Abstract :
During the past 50 years, many remarkable advances have occurred in our ability to diagnose, treat, and prevent cardiovascular disease. This progress contributed to a dramatic decline in cardiovascular mortality rates. Although there are many reasons to anticipate additional advances, the rate of discovery and diffusion of new knowledge and techniques is related to the resources devoted to cardiovascular research and practice. Many types of professionals, including basic scientists, clinical investigators, and population scientists, contribute to this critical effort. Cardiovascular specialists lead the huge team effort necessary to translate discoveries and innovations into enhanced outcomes. This report focuses on whether our nation is training enough cardiovascular specialists to accomplish these ambitious goals and to care for the growing burden of cardiovascular disease in our aging population.
