Insight_2nd Edition

Second Edition | Marquis Who ’ s Who Insight 9 how to deal with them. With regard to research, it’s the same thing — the issues that are import- ant to investigate can be inferred from reading and experience, and then you must determine if you want to do the investigative work. Teaching is dif- ferent, but the fundamental principles are always the same. With regard to teaching, I believe the appropriate focus is to instruct trainees on prob- lem-solving techniques because then they can continue to learn on their own. If teaching aimed solely to trans- mit ‘facts,’ the value would be limited because the ‘facts’ may change over time, but the prob- lem-solving techniques won’t change. The same problem-solv- ing techniques you would teach to students in medical school are the problem-solving techniques they would use to deal with in- dividual patients or individual research problems. What are two key behaviors/ personality traits that allow you to be effective in your role? The capacity to listen and the unwillingness to accept simple answers. Listening impartially to what people say is very important in every aspect of what I do. What is the most important issue/challenge you are dealing with in your industry right now? Right now, the greatest challenge is economic. The pressure to see more patients faster because there aren’t enough doctors is a problem. In my view, you cannot properly evaluate a patient if you are limited to only 15 minutes. I refuse to be limited in this way; I take the time I need to see patients. That is not what the hospital would like me to do, it’s not what the medical school would like me to do, but it’s all I can do to believe I am doing a reasonable job for the patients that come to see me. What new innovations or technologies do you feel will shape the future of your industry? The use of minimally invasive surgery to deal with cardiac problems is becoming more and more prevalent. Catheter based solutions to structural diseases of the heart are more and more prevalent, and I think that trend is going to continue. There are few cardiac problems that can’t be approached by alterations in certain structures; the alterations that used to be done with a knife in an open chest now more and more can be done in a closed chest with catheters. To me, that is the most extraordinary change that has occurred. In addition, there has been a vast increase in our understanding of the electrical activity of the heart and how to alter it in a beneficial way. There are more and more ways to treat with medications and electrical catheters, which can alter the electrical structure of the heart. Finally, as in every other field of medicine, an increased understanding of fundamental biology of a disease leads to more opportunities to intervene in cardiology as in most other fields. You can call it molecular therapy — there are a lot of names you can use, but the point is that it’s happening and there are methods now available to alter the expression of the genetic code in a manner that can benefit patients. “ In my view, you cannot properly evaluate a patient if you are limited to only 15 minutes. I refuse to be limited in this way; I take the time I need to see patients. ”