Spotlight on Elizabeth S. Kaufman, MD, FACC by Meera Kondapaneni, MD, FACC
MK: What was your inspiration to pursue Cardiology and then Electrophysiology as a subspecialty? EK: I liked cardiology because the patients had interesting problems yet could usually expect to live high-quality lives. You get to have a long-term relationship with your cardiology patients. I liked electrophysiology because I like puzzles. Figuring out arrhythmias and pacemaker behavior is like solving puzzles. MK: Did you have a mentor that influenced your decision to pursue cardiology? EK: I can’t say that I had a particular mentor who influenced my decision. But once I became involved in my cardiology fellowship, the electrophysiologists inspired me most. They enjoyed sitting in a room together and pondering interesting electrocardiograms and electrograms. MK: What do you enjoy most about your career in cardiology? EK: I enjoy the people: my co-workers and my patients. I like the variety of my life: some outpatient clinic, some inpatient consults, some procedures, teaching, research, and other academic work. MK: Knowing what you do now and based on your experiences, would you do anything differently along your career path? EK: If I were going into cardiology now, I would consider a dedicated research fellowship in addition to my clinical training. These days, if you want to be able to compete successfully for grant support, you ought to have a unique skill set. MK: Did you have any hesitancy in pursuing cardiology as a specialty and if so, how did you manage or overcome this? EK: I did not hesitate to pursue cardiology—it interested me most. MK: What advice would you give for women considering a career in cardiology? EK: Go for it! And don’t put your personal life on hold. Training takes a lifetime, so if you want to have children, do it at the time of life that is right for you. Splurge on high quality child care, house cleaning, anything else that you can afford that will allow you to optimize your family time and your work time.
MK: What would you do instead if you did not pursue a career in medicine? EK: I might have been a choir director or an algebra teacher. MK: In your opinion what is the biggest barrier to women pursuing cardiology and how can we work to change this? EK: There seems to be a perception that the lifestyle is too hard. Well, everything about being a physician is challenging—the training, the responsibility, the deep connection with people who are experiencing fear and grief. Hopefully you chose medicine because you find all of this fascinating and life-giving. If cardiology is what turns you on, you should pursue it. MK: What do you think is the most important progressive development that would allow more women to progress in their careers as cardiologists and attract more women to the field? EK: The culture is changing. I’m not mistaken for a nurse as often anymore. MK: Can you share a fun fact or unique quality about yourself? EK: I love to run, swim, and sing early music.