Profile | Lawrence Cohn, MD, FACC, knew he wanted to pursue a career in cardiology the moment he watched a television presentation of a live closure of an atrial septal defect studying at the University of California, Berkeley. The fascination of the procedure led Cohn to Stanford Medical School, where he was influenced by his mentor, Norman Shumway, MD, PhD, FACC, the chief of cardiac surgery at Stanford.

Now a cardiac surgeon at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Cohn has trained more than 150 residents and fellows in cardiothoracic surgery, many of whom are known worldwide for their expertise. “One of the most rewarding aspects of my career as a cardiologist is the opportunity to train superb individuals who are able to carry out this difficult field of surgery with great skill,” says Cohn.

Although Cohn has been highly successful in his career as a cardiac surgeon, if he could do one thing differently, in addition to his medical degree, he would have also secured a graduate business degree or a master’s degree in administration. “I think that hospital administration and the finances behind it are so complex that having an understanding of the principles of business are extremely helpful in the medical field,” he says. “Ultimately, I would have liked to have been the president of a heart hospital that works to achieve excellent quality in health care, while maintaining a good economic strategy.”

Cohn was recognized at ACC.13 in San Francisco with the Distinguished Fellow Award. “The award presented to me is a fantastic honor from one of the greatest cardiovascular organization in the world with a worldwide membership that probably has more impact on the practice of cardiology and cardiac surgery than any other organization in the world,” he says.

Keywords: San Francisco, Heart Septal Defects, Atrial, Cardiology, Boston, Schools, Medical, Thoracic Surgery, Cardiac Surgical Procedures, Cardiology Magazine, ACC Publications

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