Kimberly Atianzar, MD

Kimberly Atianzar, MD, is currently pursuing an advanced cardiovascular imaging fellowship at the University of California, San Diego, before starting a 2-year interventional program next year at the University of Massachusetts. She is also completing an observership with Dr. Horst Sievert at Cardiovasculares Centrum Frankfurt.

A graduate of UCLA, Dr. Atianzar completed her medical, echocardiography, and general cardiology training at SUNY Downstate, the University of Southern California, and Tulane University, respectively. She has presented research at many large medical meetings and was awarded the Women in Cardiology Trainee Award for Excellence by the American Heart Association in 2011. Dr. Atianzar speaks 4 languages, and she plans to pursue academic medicine and encourage other women to follow in her footsteps.

Why did you decide to pursue interventional cardiology?

Cardiology has interested me for years, but my desire to specialize in interventional cardiology sprouted during my first day of critical care unit rotation during my third year of medical school. I recall the overhead alarms announcing the arrival of a STEMI patient. The cardiology fellows invited me to come along, and we all rushed to the emergency department where the fellows were reviewing the patient’s ECG, which showed an inferior STEMI. Helping wheel the patient upstairs to the cath lab, I stayed to observe the interventional attending quickly open up his RCA and deploy the stent. This was only the beginning of what has become a deeply ingrained passion for interventional cardiology.

For me, interventional cardiology is an exciting and fantastic field, one that involves not only direct acute patient care but long-term follow-up as well. There are also a multitude of research areas to help advance the field. But besides all of that, a major motivating factor that pushed me to pursue a career in interventional cardiology is the lack of women in this field. Heart disease has become the number 1 killer of women—more deadly than all forms of cancer. I hope to serve as an advocate in women’s fight against heart disease and as a role model for other women choosing to pursue a career in an area in which we are highly underrepresented. I look up to female interventionalists, such as Dr. Roxana Mehran at Mount Sinai and Dr. Jacqueline Tamis-Holland at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s, who are paving the way in a field dominated by men. I truly hope to follow in their footsteps.

Who has had the biggest impact on your interventional cardiology career?

Throughout my training in residency and fellowship, I have had wonderful mentors. From my general cardiology fellowship at Tulane University School of Medicine, came Dr. Alvaro A. Alonso, one of my biggest mentors and a strong supporter of my going into interventional cardiology. He not only is an advocate for fellows in general, but he also loves teaching and encouraging interventional careers. I remember feeling very nervous on my first day of fellowship, but Dr. Alonso came into the cath lab on my very first rotation and explained everything step by step throughout my first coronary case. It took me a long time to obtain femoral artery access, but, nonetheless, he walked me through it in a calm, patient manner despite the irritation I was getting from the current interventional fellow. Dr. Alonso maintains great technical skills and thinks through every procedure, qualities that he has imparted to me and to all the fellows. He also has instilled in me the importance of always knowing the patient beforehand, writing excellent pre-cath and postprocedural notes, and taking the time and care to talk to the patients and their families, even when complications arise. Additionally, Dr. Alonso encourages us fellows to maintain a well-rounded and balanced lifestyle outside of the hospital that includes family, friends, hobbies, and relaxation.  

Also, I recently received some wise advice from Dr. Horst Sievert, 1 of the greatest interventionalists I’ve had the privilege to observe. He told me that while interventional cardiology will be my lifelong career, I should treat it as a hobby to ensure that every day and every procedure is enjoyable.

What has surprised you most about becoming an interventional cardiologist?

Having spent a month-long observership in Frankfurt, Germany, under Dr. Horst Sievert, I am surprised by how much the United States lags behind the rest of the world in terms of the devices and procedures we have to treat our patients.

What is the biggest challenge facing interventional cardiology fellows today?

I believe the biggest challenge facing interventional cardiology fellows in general is keeping up to date. This means knowing about all the new procedures and techniques, staying current with cutting-edge research, and providing appropriate patient care in the frequently changing healthcare system, which greatly has affected cardiology as a whole. For female fellows, I believe the biggest challenge is maintaining a balanced work, personal, and home lifestyle while striving to be known and respected as a leader and role model in a field where women are not well represented.  

What is something that people might not know about you?  

One of the most important aspects of my life is my Hawaiian background. I have been dancing hula since I was in elementary school. Many people only know the stereotype of hula dancing from movies and TV shows, but it is so much more. Hula encompasses the heart of the Hawaiian culture as an oral tradition; it was once in danger of being lost forever but was then revived by King David Kalakaua, the last monarch of Hawaii. My hula teacher (known as Kumu) and hula sisters and brothers serve as my second family, and dancing hula with them is 1 of my biggest loves and stress relievers. Also, I love trying new restaurants and different cuisines with my family. 

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