
It was during the 1950s that the College introduced the concept of national meetings that brought together the cardiovascular community to meet with thought leaders in the field and present on scientific research. The first ACC meeting occurred in New York in 1951 and attracted more than 275 physicians. ACC President Bruno Kisch, MD, MACC, said that "for the first time in this country [the ACC would bring together] the clinician and scientist in common work and exchange of opinions … for the best of the suffering cardiac patient."

As these national meetings grew in size and popularity, the ACC held its inaugural three-day symposium at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital a decade later in 1961. Also that year, ACC President Eliot Corday, MD, MACC, sought and received federal funding for the first international circuit course to Taiwan and the Philippines. The U.S. Department of State saw immense value to these so-called "medical Peace Corps" and began underwriting some of the expenses of these educational endeavors. The program was so successful that over the next five years 44 countries were privy to 17 circuit courses.

In addition to live educational courses, the ACC also made it a goal to disseminate the latest cardiovascular information directly to its members. In 1958 the American Journal of Cardiology made its debut under the leadership of Editor Simon Dack, MD, MACC. This precursor to the Journal of the American College of Cardiology was well received and had approximately 6,000 subscribers within the first two years. Ten years later the College launched an audiotape journal called ACCESS (now called ACCEL) featuring recordings from the annual meeting, symposia and reviews of key articles from print journals.

The advent of a new law signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson establishing Medicare and Medicaid in 1965 caused the ACC to expand its focus to include advocacy in addition to education. That year the College moved from New York City to Bethesda, MD , in order to be closer to the National Institutes of Health and the nation’s capital. Soon after, the College’s Government Relations Committee formed and the ACC assumed an active role with legislators, advocating for physicians and their patients. A decade later, ground was broken for the ACC’s Bethesda headquarters, dubbed Heart House by then President E. Grey Dimond, MD, MACC.
- 13 cardiologists, led by Franz Groedel, MD, MACC and Bruno Kisch, MD, MACC, found the American College of Cardiology.
- Franz Groedel, Bruno Kisch and the Founding of the American College of Cardiology
- In Memoriam: Philip Reichert, MD, FACC, 1897-1985
- An Editor's Account of the History of the College
- Why Celebrate ACC's 40th Anniversary?
- The History of the German Cardiac Society and the American College of Cardiology and Their Two Founders
- 1951
The first ACC scientific meeting is held in New York. - 1956
ACC three-day “workshop” programs begin. - 1958
The American Journal of Cardiology makes its debut under the leadership of Editor Simon Dack, MD, MACC.

- 1961
ACC President Eliot Corday, MD, MACC receives federal funding for the first international circuit course in Taiwan and the Philippines. - 1965
First Bethesda Conference takes place.
The College moves from New York City to Bethesda, MD. - 1969
The College launches an audiotape journal called ACCESS (now called ACCEL) featuring recordings from the annual meeting, symposia and reviews of key articles from print journals.