of the most important vascular diseases in the outpatient setting; Surgical indications for vascular surgery in hospitalized patients; Basic concepts and observations activities regarding treatment of aneurysms in the operating room; Basic concepts and observations activities regarding treatment of carotid disease in the operating room; Basic concepts and observations activities regarding treatment of peripheral artery disease in the operating room.

EMERGENCY - Causes of cardiocirculatory arrest and treatment (BLS-D, ACLS, ECLS); Definition and classification of shock types and focus on cardiogenic shock, pathophysiology, clinical presentation and treatment; obstructive shock: focus on the causes of cardiac tamponade, pathophysiology, clinical presentation and treatment; causes of aortic dissection, classification, clinical presentation and medical treatment prior to surgery; causes of pulmonary embolism, acute cor pulmonale, pathophysiology, clinical presentation and treatment; causes of acute respiratory insufficiency, clinical presentation and principle of treatment

MODELING AND SIMULATION - Basic blood flow in arteries; basic concepts of cardiac function; properties of blood and vessels; laws of conservation of mass, momentum and energy balance

RESPIRATORY SCIENCES I - Specific diagnostic tests for respiratory disorders; lung infections; chronic pulmonary diseases, including asthma, COPD, bronchiectasis and cystic fibrosis

RESPIRATORY SCIENCES II - Pleural diseases, imaging and procedures; interstitial lung disorders; pleural and lung tumors; smoking-related pulmonary disease; palliation in chronic pulmonary diseases; guidelines of the main pulmonary pathologies