Council on Clinical Cardiology

Fall 2001 Council on Clinical Cardiology

Chair’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Immediate Past Chair’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Interview with Dr. Kathryn Taubert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

2001 AHA/Wyeth-Ayerst Women in Cardiology Travel Grant Recipients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Tips on Leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

A Reminder for Busy Cardiologists

Don’t Ignore Your Personal Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Volunteering with Your Local AHA

AHA-Boston Public Health Commission Collaboration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

NIH/NHLBI Research Training and Career DevelopmentPrograms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Women in European Cardiology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Representation of Women in the Council on Clinical Cardiology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

CVDY Council Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Calendar of Upcoming Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

ACC Women in Cardiology Announcement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Fellowship Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Membership Application. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

American Heart Association Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATIONCOUNCIL ON CLINICAL CARDIOLOGYWOMEN IN CARDIOLOGY COMMITTEE

NEWSLETTER MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the WIC Committee is three-fold:

• to increase the participation of women in the council and the association,

• to increase leadership roles of women in the council and the association, and

• to encourage women to enter the field of cardiology.

TABLEof Contents

Myp a rt i c i-pation

in the Womenin CardiologyCommittee,has, to date,been one of mymost rewardingcommitteeassignments,and I lookforward toserving as chairfor the next 2years. The other

Committee members are Joseph Alpert, EmeliaBenjamin, Therese Giglia, Madhavi Gunda, MariaGrazia Modena, Elizabeth Nabel, Pamela Ouyang,and Roxanne Rodney. Dr. Marian Limacher servesas the liaison with our sister committee within theAmerican College of Cardiology. I wish to thank myimmediate predecessor, Dr. Roxanne Rodney, for herleadership and innovation. Since the inception of theWomen in Card i o l ogy Committee, Roxanne and otherCommittee members have quickly expanded itsefforts in mentoring women in cardiology andpromoting cardiology as a career for women.

The travel awards provide an opportunity for femaletrainees to attend the annual Scientific Sessions ofthe American Heart Association, meet other trainees,interact with established female cardiologists, andparticipate in a workshop on presentation skills. Weare grateful to Wyeth Ayerst for its support for thisprogram. The newsletter provides a forum for

discussing both professional and social aspects oflife as a cardiologist as does the Women inCardiology Luncheon held in conjunction with theAHA’s Annual Scientific Sessions in November. TheCommittee also presents an award for mentoringwomen in cardiovascular medicine. Each year, thelist of nominees grows and the selection processbecomes more difficult.

One of the next initiatives will be to complete acomputer-based resource for women contemplatinga career in cardiology. This will serve as an updateto a pamphlet produced by the Committee in thepast. I also look forward to expanding the presenceof the Women in Cardiology Committee on the AHAWeb site.

I encourage all of you to participate in theCommittee’s activities. Plan on attending the Womenin Cardiology Luncheon at the AHA’s annualScientific Sessions, Tuesday, November 13, 2001,12:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. Dr. Gigi Hirsch will bespeaking on Managing Your Career: A Pro-activeApproach. Promote the travel awards among thetrainees at your institution and consider nominatingthose who have mentored you for the mentoringaward. Above all, since communication is key andthe pool of female cardiologists is small, pleaserelay any suggestions for future endeavors of theCommittee to me or other committee members.

Linda D. Gillam, M.D.

Women in Cardiology Newsletter Fall 2001 1

MESSAGEChair’s

Wehaveall

been i m p a c t e dby the events ofSeptember 11.We arereminded of theinvaluable giftsof service andvolunteerism.We arereminded thatour lives are allinterconnectedand that what

we share in common is far greater than ourdifferences.

We all seek to fulfill our potential, to realize ourpersonal and professional goals. As we share ourtalents we are challenged to grow, to develop newskills, and to enhance existing ones. This is themission of The Women in Cardiology Committee.We work to enhance the professional development ofall women in cardiology.

As I complete my second term, it has been mydistinct pleasure to serve as chair of The Women inCardiology Committee. We are all challenged tobalance professional, personal and familyresponsibilities. I recall editing newsletter articlesand faxing them back at 2 a.m., with the faxmachine as one of the few items which had not beenpacked for an impending move. On one occasion, asan AHA staff member was making a request of me, Ithought that this person has simply forgotten that Iam a volunteer. Nevertheless, I usually respond inthe affirmative to AHA requests because they affordopportunities to contribute and to grow.

Despite the challenge of balancing multipleresponsibilities, serving the AHA in this capacity hasbeen most rewarding. I have experienced some ofthe challenges that this committee has worked toameliorate including that of being the only womanin my cardiology fellowship training program andthat of dealing with appointments to academiccommittees with significant time commitments butwithout commensurate institutional value withrespect to academic advancement. We have workedto enhance the awareness of some of these issues.

It has been gratifying to see cardiology fellows whohave received AHA/Wyeth-Ayerst Women inCardiology travel grants transition to junior facultymembers or enter practice. We welcome MadhaviGunda who was an inaugural travel grant awardee tothe Committee. Our congratulations to Dr. KathrynTaubert, the recipient of the 2001 Women inCardiology Mentoring Award. Dr. Taubert has anoutstanding record of mentoring as furtherelucidated in an interview included in this edition.Dr. Linda Gillam has been an active member of theCommittee. We welcome her as chair with utmostconfidence in her leadership.

I am appreciative of AHA staff and committeemembers for their spirit of cooperation during thepast four years, and of Drs. Charlie Francis and BobBonow for their support of the endeavors of theCommittee.

We are reminded that it is truly in giving that wereceive. We continue to encourage your participationin achieving our shared goals.

Roxanne A. Rodney, M.D.

Fall 2001 Women in Cardiology Newsletter2

MESSAGEImmediate Past Chair’s

RR: How did yourinterest in sciencedevelop?

KT: I was born nearNacogdoches, in eastTexas. I was lucky tolive on my grand-parents dairy farm withan extended family. Welived out in the country.It was a great place fora child to be. My AuntLaura and Uncle Jack(my Mom’s brother andsister) also lived there.Some of my fondestmemories are of UncleJack, who was incollege at the time.Sitting on the backporch, he would pointout the stars andconstellations to me —I was 4 or 5 at thetime. Even though

my grandparents had not had the opportunity to complete publicschool, they always talked about the importance of education. Iremember Aunt Laura helping to teach me how to count by usingGrandpa’s dominos.

At about the time I started school, my parents and I moved tosoutheast Texas. That’s where I lived through high school. My twosisters, Laura Beth and Jerry, were born there. My Mom was anelementary schoolteacher, as were Uncle Jack and his wife.

RR: So you were around educators. Were there other people duringthis time that had a lasting influence on you?

KT: Most definitely. The person who stands out in my mind the mostwas my 10th grade biology teacher, Mr. Johnson. Science and mathwere already my favorite subjects, but Mr. Johnson made learningbiology so much fun! Unlike some teachers who didn’t spend as muchtime with female students in science or math classes, Mr. Johnsontreated all students as equally important. He asked me to be a labassistant and a tutor, and I loved it. My 11th grade chemistry and 12thgrade physiology teachers were also dynamic and made learning fun.

RR: What was your major in college?

KT: I went to Stephen F.Austin State University in Nacogdoches. Mygrandparents and Aunt Laura still lived there, and I was able to haveSunday dinner with them almost every week!

I had a double major in biology and chemistry. I enjoyed college,although there were a few professors who tried to get female science

majors to pursue their efforts through the education department.Clearly, I come from a family of educators, so I think teaching schoolis a noble profession. There were no female faculty members in thebiology, chemistry or math department. It would been nice to haverole model.

When I received my BS degree, I was barely 20 years old. I wasoffered an assistantship to stay on for a masters’degree. I did that, andfinished it a year later with a major in zoology.

RR: So, did you then start on your PhD?

KT: Not immediately. I moved to Dallas to take a job in a research labat Univ of Texas Southwestern Medical School (UTSWMS). That wasthe wisest (or luckiest) decision I ever made.

RR: Why is that?

KT: Because I went to work for Dr. William Shapiro, a cardiologist. Ithink it is fair to say that his influence shaped the professional life Ihave today. He gave me the opportunity to do research and go toscientific conferences. After working for a couple of years, duringwhich we moved to the Dallas VA Hospital where Dr. Shapiro wasnamed chief of cardiology, I decided it was time to continue myeducation. I was working with so many MDs, PhDs, andmedical/graduate students at UTSWMS and the VA, I knew I had togo on with my education. I also knew I wanted to pursue it at themedical school in Dallas. Also, Dr. Shapiro, who treated women nodifferent from men, tried to show me female role models. Whenever awoman was invited to visit us, give a lecture, etc., he made sure Iknew about it. Two that I particularly remember are Drs. NancyFlowers and Nanette Wenger.

RR: What made you decide to pursue a PhD as opposed to an MD?

KT: I thought about it, I even talked to both Dr. Shapiro and the Deanat the medical school about applying for both. There was not thecombined MD/PhD as it exists now. I really wanted to go intocardiovascular research. I thought that the PhD program in Physiologyat UT Southwestern was good for training scientists to do human-oriented research. If they didn’t offer the kind of program with thewide variety of basic sciences, I certainly wouldn’t be doing what I’mdoing now. My major professor was Dr. Shapiro, and my research labwas at the VA.

RR: So, it was really the strong desire to do research.

KT: It was that particular program which gave the opportunity to get a PhD.

RR: I know you are interested in endocarditis and congenital heartdisease. What lead to that?

KT: At the VA, we didn’t get any congenital heart disease. Manypatients were middle-aged men with heart failure. We also sawendocarditis. I remember being interested in the idea that there was an


INTERVIEWwith Dr. Kathryn Taubert

Kathryn Taubert, PhDSenior Scientist and Vice President ofScience and MedicineAmerican Heart AssociationAdjunct Professor of Physiology at UT Southwestern Medical School

Conducted by Roxanne A. Rodney, MD

infectious process growing on a heart valve. But, most of my work inendocarditis has come since I joined the AHA. The interest incongenital heart disease came from working with the CongenitalCardiac Defects Committee of the CVDY Council here at AHA.

RR: What made you join the AHA?

KT: When I was finishing my training here in Dallas, there was a newmedical school starting in California, which was a branch of UCLA,in Riverside. They were recruiting faculty members and were lookingfor MDs or PhDs who had trained in medical schools. I saw the jobposting. I knew I didn’t want to stay at the same place where I hadgotten my degree and done my training without ever leaving. I appliedfor it, and they offered me the position. That’s how I got to California.By the way, Ann Bolger, who is very active in the Clinical CardiologyCouncil, was one of the students in the first class of medical studentswe had there. It was a very small number of faculty and the class wasabout 25 per year. After the first two years, the students thenintegrated with the rest of the UCLA class for their clinical years. Ihad to teach the entire medical physiology course, every lecture andevery lab. They needed someone who could do all of medicalphysiology and not just the organ system they had trained in. I alsotaught the cardiovascular section of the pharmacology course for thesecond-year students.

Before I left Dallas, I applied for and received one of the beginningawards from NIH. I was able to go to California with funding, whichwas good. I really loved it there, except for the smog. Several of thegrants I had were from the AHA. One thing that Dr. Shapiro did, veryearly on, was to tune me into the AHA. In my first job with him, mysalary was paid through his AHA grant. He would find travel fundingfor me to go to meetings, and we submittedabstracts. The first paper I ever publishedwas with Ken Narahara, a cardiologist nowat UCLA Harbor in California. Kennethworked for Dr. Shapiro on a research projectwhile he was a medical student, and I alsoworked on the same project. It was the firstpaper either of us had published. It wasaccepted by Circulation.

There’s been an intertwining of AHAthroughout my career. The people on mydissertation committee including Drs. Shapiro, Jim Willerson, MikeWeisfeldt, and Jere Mitchell.

I became very involved with the California Affiliate. I sat on theResearch Committee and the Peer Review Committee. I was active atthe local division by serving on the board and participating in thesummer student program with students working in my lab who gotfellowships from the AHA. AHA was a part of me. Every time theywould call, would I go speak, somewhere. I had a lot of good feelingsfor AHA, especially because they had funded my research.

At Riverside, there was a larger percentage of the students who werewomen. The first year, 2 of a total of 8 faculty were women. Wewould meet with the women students to address any particularchallenges or questions they had, or to just give them some mentoring.

I received a call one day from Mary Jane Jesse, a pediatriccardiologist and a former President of AHA. At that time, she was inwhat’s now the position of AHA Chief Science Officer. She had the

position preceding Rod Starke. She said that they were recruiting astaff scientist and that my name had been mentioned. I don’t know bywhom, but there were many people active in AHA that I knew. It wasgood to come back, to be a little closer to my family. My parents weregetting older, my youngest sister Jerry had gotten married and wasgoing to have a child. I now have two nieces, Kelly and Kimberly. Mysisters and I are really close. I wasn’t actively looking for somethingto go back to Dallas; I just answered the phone one day and it wasDr. Jesse.

RR: You got the opportunity.

KT: I was in the middle of a grant, but I decided to go. I likedeverything that she talked about. I was already a council member, so Iknew about some of the scientific endeavors at the AHA. They wereexpanding the staff scientist program. I thought, this is wonderful, Ican contribute in a wide variety of ways to cardiovascular science andmedicine through working for the AHA. I thought it over, agonized fora while and, ultimately, accepted. I also accepted a position as anadjunct faculty member at UTSWMS. This allowed me to keepgiving lectures to medical and graduate students, which was veryimportant to me.

RR: Tell us a little bit about what a staff scientist does at AHA.

KT: We work with different scientific committees to help them withanything from writing manuscripts to planning conferences. Staffscientists also have the responsibility of approving anything written byAHA; not papers which go through the peer review process, butanything else, ranging from pamphlets for the public to approvingnews releases. This is to ensure that what goes out is as scientifically

correct as possible. Other functions include helping to formulate andset some of the science policy of the organization, and working withthe councils.

RR: How many staff scientists were there at the time you cameto AHA?

KT: Two. Dr. Mary Winston, a nutritional scientist, who retired acouple years ago (but still does volunteer work for us), and Dr. WallyFrasher, an MD/physiologist who had the position then referred to asVP of Research.

So much has changed in the 15 years I’ve been here. We’ve gone from5,000 to 15,000 abstracts submitted, from a tiny program book youcould put in your purse to one that now seems to weigh 25 pounds,from 8,000 to 32,000 council members. We have quintupled theamount of information for the public. Everything that is posted on theWeb, we have to review and approve. We have more than doubled the


When I’m at the Program Committeemeetings, I suggest that we need to

include women moderators.

number of science committees. All science committees and councilshave a staff scientist as a liaison member. Every council has a staffscientist as an advisor. I’m that person for about half of them.

RR: Including Clinical Cardiology, the largest council.

KT: That’s right. Looking at mentoring and at my current position,when I interact with women on various committees, I keep in mindwhen we are making nominations, that there are a lot of good womenout there. When I’m at the Program Committee meetings, I suggestthat we need to include women moderators. The names of men alwayscome up because, in adult cardiology, the vast majority ofcardiologists are still men. Sometimes you think of whom you trainedwith, you think of your fellows and more men come to the forefront.It’s just being there to help people remember.

RR: Yes, to bring forth the name that’s not in the particular circle.

KT: Exactly.

RR: I think that’s a very important function, as the AHAiscommitted to being representative of the American community atlarge, not just at the volunteer level, but also at the staff level. It’s animportant function and I think individuals from diversebackgrounds bring different contributions to the table. I think itdefinitely does enrich the process.

KT: I think so, too. I still have contact with students. I’m giving athree-hour lecture over at the medical school in a few minutes. Eventhough there are more women now, I think it’s still good for studentsto see women faculty members. If half of the students are women,why aren’t half of their faculty members women?

RR: There’s often a disconnect at the higher levels. For internalmedicine residency programs, at least a third of the trainees arewomen. Although the percentage of women cardiology fellows hasincreased, it’s not 30% as it is at the residency level. There areprograms that are open and receptive. Still a woman may decide notto go into a field because she doesn’t see someone with whom tomirror a career path. I think that’s part of what we tried to do withthe travel grants for women cardiology fellows. Many of whom arein fellowship programs in which they may be the only woman. Theymay have a sense of isolation, of not having the camaraderie andinteraction that they experienced at the residency level. As you said,even though the class has a higher percentage of women, seeingwomen on faculty is important.

KT:Yes, I agree. I’m a member of the American PhysiologicalSociety. At meetings they had a women’s lounge and would encouragewomen faculty members, researchers and students to come to network.I can’t tell you the number of times a women student would say, it isso good to see someone who has made it. They would say, I’m theonly woman in my program. They asked the kinds of questions thatthey would really want to ask another woman. Although he wasfantastic, there were certain things that Dr. Shapiro couldn’t give meadvice on. I needed to know from another woman.

RR: As VPof Science & Medicine, what would you suggest towomen who are volunteers, who want to advance to leadership roleswithin the AHA.

KT: I think that when you want to advance, there are clearly a fewdifferent pathways to take. One is through Scientific Councils by

serving on council committees. If you get on a committee, you maybecome chair of the committee. If you become chair, it puts you onthe executive committee of the council. That is a leadership role. Lookat what you have done with the Women in Cardiology Committee.Look at Alice Jacobs, chairing the Cath Committee , or Ann Bolger,chairing the Postgraduate Education Committee. In each of thosepositions, becoming chair of that committee puts you on the executivecommittee. Now, there’s an executive committee with women sittingaround the table. If there are women who are really into research, theyshould get on a study section to review grants. You could becomechair of that study section. Another option is getting on the ResearchCommittee. For those who want to move up to president of AHA oneday, you need to get on national committees, and you need to beknown by your Affiliate, as well. Affiliates need volunteers. It’s easyto get involved at your local community.

RR: Sometimes people just don’t know how to get on a committee.Sometimes it just takes sending a letter or making a phone call.

KT: The squeaky wheel. If there’s someone out there who’s an expertin heart failure, and they’ve never indicated that they would like to beon the Heart Failure Committee, and they don’t interact with the otherpeople, then you don’t know of their interest. Working up throughcouncils or through research committees are two very good ways toget that exposure. If you want to do something in Clinical Cardiology,tell Gary Balady or me, for CVDY, tell Dianne Atkins or me. Let’s getsomething from you to have in front of us for the next time we aremaking committee appointments.

RR: AHAhas undergone significant change during the time you’vebeen there. What are some of your strategies for managing changeor responding to change and still maintaining your career path andmoving forward?

KT: Well, I think that change is difficult. We reduced the number ofAffiliates but the presence in the community is still going to be there.

RR: What are your personal strategies? How do you continue togrow and develop? There have been major changes, realistically,there have been some folks who have transitioned elsewhere. Withregard to your own career, how have you handled it?

KT: I think, at times, it’s been a little difficult. I used to go toScientific Sessions every year to spend 31/2–4 days learning newscience. Now, I go to 40–50 meetings.

RR: That also happens to volunteers.

KT: That’s right. Sometimes I need to set aside some private, quiettime, where I can actually keep up with what’s going on in thescientific world. At some of the council science committee meetingsyou can listen to the experts talk about where we are, where weshould be, and what we’re doing. It is terrific. I have a bit of an insidetrack on hearing a lot of emerging science.

RR: Apart from the science aspect, there are skills that one has orone develops which allows one to grow within a major organization.What are some of those skills that you think have served you well?

KT: I think, for my particular position, you have to have the respect ofall your colleagues. You get that by the usual ways of being a niceperson because it’s obvious that you are good in your job and that youknow your stuff. I think having the respect of your colleagues, a good



working relationship with your colleagues, and remembering not totalk in scientific terms when you are not talking to a scientific groupof people.

RR: Keep your audience in mind.

KT: Absolutely, keep your audience in mind. Treat everybody with thesame amount of respect. If you say, I couldn’t possibly explain that toyou because you don’t understand science, you are not going to beeffective.

RR: What is your approach in handling challenges and setbacks?

KT: I learned a long time ago not to plan my day while driving towork. Nothing happens as you expect it. You may be in the middle ofan extremely tight deadline when someone calls to say the FDA justtook a drug off the market. You’ve got to quickly get a statement outthere.You have to be able to do that kind of multi-tasking.You have tobe able to adapt quickly to the unexpected.You learn to balance thetime, but you don’t balance it in an 8-hour day anymore.

RR: Prioritize.

KT:You’ve got to prioritize. Sometimes you may have three No. 1priorities that really are No. 1 priorities. You have to figure out how todo them all at the same time. In my case, you have to be willing totravel a lot, too.

RR: Are there any other downsides? Apart from the increased travel,with everything else that one has to take care of at home when youget back from traveling.

KT:You may be gone a week, get back, and there’s so much mailthat’s come through the slot, that you can’t get the door open. Thatliterally has happened. I couldn’t get in and the alarm went off.

RR: What practical strategies do you have with regard to traveling?

KT: I live alone which means that there is no one else there that canpay the bills if I’m gone for two weeks. I do everything on theairplane, pay bills and mail them when I arrive. I now travel all thetime with my laptop so that I can monitor e-mails that are importantand as a way to be in touch with family. But I still think the best thingis a good book, much better than writing checks. I’m still one of thosewho likes face-to-face meetings because I think interacting with aperson is often better than teleconferencing, especially on the sciencecommittees as we are working on writing papers.

RR: Now what do you see for yourself? What are your goals forthe future?

KT: I think that I’m right where I want to be as far as within AHA. Ireally enjoy being VP of Science & Medicine . We are developing anew department of biostatistics that I’m excited about. Also, lookingto see how we can better serve the scientific community and whetherit requires change in the way we’re organized. Being able to acceptchange in a positive way.

RR: What about personal goals? Sometimes, work consumes somuch of our lives.

KT: It does. Right now, we’re shorthanded. That’s going to get better.I would like to be able to do a little more personal traveling. I lovegoing to the mountains. If I’m in Europe, I always try to carve out a

few days to go to a place in Switzerland that I like. But there are greatplaces here, too, and it would be nice to be able to have a littlepersonal time to take a week off to go to Colorado. At some point, Iwould like to write a textbook of cardiovascular physiology for themedical school level or something like that. I’ve thought aboutdoing more scholarly writing. I do think that scholarly writing,spending time hiking in the mountains, or just have thinking time isenjoyable. Just having that quiet time where you are not listening toyour voice mail.

RR: As you say, the thinking time. Several people have mentionedthat. Dr. Wenger mentioned that, too, in her interview. Having thetime to think, that time really does seem to be shrinking. There areso many stimuli — voice mail, e-mail. There’s no down time justto think.

KT: That’s so right. You are so busy doing, you don’t have time tothink. You need that time to think.

RR: As you look back on all that you have done so far, how wouldyou want to be remembered?

KT: I would like people to say that I left this department in bettershape than I found it. That it grew, developed, and became even moreimportant. Also, the work that I do with endocarditis and Kawasakidisease, for people to say that some of the work I did, some of thepapers I wrote, actually made a difference. In the class I’ve got now,there’s a woman who has a 15-year-old son who had Kawasakidisease when he was two years old, at a time when people really knewnothing much about it. She recognized my name from having read apaper I wrote. She could not believe that I was standing in front ofthat class. I’ve gotten e-mails before from parents who say they havesearched the Internet and my name kept coming up. They would sayI’ve learned so much by reading those papers. I think that isimportant.

RR: I think that certainly you are one of those unsung heroes whoworks quietly, but, you’re very effective. I think with regard tomentoring and women within the councils, certainly in the ClinicalCardiology Council, bringing forward names for consideration andsaying what about this person, in an unassuming way, your impactand effectiveness has been felt by many people.

KT: Thank you.

RR: I want to thank you on behalf of the Women in CardiologyCommittee.

KT: My pleasure.

RR: I wish you well. I know you are going to continue toaccomplish, to move forward. Congratulations on being the recipientof the 2001 Women in Cardiology Mentoring Award.

KT: Thank you very much. It is a tremendous honor to be therecipient of this award. A tremendous honor.

RR: You’re most deserving. Thanks, Kathryn.

Heather L. Bartlett, MDUniversity of Iowa

Christina M. Bove, MDUniversity of Virginia

Lisa de las Fuentes, MDWashington University School of Medicine

Karrie L. Dyer, MDVanderbilt University Medical Center

Renee Y. Friday, MD, MPHUniversity of Virginia Medical Center

Ruchira Garg, MDColumbus Children’s Hospital

Barbara K. Gleason, MDUniversity of California San Francisco

Marina N. Hannen, MDMid-America Heart Institute/St. Luke’s Hospital

Chari Y.T. Hart, MDMayo Clinic

Amy B. Hirshfeld, MDChildren’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Sarita Kansal, MD, MPHVanderbilt University

Allison J. Kean, MDNorthwestern Memorial Hospital

Marilyn B. Lawrence Wright, MDNew York Presbyterian — Cornell Medical Center

Prerana A. Manohar, MDCase Reserve Western University.

Rita C. Milewski, MDUniversity of Pennsylvania

Trisha B. Nashed, MDMedical College of Virginia

Giulia L. Sheftel, MDBoston Medical Center

Anabela A. Simon, MD, MPHBethesda Naval and Walter Reed Army Hospitals

Karen K. Stout, MDUniversity of Washington

H. Jacqueline Suk, MDBrigham and Women’s Hospital

Usha B. Tedrow, MDMassachusetts General Hospital

Janet L. Utz, MDMedical College of Georgia

Padmini Varadarajan, MDLoma Linda University Medical Center

Barbara A. Washington, MDWayne State University

Gail E. Wright, MDUniversity of Michigan


RECIPIENTSWomen in Cardiology Travel Awards

2001 AHA/Wyeth-Ayerst

Women are aspiring to and achieving positions ofleadership with increasing frequency. It has beenpredicted that women will fill one-third or more of

academic medical leadership positions during the 21st century.I have often been asked for some “helpful tips” concerningsuccessful leadership strategies. This essay briefly outlinessome of my thoughts on the subject.

There are as many styles of leadership as there are leaders.Some leaders prefer the “top-down” style of leadership withstrict hierarchical and authoritarian control. This style ofleadership was common in the past but is rapidly fading.Today, most leaders espouse a more democratic, inclusive styleof leadership. I, too, favor this leadership style with itsexecutive committee that shares decision-making power withthe head of the administrative unit. I also favor what I call the“General Patton” style of leadership. This form of leadershipinvolves the head of the enterprise in the day-to-day running ofthe administrative unit. In a clinical enterprise, it means thatthe leader shares in the daily clinical workload of the unit. Theadvantage of this style of leadership is that the leader is visible,approachable, and intimately involved in the daily running ofthe enterprise. The disadvantage is that this style of leadershipis very time-consuming as well as being physically andpsychologically demanding on the leader. In a clinicalenterprise such as the Department of Medicine, the “Patton”style of leadership requires that the chief of the departmentplay an active role in the daily clinical activities of thedepartment. I believe that this is an essential task for the leaderof a clinical unit.

In the paragraphs that follow, I have outlined 10 qualities thatI believe are important for the leader of any academicenterprise. There are undoubtedly more that could beenumerated since entire textbooks have been written onleadership. Nevertheless, these 10 should serve as anintroductory primer for incipient leaders.

1. Equity — This quality is the sine qua non of leadership.All administrative units require sharing of resources andworkload. The leader makes many decisions affecting thed i s t ri bution of re s o u rces and wo rk assignments. If the staff ofthe enterp rise feel that such distri bution is not done equitably,then the work atmosphere is poisoned and morale plummets.I pers o n a l ly spend considerable amounts of time wo rking withthe administrative leadership group (executive committeeand business manager) of the Department of Medicinedeciding on equitable distribution of resources. I believe thatit is one of the most important aspects of my job.

2. Justice — Disagreements arise in any administrative unit.The head of the unit will be called on to adjudicate thesedifferences of opinion. It is essential that such judgments berendered fairly and without bias. If members of theadministrative unit perceive that such decisions are madewith inherent favoritism, the atmosphere of the unit ispoisoned and work suffers. Job turnover is frequent inadministrative units where the staff feels that justice is notserved when important decisions are made.

3. Communication and Interpersonal Relations —This is another vital aspect of good leadership. Leaders mustbe effective communicators and they must be skilled infostering interpersonal relationships. Former PresidentRonald Reagan was a master in this arena. As recentlypointed out by David R. Gergen in his best-selling book,Eyewitness to Power, Reagan more than made up for hislack of memory for details with his great interpersonal skillsand his extraordinary ability to communicate effectively.Within an academic enterprise, false rumors surface withgreat regularity. These falsehoods can disturb morale andthreaten the work atmosphere. Effective, frequentcommunications from the leadership of the unit help tocombat these falsehoods. I believe that academic clinicalleaders should be visible, involved in the daily workactivities of the enterprise, and approachable. I amconvinced that a friendly, open style of leadership is moreeffective than a haughty, standoffish manner of directing theadministrative unit.

4. Role Modelling — It has often been said that people getthe leaders they deserve. I believe that it is also true thatleaders get the staff and colleagues that they, the leaders,deserve. If leadership is arrogant, unfriendly, rude, orunfeeling, members of the administrative unit will behaveaccordingly. Leaders in academic medicine are beingobserved at all times by students, house officers, fellows,junior faculty and senior faculty. All the members of the staffand faculty who work for that leader often emulate what theleader does. Thus, leaders should be aware that they areserving as role models for the staff and colleagues in theirunit. The Golden Rule applies here: Do Unto Others as YouWould Have Them Do Unto You.

5. Work Ethic — This quality seems so obvious that onewould think that it is not even necessary to mention it.However, I have observed administrative units where thechief was frequently absent on trips of more or less dubiousquality or minimally involved in the daily work of theenterprise. Morale suffered in these units and faculty


LEADERSHIPTips on

Advice Based on Thirty Years of Experience in Academic Administrative Leadership

turnover was common. The chief doesn’t always have to putin more hours than anyone else in the administrative unit,but her work effort should be among the most intense in theenterprise. Absenteeism and failure to participate in theunit’s clinical workload will surely lead to deterioration inthe work atmosphere of the unit.

6. Balancing Work and Personal Life — This is aparticularly difficult quality to achieve. Work alwaysexpands to fill more than the time allotted to it. These days,increasing clinical demands place a heavy burden on allclinically involved faculty including the chief. It is easy tolose oneself in the workload of the unit thereby ignoringpersonal and family issues. Since “charity begins at home,”the leader needs to take time for herself. In my opinion, themost important element here is a minimum of one hour ofexercise per day. The type of exercise can vary from day today but should include lots of aerobic and some isometricexercise. Family time is also essential. I try my best toreserve some quality time for my spouse. I suspect she feelsthat the amount of quality time reserved is inadequate but Ido my best given the job demands outlined earlier. I alwaystake a long summer vacation, generally 3–4 weeks. One ofmy earliest mentors, Professor Lewis Dexter, always insistedthat everyone in his lab take one month of summer vacationeach year, and I have tried to follow his lead. I try to read atleast one non-medical book every week: novels and historyare my favorites. Other personal strategies employed by anumber of my successful colleagues include periods ofmeditation, gardening, hiking, camping, music, and so forth.I believe that it is important to spend some time every dayaway from professional pursuits.

7. Empathy — I believe that it is just as important to haveempathy for your colleagues and staff as it is to maintain thisattitude for your patients. Everyone has periodic problemsand a sympathetic chief is a big plus for the workatmosphere. There are times when I have told students,colleagues, and staff to “take some time off” in order to dealwith personal or family problems. I would expect my ownimmediate superior to treat me in the same manner.

8. Interest in Trainees and YoungerColleagues — This would seem to be part of thedefinition of an academic leader. If one isn’t interested infurthering the careers of students, house officers, fellows,and younger colleagues, why become an academicadministrator in the first place? This is the favorite part ofmy job. I take it as a personal triumph when one of mytrainees or junior colleagues succeeds. This was how LewisDexter was, and I greatly admired that quality in him.

9. Organization and Prioritization — A great dealof material and a large number of issues come across thedesk of the chief of an administrative unit. Some of thismaterial is important and some of it is irrelevant. If onegives the same amount of attention to every piece of paperor every phone message, there will not be enough time inthe day to complete your work. It is essential to organizeand prioritize. Don’t hesitate to use the delete button onyour computer for irrelevant e-mail and take liberaladvantage of the wastebasket!! In the beginning of aleadership position, it may be difficult to prioritize. Withtime, it becomes relatively easy to recognize unimportantmaterial and to get rid of it quickly. Sometimes I make amistake and ignore something that is actually important.Successful leaders hire outstanding administrative staff whowill correct these occasional lapses by reminding you aboutissues that you thought were unimportant but really neededsome attention.

10. Administrative Skills — Why have I listedadministrative skills as the last quality that a leader needsto acquire? Because these are the easiest qualities to learn.It is difficult to learn to be empathetic. It can be a realchore learning to prioritize. Leading from a position ofequity and justice is not at all simple. But, learning to reada spreadsheet is straightforward. As my business manager(a brilliant MBA) says frequently, “accounting is not rocketscience.” There are a number of excellent self-help booksthat teach management skills, and most academicenterprises have experienced business personnel who canhelp you understand and acquire a working knowledge oftheir skills. The American Association of Medical Colleges(AAMC) offers an excellent course designed for womenwho want to learn leadership and administrative skills.More information can be gained by visiting their Web site:h t t p : / / w w w. a a m c. o rg / m e e t i n g s / s p e c m t g s / m i dw i m 0 1 / s t a rt . h t m

In conclusion, many women will be entering leadershippositions in cardiology over the next twenty years. I hope thatthe brief descriptions of the qualities that I believe areimportant for individuals aspiring to such jobs will be useful tothose of you who will become the leaders of the future.

Joseph S. Alpert, MD


It’s late and dark. Your car is parked in a deserted section ofthe parking lot but when it’s time to go home, you leave,unescorted, distractedly thinking about a sick patient or the

long list of things to be done. Sound familiar? If it does, youare like many female physicians who frequently ignore theirpersonal safety.

Medicine, as a discipline, breeds a sense of invulnerability.After all, how could anyone tough enough to survive the rigorsof internship and perform life-saving feats ever be a victim?Female physicians are accustomed to having to demonstratetheir equality with male colleagues and, particularly in male-dominated specialties like cardiology, tend to view themselvesas always in control. While this mentality helps us succeed asphysicians, there are many situations in which the moreappropriate mindset should be that we are potential victims of aviolent criminal. We all acknowledge that we live in anincreasingly violent society, and it’s worth reminding ourselvesthat the hospitals at which we work are frequently in distressedurban centers and that physicians, in general, are viewed astargets because of perceived access to money and drugs.

What can we do to protect ourselves? This article is notintended to be a definitive course in self-protection but willoffer several of the basics.

Experts in personal defense identify two modifiable risk factorsfor violent crime as being in the wrong place at the wrong timeand having a lack of awareness of one’s surroundings. Whilewe may not be able to change our working hours or park nearthe main entrance, it is generally possible to obtain a securityguard escort to our vehicles. Don’t be deterred by the wait forthe guard or the reassurance that “it’s not that late.” If yourhospital or office building does not provide this service, beproactive and see whether one can be instituted. If you work inan environment where spaces are assigned, don’t settle for aspace in a remote corner of the roof. Ask for one that is betterlit and closer to the entrance.

Multitasking is a medical way of life and it is common to paymore attention to planning tomorrow’s agenda than appraisingone’s surroundings while walking alone after a long day.Don’t! Be aware of the people and spaces that surround you.Keep your distance from others unless you know them. Haveyour keys out before you leave for your car. When you reach it,quickly inspect the interior for intruders, get in, and lock thedoors and leave. Despite the fact that we are trained asphysicians to be sympathetic care givers, be wary of anyone inanother vehicle soliciting assistance. This is not the time to bea good Samaritan. Abductors frequently prey on victims’sympathies to coax them into their own vehicles.

If possible, keep others aware of your whereabouts. Call homeas you’re about to leave so that someone will notice if youdon’t arrive as expected. A cell phone is a must. Keep it wellcharged and be aware of how to activate its 911 signal.

Car breakdowns are always a nuisance. In the middle of thenight on a lonely highway, breakdowns put you at risk. It’sobvious that preventive maintenance can minimize thelikelihood of an engine problem. However, many problemssuch as flat tires occur in random fashion. Use your cell phoneto call for help and lock the doors until help arrives. Expectidentification. Police officers and AAA service people areeasily identifiable. Don’t open the door for anyone else.

What about pepper spray? Like other self-defense aids, it hasits pros and cons. If you choose to carry it, do so on a keychain so that it is always at hand. Fumbling for it in a pocket orpurse will only alert your attacker and may prompt a morevicious assault. Since you will have lost the element ofsurprise, the pepper spray may even be used against you. Beaware that as many as 20% of people aren’t stopped by pepperspray so if you choose to use it, don’t assume that the attackwill be stopped. If you do have pepper spray, remember toleave it behind when you fly, as you will not be permitted tocarry it onto a plane.

There are many elements of personal defense that are beyondthe scope of this article. They include self-defense training,strategies to survive abduction, home invasion, and travelsafety. The reference list below is a sampling of books on thesubject. If you feel you need more, consider a formal self-defense course. Just don’t assume that violent attacks onlyhappen to others.

Linda D. Gillam, MD

Reference List(1) De Becker G. The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals that Protect Us

from Violence. 1998.(2) Strong S. Strong on defense: survival rules to protect you and your

family from crime. 1997.(3) Riley T. Travel can be Murder:A business traveler's guide to

personal safety. 2000.(4) Perkins J. Attack Proof: The Ultimate Guide to Personal

Protection. 2000.(5) Harteau J.A Woman's Guide to Personal Safety. 1998.(6) Danylewich PH. Fearless: The Complete Personal Safety Guide for

Women. 2001.(7) Grover J. Street Smarts, Firearms,And Personal Security: Jim

Grover's Guide To Staying A Live And Avoiding Crime In TheReal World. 2001.


A REMINDERfor Busy Cardiologists

Don’t Ignore Your Personal Safety

BackgroundThe American Heart Association [AHA] has set an ambitious goal toreduce heart disease, stroke and risk by 25% by 2010. In order tofurther this objective, the City of Boston Division of the New EnglandAffiliate of the AHA has sought collaborations with local agencies andorganizations. One such collaboration is with the Boston PublicHealth Commission “Boston’s Healthy Heart Initiative; It Starts withYour Heart.”

Traditionally, city public health commissions have focused on acuteillnesses such as infectious diseases. Several years ago, MayorMenino and the Boston Public Health Commission set up an initiativeto work to reduce death and disability from cancer. Emphasizing thatcardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in all ethnicities,the Boston Division of the AHA urged the Boston Public HealthCommission to set up a similar initiative to decrease death anddisability from cardiovascular disease in Boston. We are veryfortunate that Mayor Menino and the Boston Public HealthCommission had the vision to commit to reducing cardiovasculardisease in Boston.

The ProcessThe Boston Public Health Commission set up a Task Force panel ofexperts to develop a community-based prevention strategy for the cityof Boston. The Co-Chairs of the Task Force were Dianne Cavaleri, aparamedic and the President of the Emergency Medical ServicesDivision, and Howard K. Koh, MD, MPH, the Commissioner ofPublic Health for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The TaskForce members were strategically selected to represent medical, citygovernment and community constituencies. Members represented avariety of medical disciplines (e.g., nutritionists, cardiologists, andnurses), most of the major Boston medical institutions (e.g., healthcenters and teaching hospitals), and many of the key community andcity government agencies including the clergy, elderly services,schools, etc. American Heart Association staff and volunteersprovided critical expertise and economic resources for the Task Force.

The Task Force met 5 times to review issues such as cardiovascularprevention, early detection, and treatment in order to develop a set ofrecommendations that are appropriate for an urban, ethnically diverse,economically heterogeneous community. One of the critical elementsof the process was a presentation by Dr. John Rich, Medical Directorof the Boston Public Health Commission, of the currentcardiovascular disease risk factors and mortality by neighborhood andethnicity for the city of Boston. The Boston Public HealthCommission utilized concepts from the meetings to develop a set ofrecommendations that were presented at a Conference appropriatelyheld on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2001 at the John F. KennedyCenter. Dr. Martha Hill was the Conference keynote speaker.

The Cardiovascular Task ForceRecommendations are:1. Increase activity levels among Boston residents, especially youth,

seniors and city of Boston employees.

2. Increase the access to and use of nutritious foods for Bostonresidents.

3. Decrease exposure to tobacco smoke and increase access tosmoking cessation programs for Boston residents.

4. Address the psychosocial risk factors that contribute toheart disease.

5. Increase awareness of the symptoms and signs of heart attack andstroke among Boston residents.

6. Ensure that every Boston resident has access to screening forhypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol and obesity.

7. Improve access to Automatic External Defibrillators (AED)throughout the city of Boston for all residents.

8. Establish data sources to measure the effects of the cardiovascularprograms that are instituted.

9. Improve access to health insurance for Boston residents.

Future DirectionsThe Boston Public Health Commission and Task Force developedsuggestions for programs and strategies to assist the Mayor and Cityof Boston agencies in actualizing the nine cardiovascular diseaseprevention and treatment goals specified above. The Boston PublicHealth Commission is hiring a coordinator to help actualize theseambitious objectives. The AHA has pledged its ongoing support forthe process.

What is the Relevance to Women inCardiology?In prior issues of the Women in Cardiology Newsletter, variousarticles have emphasized the importance of volunteering for your localAHA. As a member of the Boston Affiliate Board of Directors andCo-Chair of the Boston AHA Community Relations Committee, Iparticipated in the Task Force as a volunteer representing the BostonAHA. Professionally, I am a clinical cardiologist at Boston UniversitySchool of Medicine and a researcher at the Framingham Heart Study.My involvement in the Task Force was extremely gratifying andenergizing. It was a tremendous opportunity to work with a broadarray of community activists and medical professionals from otheracademic institutions. I gained enormous insights into the challengesand potential opportunities for translating the knowledge we haveabout prevention into the community setting.

Emelia J. Benjamin, MD


VOLUNTEERINGwith Your Local AHA

Boston Public Health Commission Collaboration


NHLBI Major Supporter of Research Training and Career DevelopmentFor the past several decades, the National, Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) has been a majorsupporter of training and career development programs. Today the life sciences face a challenging period inwhich research knowledge is changing at a rapid pace. The next generation of researchers will have to beskilled in new approaches and competencies and prepared to collaborate with scientists in diverse disciplines.The NHLBI wants to be sure that investigators will be prepared to take full advantage of the many opportunitiesthat will present themselves in the post-genomic era. To this end, we have recently restructured our efforts toprovide career development support.

The quick-reference guide below is a good way for you to obtain an overview of the breadth and diversity of theNHLBI training programs. The information in the Table will help you determine at-a-glance which award is bestsuited to your needs. Details for all the awards are available at the Web site addresses, and you can explorethese opportunities further by contacting NHLBI staff at the numbers listed.

All of our training awards support women who are pursuing research careers; we strongly encourage women toapply. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss your career goals with you.

Beth Schucker, NHLBI

NHLBI Major Supporter of Research Training and Career Development

NHLBI Home Page: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/index.htm

NHLBI Research Funding:http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/funding/index.htm

NHLBI Scientific Resources:http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/resources/index.htm

NIH Home Page: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/oer.htm

NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts:http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/index.htmlNIH Research Training Opportunities:

http://grants.nih.gov/training/Grants: NIH Office of Extramural Research:

http://grants.nih.gov/grants/oer.htm

NationalInstitutes of Health

Web Sites

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute(NHLBI) supports research training and careerdevelopment of new and established researchers in

basic and clinical science to enable them to conductresearch related to heart, vascular, lung, and blooddiseases; blood resources; and sleep disorders throughindividual and institutional research training and careerdevelopment awards.

Who is Eligible: Opportunities exist for individuals atevery career stage: high school, undergraduate, andpredoctoral students; postdoctoral, new and establishedresearchers. Individual: US citizens, noncitizen nationals,and permanent residents. Institutions: US public orprivate nonprofit organizations.

Listed below are NHLBI-supported research training andcareer development programs. For additional information,please contact NHLBI staff to discuss questions andcareer goals.

• Division of Heart and Vascular Diseases — 301-435-0466

• Division of Lung Diseases — 301-435-0233

• Division of Blood Diseases and Resources — 301-435-0080

• Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Applications — 301-435-0422

• National Center on Sleep Disorders Research — 301-435-0199

Programs for High School Students• Research Supplements for Students with Disabilities

• Research Supplements for UnderrepresentedMinority Students

Programs for Undergraduate Students• Short-Term Training for Minority Students

Programs (T35)

• Biomedical Research Training Programs forUnderrepresented Minorities

• NHLBI Minority Access to Research Careers SummerResearch Training Program

• Research Supplements for Students with Disabilities

• Research Supplements for UnderrepresentedMinority Students

Programs for Predoctoral Students• Institutional National Research Service Award (T32)

• Short-Term Institutional Research Training Grant (T35)

• Minority Institutional Research TrainingProgram (T32)

• Short-Term Training for Minority StudentsProgram (T35)

• Predoctoral Fellowship Awards for Students withDisabilities (F31)

• Predoctoral Fellowship Awards for MinorityStudents (F31)

• Biomedical Research Training Program forUnderrepresented Minorities

• Research Supplements for Graduate ResearchAssistants with Disabilities

• Research Supplements for Underrepresented MinorityGraduate Research Assistants

Programs for Postdoctoral Individuals • Institutional National Research Service Award (T32)

• Individual Postdoctoral National Research ServiceAward (F32)

• Research Supplements for Individuals in PostdoctoralTraining with Disabilities

• Research Supplements for Underrepresented MinorityIndividuals in Postdoctoral Training

Programs for Mentored and NewlyIndependent Researchers • NHLBI Mentored Minority Faculty Development

Award (K01)

• NHLBI Minority Institution Research ScientistDevelopment Award (K01)

• Independent Scientist Award (K02)

• Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Award (K08)

• Career Transition Award (K22)


PROGRAMSResearch Training and Career Development

National Institutes of Health • National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

• Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career TransitionAward (K23)

• Mentored Quantitative Research Career DevelopmentAward (K25)

• Research Supplements for Investigators withDisabilities Developing Independent Research Careers

• Research Supplements for Underrepresented MinorityInvestigators

Programs for Established Researchers • Mid-career Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented

Research (K24)

• National Research Service Award for SeniorFellows (F33)

• Research Supplements for Established InvestigatorsWho Become Disabled

• Research Supplements to Promote Re-entry intoBiomedical and Behavioral Research Careers

Useful LinksNHLBI Research Training and Career Developmenthttp://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/funding/training/redbook/index.htm

NHLBI Home Pagehttp://www.nhlbi.nih.gov

NHLBI National Research Service Awards andCareer Development Awardshttp://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/funding/policies/nrsa.htm

NIH Grants and Funding Opportunitieshttp://grants.nih.gov/


Research Training and Career Development Programs for Extramural Scientists

Award by Education/ MD/Other Junior Established

Career Level Clinical Degrees PhD Predoc Postdoc Faculty Researchers

T32 • • • •T35 • • •F31 •F32 • • •F33 • • •K01 • • • •K02* • • • •K08 • • •K22 • • • •K23 • • • •K24* • •K25 • •

*Other Support Required

This serves to update our American colleagues onthe activities of the Women EuropeanCardiologists (WEC). Our liaison with the AHA

and ACC Women in Cardiology Committees continues tostrengthen. Our Committee has acquired a new veryactive member, Doctor Angela Maas from Zwolle, TheNetherlands. We are, therefore, seven, all women. Weunfortunately have not yet been able to find a willingmale member. While we wonder if we might appear to betoo feminist, I suppose we simply need to continue togrow in order to get more attention from the ESC(European Society of Cardiology). That will come intime as we gain credibility among the female physiciansin the European Community.

With this goal in mind, we now have a Web site thatprovides reports and updates on the progress of theorganization and its membership. It also has an ongoingsurvey function. One such survey performed by JadwigaKlos (Poland) in Eastern Europe has been concluded andthe results were presented at the European SocietyAnnual Meeting in Stockholm, Sweden, this pastSeptember. A survey performed in France by JenevieveDerimeaux is in progress and very soon we will be ableto compare the situations of a large number of womencardiologists in Europe, including Eastern Europeancountries, Italy, France and Sweden.

Another significant achievement has been the selectionby each National Society of a member who will interactwith WEC. The Coordinator of this project has beenJadwiga Klos. We are pleased that we now have a largenumber of representatives, one for each of the 47National Societies. Now that the list is completed, it willbe transmitted to the ESC Board and we will be able, inthe near future, to organize a Surveillance Committee tomonitor for opportunities for Women in Cardiology inEurope, exploring and comparing the laws for women indifferent countries. Dr. Jane Somerville, past-Chairmanand one of the most highly respected cardiologists inEurope, is preparing a draft document for an award to begiven to a distinguished woman in Cardiology. Finally,Karin Schenck-Gustafsson is preparing a proposal for thecreation of a Working Group on Cardiovascular Diseasein Women. In our opinion, WEC should have a strongvoice in both the social aspects of women in Cardiology,as well as cardiovascular disease in women, since bothtend to be relatively neglected by the European scientificcommunity.

Maria Grazia Modena, MD


CARDIOLOGYWomen in European

The Women in Cardiology Committee wasformed in 1993. Since then, the membershipof women in the council has increased 75%

and the number who are fellows of the council hasincreased 40%. There has been 140% growth in thenumber of women serving on council committees.Council sessions moderated by women have climbed240% and council sessions abstract reviewers haveincreased 160%.

We encourage you to join and to become a fellow ofthe Council on Clinical Cardiology. Information oncouncil membership is included in this newsletter.Together we are making a difference.

Roxanne A. Rodney, M.D.

WOMENRepresentation of

In the Council on Clinical Cardiology

The Council on Cardiovascular Disease in theYoung (CVDY) has made significant stridesover the past year in the areas of image and

awareness, education, advocacy, communication andAHA participation.

In April 2000, as part of the 3- to 5-year strategicplan, the Executive Committee appointed aCommunications Committee with the charge ofpositioning CVDY as the premier informationsource for pediatric and adult congenitalcardiovascular issues. The Web sitewww.americanheart.org/cvdy/ has been extensivelyredesigned. Its four sections (professionals, patients,kids, and parents) have extensive information forboth the medical and lay communities. The“scientific statements” section links to the AHA’smaster list of position statements on endocarditis,exercise, anticoagulation, etc. The “hotlinks” sectionlinks to comprehensive lists of Pediatric and AdultCongenital Centers, journals, societies, governmentsites and support groups. The booklet “Adults withCongenital Heart Disease,” prepared by theCommittee on Congenital Cardiac Defects, hasdiagrams of lesions and discusses surgical optionsand ongoing medical care including insuranceissues, contraception, anticoagulation andrestrictions. It is available both from the Web siteand, in hard copy, through the AHA.

On the education and advocacy front , theCommittee on Congenital Defects has developed andwill be distributing a Heart and Stroke Fact Sheet inChildren similar to the adult Heart and Stroke FactSheet. This one-page sheet with bulleted pointsabout cardiovascular disease in children will bedistributed to lobbyists for use with members ofCongress. It is available in hard copy from the AHAas well as on the AHA Web site.

Although not a direct offshoot of CVDY, the 32ndBethesda Conference Report on Care of the Adultwith Congenital Heart Disease was recentlypublished in the Journal of the American College ofCardiology (37:1161–1198). This is a valuableresource for those caring for adults with congenitalheart disease.

CVDY has recently increased its participation inother AHA committees and considers these activitiesto be important. Representatives from CVDY havebeen appointed to the Statistics Committee, theProfessional Education Committee and the PublicEducation Committee. Members of CVDY’sCommittee on Atherosclerosis, Hypertension andObesity in the Young have also been selected toserve as liaisons to the four Science Committees(nutrition, physical activity, diabetes and obesity) ofthe newly formed Council on Nutrition, PhysicalActivity, and Metabolism. CVDY will be workingclosely with the new Council as it goes forward indeveloping guidelines for both adults and children.

In addition, the Council on Clinical Cardiology andCVDY are beginning to explore avenues ofcollaboration in the education of physicians andpatients in issues regarding adults with congenitalheart disease.

CVDY has a long history of promoting women inleadership roles. The current CVDY Chair is awoman, and although the female membership ofCVDY is only 22.5%, women account for 55% ofthe Executive Committee.

Therese M. Giglia, M.D.


UPDATECVDY Council


EVENTSCalendar of Upcoming

Women in Cardiology Networking Reception and LuncheonTuesday, November 13, 2001

12:00–2:00 pm

West Coast Anaheim Hotel

“Managing Your Career: A Pro-active Approach”

Dr. Gigi Hirsch

$25.00 Luncheon Tickets are available at the

Convention Center Council Ticket Booth

2001October 25–27, 2001The 3rd Frontiers in Diagnosis and Management of Congenital Heart Disease Course sponsored by The Cardiovascular Program at Children’s Hospital, Boston will be held at theNewport Marriott Hotel in Newport, Rhode Island.This year’s course honors Drs. Richard and Stella Van Praagh for their countless contributions to the fieldof pediatric cardiology and morphology of congenitalheart disease. This program will address a range ofchallenging topics in pediatric cardiovascular medicine,surgery, and research. For details, please contact Ms.Debi Wilkinson. Phone: 617-355-7655. Fax: 617-355-7655. E-mail: [email protected].

November 11–14, 2001Anaheim Scientific Sessions 2001 of the AmericanHeart Association. Anaheim, CA. Phone: 214-706-1543.Fax: 214-706-5362. E-mail:[email protected].

December 4–7, 2001 The Seventh International Kawasaki Disease SymposiumCo-sponsored by the Japan Kawasaki Disease ResearchCenter, Japan Heart Foundation, and the American HeartAssociation. For more information and abstract forms:www.doc-japan.com/ikds/index2.thmlF u j i - H a n kone-Izu National Pa rk , Japan Hakone Prince Hotel


2002March 17–20, 2002American College of Cardiology 51st Annual ScientificSessions. Atlanta, GA. www.acc.org.

April 23–26, 2002Asia — Pacific Scientific Forum“The Genomics Revolution: Bench to Bedside toCommunity” and the “42nd Annual Conference onCardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention”Hawaii Convention Center, Honolulu, Hawaii

April 26–28, 2002Prevention VII: Conference on ObesityCo-sponsored by the American Heart Association’sCouncils on Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Metabolism,Epidemiology and Prevention, Cardiovascular Disease inthe Young, Cardiovascular Nursing, Arteriosclerosis,Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, Clinical Cardiologyand co-sponsored by NAASO, NIDDK, IASO, and CDCTBA, Honolulu, Hawaii

May 8–12, 2002North American Society for Pacing andElectrophysiology 23rd Annual Scientific Sessions. San Diego, CA. www.naspe.org.

June 10–12, 2002Thirteenth Annual Scientific Sessions of the AmericanSociety of Echocardiography. Orlando, FL. www.asecho.org.

August 21–25, 2002Advances in the Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms ofHeart FailureCo-sponsored by the American Heart Association’sCouncil on Basic Cardiovascular Sciences and theDivision of Cardiology, University of Maryland Schoolof MedicineSnowbird, UT

September 25–28, 200256th Annual Fall Conference & Scientific Sessions ofthe Council for High Blood PressureSponsored by the American Heart Association’s Councilon High Blood Pressure ResearchWalt Disney World Resort, Orlando, FL

November 17–20, 2002Scientific Sessions 2002Chicago, IL

American College of Cardiology Women in Cardiology Announcement

American College of Cardiology Women in Cardiology AnnouncementThe upcoming ACC Women in Cardiology Committee-sponsored luncheon willbe held on March 13, at the 2002 ACC Scientific Sessions, in Atlanta (March17–20, 2002). The title is “Women and Leadership” presented by MarieMichnich, PhD, National Policy Consultant.

Fellowship A p p l i c a t i o nWhat is Fellowship?Fellowship is a membership category that is only offered byeight of the thirteen American Heart Association ScientificCouncils. Fellowship is limited to scientists, professionals andphysicians who have made contributions to the CVD or strokefields through publications, scientific presentations, education,etc., and is intended to recognize those contributions. SeveralScientific Councils have implemented the “Fellow of theAmerican Heart Association” (FAHA) designation, which alsorequires significant and current service to AHA. The ScientificCouncils that offer fellowship are:

Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular BiologyBasic Cardiovascular SciencesCardiovascular NursingCardiovascular RadiologyClinical CardiologyEpidemiology & PreventionHigh Blood Pressure ResearchStroke

Are scientists, professionals and physicians ata junior level eligible for fellowship?Yes, there is another category of fellowship called AssociateFellow. This category is for those persons who show strongpotential for remaining in the field but have not had theopportunity to meet all of the criteria for full fellowship. It isexpected that Associate Fellows will have progressed enough intheir careers to meet the criteria for full fellowship within threeyears of being designated an Associate Fellow.

How does one become a Fellow orAssociate Fellow?Individuals may apply for fellowship by submitting a completedapplication form along with the required support documentation(the supporting documentation varies among the eight ScientificCouncils). In addition, certain criteria, as defined by theScientific Council, must be met in order to be considered forAssociate Fellow or Fellow.

A Credentials committee examines the application anddocumentation to ensure that the candidates have met thecriteria and show evidence of a continued interest in the field.

A slate of candidates recommended for fellowship is thenpresented to the Executive Committee or the fellows of theScientific Councils for election.

What are the benefits of Fellowship? All Scientific Council members receive certain benefitsand privileges:

• Reduced registration fees to attend the American Heart A s s o c i a t i o nScientific Sessions and other AHA -sponsored conferences

• Reduced subscription rates for all American HeartAssociation journals

• Fellows are eligible to serve as members of the AHAScientific Councils’ executive and standing committees

• Receipt of Scientific Council newsletter• Receipt of Fellowship certificate• Complete roster of the Fellows of the Council (upon request)

After reaching the age of 65, the Fellow may request Emeritusstatus. Emeritus Fellows are exempt from payment of ScientificCouncil dues and journal subscriptions. The Council onCardiovascular Radiology requires that a fellow be active for 15years prior to retirement before Emeritus status is given.

How do I receive an application forfellowship? Complete the form below and return to theaddress at the bottom of the page.I would like an application for fellowship to the:• Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology• Council on Basic Cardiovascular Sciences• Council on Cardiovascular Nursing• Council on Cardiovascular Radiology• Council on Clinical Cardiology• Council on Epidemiology and Prevention• Council for High Blood Pressure Research• Stroke Council

Want to know more? Visit the AHA Web site atwww.americanheart.org, and follow the links to Councils

Please send application to:

Name ____________________________________________________________ Degree ______________________

Address________________________________________________________________________________________

City ________________________ State ____________ Zip/Postal Code ____________ Country _______________

Phone ________________________ Fax ________________________ E-mail ______________________________

Please mail completed form to: American Heart Association, Credentials Secretary 7272 Greenville Ave, Dallas, TX 75231

Or Fax: 214-373-3406Questions? Please contact Jonna Moody at 214-706-1587 or e-mail [email protected]

S h a re the POWER of MEMBERSHIPwith YOUR COLLEAGUES Council on Clinical CardiologyPlease share your commitment to the Council on ClinicalCardiology with your colleagues. Copy this application andpass it on to at least one non-member and expand thescope of your Council.

This council represents the interests of clinical cardiologynationally and internationally, the council encourages clinicalresearch and quality patient care. It helps to bring clinicalperspective to the association’s position papers, practiceguidelines, and scientific statements. The council is responsiblefor the clinical sessions at our annual Scientific Sessions(including symposia, panels, and cardiovascular conferences)that are designed to keep physicians informed about recentdevelopments in clinical cardiology. The council also sponsorsselected scientific conferences and serves as an advocacygroup for patients with cardiovascular disease.

Join Online by visiting the A H A Web site atw w w. a m e r i c a n h e a r t . o r g and follow the links to Councils

Your membership also provides you with the following benefitsand opportunities:

• Early registration and reduced registration fees toAmerican Heart Association annual Scientific Sessionsand other council-sponsored meetings

• Discount! Reduced subscription fees to A H AS c i e n t i f i cJournals including Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Va s c u l a rBiology; Circulation; Circulation Research; Hypertension andS t r o k e

• ANewsletter with updates on council activities and issues ofinterest to members

• Opportunities to apply for council-sponsored scholarships andtravel stipends

• On-line access to membership directory, expertise directory,and Scientific Council home pages

For only $60 you become a member of the American Heart Association’s Council on Clinical Cardiology at the National Level!

Yes! I want to become a member of the Council on Clinical Cardiology.

Name __________________________________________________________ Degree _______________________________Address _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________City __________________________ State ______ Zip/Postal Code ______________ Country _________________________E - m a i l ________________________________ Phone _________________________ Fax _____________________________Month/Year of Birth ____/____ Gender (M) (F) Specialty___________________________________________________

Race/Ethnicity: Alaskan Native American Indian/Native American Asian African American Caucasian Hispanic Pacific Islander Other

% of time spent (=100%) Student ____ Research ____ Administration ____ Teaching ____ Clinical ____

Other ____ (specify)_____________________________________________________________________________________

Referred by: ___________________________________________________________________________________________

Method of Payment:Bill Me (membership will not be activated until payment has been received) Total payment $_______________ Check or money order enclosed (payable to the American Heart Association drawn on US bank in US dollars)MasterCard Visa American Express Discover

Card Number_______________________________________________________________ Expiration Date_______________

Signature as it appears on the card: _______________________________________ _ _ _ _ ______________________________

Please mail completed form to: American Heart Association, Scientific Councils Services

7272 Greenville Ave, Dallas, TX 75231 OR Fax to: 214-706-1999

Questions? Please contact Lynn Oyer 214-706-1371 or e-mail [email protected]

D1J068 Price valid through 6/30/02

Membership A p p l i c a t i o n

American Heart Association ServicesTo provide you with the best customer service, listed below are the services and contact numbers you aremost likely to need. To ensure timely delivery of your newsletter, journals, and other important information,please send your address, telephone and fax number changes to the American Heart Association, PO Box62073, Baltimore, MD 21264-2073 or fax to 800-787-8985 or 410-361-8048.

Service Department Telephone Fax E-mailAddress Changes Customer Service 800-787-8984 or 800-787-8985 [email protected]

410-361-8080 410-361-8048 [email protected]

AwardsCouncil NewInvestigator Awards Council Services 214-706-1181 214-373-0268 Research Award Research Administration 214-706-1454 214-706-1341Student Scholarships Scientific Councils 214-706-1181 214-706-1999

ConferencesAnnual Scientific Sessions Meetings 214-706-1543 214-373-3406 Scientific Conferences Meetings 214-706-1567 214-373-3406

Council MembershipApplications—Catalog Customer Service 800-787-8984 or 800-787-8985 [email protected] Information Customer Service 410-361-8080 410-361-8048 [email protected]/Memorials Finance 214-706-1417 214-368-1228

JournalsAdvertising Williams & Wilkins 410-528-4047 410-528-4452 [email protected] Information Williams & Wilkins 800-787-8984 or 800-787-8985 [email protected]

410-361-8080 410-361-8048 [email protected] Williams & Wilkins 410-528-4016 410-528-8550 [email protected] Williams & Wilkins 410-528-4292 or 4195 410-528-4305 [email protected]—Catalog Williams & Wilkins 800-787-8984 or 800-787-8985 [email protected]

410-361-8080 410-361-8048 [email protected]

PublicationsPublic/Patient Education Local AHAOffices 800-242-8721Scientific Statements Inquiries 214-706-1552 214-706-2139 [email protected]

Moving?Please print your new address below:Name ____________________________________________Address___________________________________________City__________________ State/Province _______________Country ______________ Zip/Post Code________________Phone _______________ Fax ________________________E-mail Address ____________________________________Moving Date _______________________________________

IMPORTANT!ATTACH ADDRESS LABEL HERE

Clip this form including your mailing label and send to:

AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATIONPO Box 62073

Baltimore, MD 21264-2073

Fax 800-787-8985 or 410-361-8048Tel 800-787-8984 or 410-361-8080

Council on Clinical Cardiology

Documents

clinical cardiology

mentoring women

cardiology newsletter

cardiology announcement

field of cardiology

european cardiology

acc women

participation of women