I am honored to highlight Dr. Heather Gornik and thank her for recording a brief chat with me.
ZS: What was your inspiration to pursue cardiology and subsequently vascular medicine?
HG: Well it’s a long story. Like all things, I think people’s career paths take different twists and turns. I knew I wanted to be a doctor from early on. I started my internal medicine residency and actually thought I was going to be a cancer epidemiologist at that point. But I soon learned that what I loved to do clinically was care for critically ill patients. I was really interested in critical care and then became very interested in the physiology- Starling curves, fundamental Ohm’s law– I loved how critical care and cardiology both relied on a lot of physiology. I actually initially planned a combined cardiology/critical care fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. The plan was to do cardiology first, but then during my second year of cardiology fellowship I met Dr. Mark Creager who became my mentor. Dr. Creager is really a master clinician, a vascular medicine specialist, and a translational vascular researcher. He was head of the vascular medicine group at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. It was a very dynamic group (with Drs. Josh Beckman, Marie-Gerhard-Herman, and others), and the group was very interested in vascular physiology but also clinical vascular medicine and vascular ultrasound. I guess I really loved the work of that group. I worked in their research laboratory. I loved the fact that vascular medicine had so much physiology in it, so I decided to combine my interest in cardiology and vascular medicine. I never did that critical care fellowship, but I think it worked out okay.
ZS: What do you enjoy most about your career in cardiology?
HG: Well I love what I do- vascular medicine is a terrific adjunct to cardiology. I have a large outpatient practice, including some general cardiology, and I take care of vascular disease. My focus over the years has become complex vascular diseases, and I have become very interested in fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) and arterial dissections. It has been really exciting to see how things have evolved in terms of FMD and SCAD (spontaneous coronary artery dissection). I also take care of venous thromboembolism, peripheral artery disease. What I love about my practice in vascular medicine is how it involves the heart but also the entire cardiovascular system, and I get to use so much of my clinical skill. I also have an inpatient consultative practice. Through my career, I’ve been able to do things academically and administratively, so it’s been a nice variety in the ways I’ve been able to develop.
ZS: Did you have a mentor that influenced your decision to pursue cardiology?
HG: Most of my primary mentors along the way have been men. Dr. Creager was a big influence on me as was my residency program director, Dr. Marshall Wolf. I also had other great clinical mentors in my fellowship. At Cleveland Clinic I had a senior mentor and colleague- Dr. Jerry Bartholomew. During training, Dr. Marie Gerhard-Herman was a terrific role model for me.
ZS: Did you have any hesitancy in pursuing cardiology as a specialty and if so, how did you manage or overcome this?
HG: I was in a place where the cardiologists were tremendous clinicians and the cardiologists were often our role models. I was really interested in clinic medicine, bedside diagnosis, and being a good doctor/clinician. I definitely remember going to interviews and being the only woman there on interview day or walking into conference rooms for cardiology lectures and there were only one or two women. I guess I never really let that deter me. I always stuck to the fact that I felt that “this was the field for me”. It fit my interests, I had good mentors who told me I was a good fit for the field. I didn’t let the fact that women are a minority in cardiology bother me. With that being said, along the way you definitely take notice.
ZS: Is there anything you would have done differently along the way?
HG: I know Zarina that you’re going into interventional cardiology, and I think that’s terrific. I’ve had some wonderful interventional cardiology friends, including Dr. Laura Mauri. There weren’t that many women doing intervention back when I trained, and there still aren’t. I do peripheral vascular disease and I am very happy, but I do think that interventional skills add an interesting set of tools to one’s portfolio and add diversity to one’s practice. Sometimes I wonder “what if…” I think it turned out great for me and that ship has sailed…but that may have been something I would have considered.
ZS: What would you do instead if you did not pursue a career in medicine?
HG: That’s tough because I’ve been lucky to find “little hobbies” within medicine. I edit a journal (Vascular Medicine), I’ve been very active with professional societies. I’m really interested in big events and engaging people…perhaps I may have done something in the political arena. But medicine is something I always wanted to do, and there’s so much diversity in a medical career…it’s hard to imagine doing something else.
ZS: In your opinion what is the biggest barrier to women pursuing cardiology and how can we work to change this?
HG: Well I think there are two barriers- one is that experience of walking in the room and being the only woman. You have to be tough and lead with your passion for the field. You have to lean in and speak up and not let that dynamic intimidate you. I think that is very important. Second, I think there are microaggressions that one faces along the way. I think you do grow somewhat thickened skin, and you have to learn to let it bounce off you. I think you just have to power through and just stay confident in your passion for the field, the things you have to contribute, and your achievements. I think focusing on these positives can help make a path ahead. Also, it’s important to acknowledge that it’s tough, and “I’m feeling something in this room…I”m the only woman…I’m feeling awkward”…it’s okay to feel that way. But stick it out, seek support from mentors and other colleagues (both male and female) in the field. We need more women in cardiology. We have so much to contribute- different perspectives, terrific energy, terrific outcomes- we need to realize the path is somewhat challenging, but it’s also very possible. There’s room for many more women in cardiology.
ZS: Can you share a fun fact or unique quality about yourself?
HG: I have an amazing family and am very blessed (especially during this pandemic time). I have an amazing husband (Dr. Tim Gilligan). He’s a medical oncologist and he and I met during our residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He helps keep me safe and sane. I have two kids- my daughter is just turning 17 today. It’s hard to imagine I was pregnant with her when I was a chief resident. I also have a 12-year old son. Life’s been a lot simpler in quarantine: in-person meetings are gone, travel is gone, and I’m spending a lot of time at home. My husband’s been making some amazing Sichuan food… and as a result, I’m battling the “COVID-20” like many of my patients. We’re trying to take it day by day during this difficult time.
