Below is a list of five cardiology leaders in the U.S. who have made a positive impact on their organizations and the profession.
Editor’s note: This is not a list of top cardiologists, but rather a list highlighting professional accomplishments. Becker’s does not endorse any physicians featured on this list.
This is not an exhaustive list. To nominate a physician for future lists, please contact Sophie Eydis at seydis@beckershealthcare.com.
Christine Albert, MD. Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (Los Angeles): Dr. Albert is the founding chair of the department of cardiology at Cedars-Sinai’s Smidt Heart Institute. Her research focuses on the epidemiology, risk stratification and prevention of sudden cardiac death and atrial fibrillation. She leads multiple NIH-funded studies, including large-scale clinical trials examining the effects of omega-3 fatty acids on arrhythmia prevention and identifying high-risk individuals using genetic, lifestyle and imaging data.
Clyde Yancy, MD. Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (Chicago): Dr. Yancy is vice dean for diversity and inclusion, chief of cardiology and professor of medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He also serves as associate director of the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. His research focuses on heart failure, outcomes science, guideline development and health equity, with more than 700 peer-reviewed publications. A past president of the American Heart Association, Dr. Yancy has chaired major clinical guideline committees and received national honors, including the 2022 Heart Failure Society of America Distinguished Leadership Award and election to the National Academy of Medicine.
Sharonne Hayes, MD. Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minn.): Dr. Hayes is a professor of medicine and founder of the Mayo Clinic Women’s Heart Clinic. Her research focuses on sex and gender differences in cardiovascular disease, with major contributions to understanding spontaneous coronary artery dissection, a leading cause of heart attack in young women. She also studies microvascular coronary disease, pregnancy-related cardiovascular risk and pericardial disorders. Dr. Hayes has been internationally recognized for advancing women’s heart health, improving inclusion in research and leading efforts to address disparities and barriers faced by women and minorities in cardiovascular care and academia.
Nancy Sweitzer, MD, PhD. Washington University School of Medicine (St. Louis) Dr. Sweitzer is vice chair of clinical research in the department of medicine and director of clinical research for the cardiovascular division at Washington University School of Medicine. A physician-scientist specializing in heart failure and transplant cardiology, she has led landmark clinical trials exploring heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and multi-organ interactions in advanced cardiac disease. Dr. Sweitzer is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association and the Heart Failure Society of America. She also serves as editor-in-chief of Circulation: Heart Failure and has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications.
Deepak Bhatt, MD. Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital (New York City): Dr. Bhatt is director of the Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital and professor of cardiovascular medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. An interventional cardiologist and clinical researcher with more than 2,000 publications, he has led numerous landmark cardiovascular trials, advancing therapies for coronary disease, diabetes and lipid management. Dr. Bhatt was previously executive director of interventional cardiovascular programs at Boston-based Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
