FEATURE | In this edition of the ACC WIC Section's #ChooseCardiology series, Patricia Tung, MD, shares why she would choose a career in cardiology again.

Why did you choose cardiology?

I found the mechanical nature of cardiac function fascinating – this complex pump that formed the most critical organ in the body. Once I started learning about pathophysiology and diseases affecting the function of the heart, it became even more interesting.

What do you like best about cardiology?

I love being able to correlate the physiologic effects of different conditions – arrhythmic or structural – with their clinical manifestations. Similarly, it is incredibly satisfying to see the clinical improvement that results from fixing the root condition.

Who has been a role model or mentor for you?

Christine M. Albert, MD, MPH, has been a mentor both academically and personally. Aside from her impressive scholarly contributions, what stands out most about Albert is her integrity and fairness. The long list of her colleagues and collaborators around the world is a testament to these qualities.

Why did you choose this area of cardiology (or what area are you considering)?

Mark E. Josephson, MD, FACC, was the chief of cardiology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center where I did my fellowship. The residents and fellows had so much exposure to electrophysiology from the beginning of their training and Mark was so passionate about arrhythmias that it was impossible not to be drawn to electrophysiology.

What advice would you give women considering cardiology?

Do not be deterred from pursuing cardiology if this is what is most interesting to you. There are challenging aspects to every subspecialty training path, but there are also resources like the ACC WIC Section available that can offer support at any stage of training. In the end, postgraduate training takes a number of years for any field, so you may as well spend those years pursuing what you love.

Would you choose cardiology again?

Absolutely! There is no other area of medicine I could imagine practicing.

This article was authored by Patricia Tung, MD, early career EP cardiologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, MA.