Organization and History
Directors:
Clinical Cardiovascular Services: Patrick O'Gara, M.D.
Ambulatory Services/Brigham Cardiovascular Consultants: Gilbert Mudge, M.D.
Cardiovascular Genetics Center: Carolyn Ho, M.D.
Cardiac Catheterization/Interventional Cardiology: Frederic Resnic, M.D., M.Sc.
Electrophysiology/Arrhythmia: Laurence Epstein, M.D. and William Stevenson, M.D.
Exercise Testing Laboratory: Daniel Forman, M.D.
Advanced Heart Disease (Heart Failure/Transplantation): Kenneth Baughman, M.D.
Non-Invasive Cardiology: Scott Solomon, M.D.
Vascular Disease Prevention Program: Jorge Plutzky, M.D.
Vascular Medicine: Mark Creager, M.D.
History
The Hospital has been a center for training in cardiovascular medicine and research virtually since its founding in 1913 under the leadership of outstanding physicians and investigators such as Drs. Henry Christian, Soma Weiss, Samuel Levine, Lewis Dexter and Richard Gorlin. Until 1971, there was no single administrative chief of the Cardiovascular Division; but rather, Drs. Dexter, Gorlin and Lown maintained separate clinical services and research facilities. Following the appointment of Dr. Eugene Braunwald as Chairman of the Department of Medicine, Dr. Thomas W. Smith was appointed Chief of the Cardiovascular Division. Under Dr. Smith's leadership, there was a dramatic growth in the number of faculty as well as in the depth and breadth of research investigation.
In 1980, three Harvard teaching hospitals, the Robert B. Brigham Hospital, the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital and the Boston Hospital for Women merged to form the Brigham and Women's Hospital. In 1996, Dr. Victor J. Dzau was appointed as the Chairman of the Department of Medicine. Dr. Peter Libby was appointed Chief of the Cardiovascular Medicine Division in December 1997 following the death of Dr. Thomas Smith. Dr. Libby looks forward to bringing the Cardiovascular Division into the 21st century by maintaining the Brigham and Women's commitment to academic cardiology while meeting the challenge of the current medical climate.
A review of the 199 Brigham cardiology training program graduates since 1976 showed that of the trainees completing training in clinical and research aspects of cardiology, 77% were in full time academic positions, and 68 (44%) held the academic rank of associate or full professor. During the most recent 5-year period of our training grant from the NIH, of individuals completing the training program 49 of 63 are in full-time academic posts and 47 of 49 have university appointments in leading academic centers.
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