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UCLA cardiologist receives top designation from professional medical society

Dr. Jonathan Tobis, a clinical professor of medicine in the division of cardiology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and director of interventional cardiology research at UCLA, has been named to the new class of Master Fellows of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI), the professional medical society for adult and pediatric invasive/interventional cardiologists.

SCAI is recognized worldwide for its commitment to quality and education for enhancing the care of patients who suffer from all forms of congenital and acquired cardiovascular disease. The recognition acknowledges outstanding SCAI members for a career achievement of excellence in patient care, teaching, research and innovation.

“Master Fellow is a tremendous honor awarded to a small number of SCAI Fellows, selected by their peers, as invasive/interventional cardiologists who have demonstrated leadership, clinical excellence and significant achievements over the course of their careers,” said Dr. Kenneth Rosenfield, president of SCAI. “The designation identifies the recipient is among the outstanding leaders and pioneers of our profession.”

Among his many accomplishments, Tobis performed the first digital left ventricular and coronary angiograms in the world while at the UC Irvine. This work helped transform the cardiac catheterization laboratory from a film-based procedure to a completely digital environment. He then helped to develop the field of intravascular ultrasound imaging, which had a significant impact on coronary artery angioplasty. His recent work has been devoted to understanding the role of patent foramen ovale — a hole in the heart — in relation to several medical conditions, including stroke and migraine headache. He is co-author of three medical textbooks and travels internationally to teach other physicians.