June 21, 2017 | Chad J. Zack, MD
Career Development

Each month, the Fellows in Training (FIT) Section newsletter, ACC On-Call, highlights the achievements of one cardiology FIT. The Section would like to recognize Chad J. Zack, MD, an FIT at Mayo Clinic, as the 'star FIT' for the month of June. Zack describes his research interests, hobbies, career goals and involvement with the ACC in a short interview below.

What are your plans after cardiology fellowship?
I will begin my training in interventional cardiology at Duke this July. After I complete interventional training, I will likely pursue further training in peripheral interventions. Ultimately, I plan to pursue a career in academic interventional cardiology. I have a strong interest in clinical outcomes research and medical education.

What are your research interests?
My research centers around leveraging large databases for clinical outcomes research and developing machine learning algorithms to facilitate better patient care. This year I am obtaining a Master's degree in clinical research and biostatics, which I have found extremely useful in trial design and statistical analysis.

What are your hobbies outside of cardiology?
My wife and I have a 3-year-old daughter named Daniella who is the center of our lives. We also have a shih tzu named Fred. We enjoy traveling and spending time with friends.

How do you approach work-life balance?
My family always comes first, which helps keep the balance. It is important to be efficient and focused while at work, so that when I am home I can focus on my family.

Do you have any mentors that you would like to recognize?
Two mentors have been critical to fostering my interests in clinical research: Riyaz Bashir, MBBS, FACC, of Temple University, and Amir Lerman, MD, FACC, of Mayo Clinic.

How did you first become involved with the ACC?
The ACC has been a critical part of my fellowship training, not just through research meetings, but also through FIT activities.

What advice do you have for other FIT members?
A grasp of statistical methods is essential to understanding and producing quality clinical research. FITs interested in an academic career should consider pursuing formalized training in research methods and statistics. Fortunately, many programs do offer formalized training.