Alumni Connection Volume XXVII, No. 1 A Legacy of Learning FELLOWSHIP Four Greats in Cardiology MATCH HITS RECORD 97 Honored at Annual Event PERCENT Four outstanding Cleveland Clinic As the fellowship match physicians were recipients of Emeritus process continues to get Professorship Awards at the second annual more competitive nationally, Sones/Favaloro Scientific Program and Cleveland Clinic’s Internal Awards Presentation, held in November in Medicine Residency Program Cleveland: William L. Proudfit, MD, Edwin is rising to the occasion. G. Beven, MD, Paul Taylor, MD, and Mehdi Last year, Cleveland Razavi, MD. Clinic boasted a match rate “Their work helped to propel Cleveland of 97.4 percent, far Clinic to international status for heart exceeding the national rate care,” said Lars G. Svensson, MD, PhD of 81.3 percent and beating (CARD/S’87), Chair of the Sydell and Arnold Cleveland Clinic’s own prior Miller Family Heart & Vascular Institute, match rates. which hosted the event. Mehdi Razavi, MD, has played a central role in Internal Medicine The Sones/Favaloro program is the life of Cleveland Clinic for almost 50 years. Residency Program Director named after two legendary Cleveland Abby Spencer, MD, says Clinic doctors: F. Mason Sones, MD, and for medical excellence. Cleveland Clinic’s match rate René Favaloro, MD. Dr. Sones and Dr. A graduate of the Isfahan Medical School for the most competitive fields Favaloro were pioneers in coronary artery in Iran, Dr. Razavi completed his internship (cardiology, GI, pulmonary angiography and coronary artery bypass at the Martland Medical Center in New critical care and oncology) surgery, respectively. Jersey and went on to a residency at Akron was 100 percent. City Hospital. “We are extremely proud PROFILES OF HONOREES He then came to Cleveland Clinic in of our residents’ hard work, 1963 for a special fellowship with F. dedication to their patients Mehdi Razavi, MD (CARD’67) Mason Sones. and each other, and the has played a central role in the life of Dr. Razavi also worked alongside such exceptional professionalism Cleveland Clinic for almost 50 years. pioneering physicians as Irvine Page, and camaraderie they showed He has distinguished himself as a Harriet Dunstan, Donald Effler, William one another throughout their clinician, colleague, and compassionate Proudfit, and Rene Favaloro. In July1967, caregiver who made major contributions he became a full staff member in the Continued on page 17 to Cleveland Clinic’s worldwide reputation Continued on page 2 ISSUE 1, 2017 :: IN THIS ISSUE: Professional Development Awards [4] Looking Back [12] Four Greats in Cardiology Honored Continued from page 1 department of Cardiovascular Disease and Cardiac Laboratory. He specialized in cardiac catheterization and angiography. Over the course of his career, he participated in seminal research and performed more than 25,000 cardiac catheterizations – including Cleveland Clinic’s 50,000th. In 1972, Crown Prince Khalid of Saudi Arabia came to Cleveland Clinic with 100 associates. Dr. Razavi was asked to coordinate the prince’s care, and he was highly successful with this effort. Thus began a long relationship with the Saudi royal family. The Crown Prince returned to Cleveland Clinic as King Khalid in 1978 and made gifts to establish a new International Center at Cleveland Clinic. It was the first of its kind in the country to welcome international medical students for study and observation. Edwin G. Beven, MD, (center), was the second person to join the staff Dr. William Sheldon was the first Chairman of the of the newly formed Department of Vascular Surgery in 1964. Here, International Center. Dr. Razavi succeeded him in 1987. Over he receives his award from Lars Svensson, MD, PhD, Chair, Sydell and the next 20 years, he greatly expanded its scope and influence. Arnold Miller Family Heart & Vascular Institute (left), and James B. Dr. Razavi became the de facto international ambassador of Young, MD, professor of Medicine and Executive Dean, Cleveland Clinic Cleveland Clinic. He was instrumental in establishing Cleveland Lerner College of Medicine. Clinic’s reputation in the Middle East and paving the way for Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. Dr. Razavi is a Fellow of the American Cleveland Clinic Distinguished Alumnus Award. College of Cardiology and the Society of Cardiac Angiography. Dr. Beven credits the “unique nature” of the Cleveland Working at Cleveland Clinic, he says, “has been nothing Clinic practice – where doctors act as a unit to serve the patient – for the organization’s success. short of a privilege.” Edwin G. Beven, MD (S’62, VS’63) Paul Taylor, MD (S’70, TCS’72) was a pioneering cardiac surgeon who helped establish was among what has been called “the greatest generation of Cleveland Clinic’s worldwide reputation for cardiac surgical vascular surgeons.” He served as head of Cleveland Clinic’s excellence. He graduated from Miami University of Ohio and Department of Vascular Surgery from 1972 to 1988. earned his medical degree at the George Washington University Dr. Beven was born in Chile and graduated from McGill School of Medicine. He completed internships at Cleveland University in Montreal. He earned his medical degree from Clinic, a fellowship in general surgery at St. Vincent Charity McGill Faculty of Medicine in 1956, completed his internship Hospital and Cleveland Clinic, and a thoracic-cardiovascular and residency at Montreal General Hospital, and went on to fellowship at Cleveland Clinic. fellowships in general surgery and vascular surgery at Cleveland Dr. Taylor’s association with Cleveland Clinic began in high Clinic from 1958 to 1963. school, when surgeon Donald Effler, MD, the father of a friend, In 1964, he was the second person to join the staff of the invited him to observe surgery newly formed Department of Vascular Surgery. In 1972, he was because he was impressed with named head of the department, serving until 1988. He was young Dr. Taylor’s skills as a ping- head of the Section of Cerebrovascular Surgery from 1989 until pong player. Dr. Taylor went on to his retirement in 1999. From 2002 to 2014, he was Specialty spend three summers working in Director for Vascular Surgery for the Cleveland Clinic Alumni operating rooms with Dr. Effler as Association. He now is an Emeritus in the Department of his mentor and monitor. Vascular Surgery. He was promoted to associate Dr. Beven, whose work took him around the world, trained staff in 1972 and joined the full more than 100 vascular surgery fellows, many from Chile. He staff in 1973. A member of several was close friends with Dr. Sones and Dr. Favaloro, with whom he scientific societies, including the worked and traveled. Chilean Society of Cardiology He published nearly 100 scientific papers spanning the full and Cardiovascular Surgery, Dr. range of vascular disease and treatments. He was President Dr. Paul Taylor was a Taylor sat on 34 committees at of the Cleveland Vascular Society and the Society for Spanish- master practitioner in Cleveland Clinic. Speaking Vascular Surgeons. In 1996, he was awarded the cardiac surgery. 2 ALUMNI CONNECTION :: Issue 1, 2017 clevelandclinic.org/alumni the link between angina pectoris and coronary artery disease. He also helped establish the natural history of coronary artery disease and correlated symptoms with coronary arteriograms. His careful record-keeping laid the groundwork for the Cardiovascular Information Registry. Along the way, he earned the respect of colleagues and patients for the quality Dr. William Proudfit (center) receives the Sones-Favaloro Award at of his research and his reluctance to take credit for his ceremonies held last November. He was then 102 years old and has accomplishments. just celebrated another birthday this year. Dr. Proudfit served as head of Clinical Cardiology from 1966 to 1974, helping to establish Cleveland Clinic’s first coronary Throughout his career, Dr. Taylor performed more than intensive care unit in 1970. He excelled in every role he held, 15,000 operations, advancing the art and science of cardiac from internist, to cardiologist, to teacher. and thoracic surgery. He published 60 scientific papers and At the November 2016 event, Dr. Proudfit, now 103 years book chapters, contributing essential knowledge to the old, said he was humbled to be mentioned in connection techniques of coronary artery revascularization. with men as distinguished as Drs. Sones and Favaloro, with Dr. Taylor was a master practitioner who trained many of whom he worked. “They were extraordinarily talented and the world’s current leaders in cardiac surgery. He was renowned unique individuals – and most unlike me,” Dr. Proudfit said for his rapport with patients and families. with characteristic understatement. “It was truly exciting to work at Cleveland Clinic alongside so many talented and dedicated people,” Dr. Taylor said at November’s commemoration. NEXT AWARD CEREMONY SET William L. Proudfit, MD (IM’43) The 2017 Sones-Favaloro Scientific Session, Awards Ceremony and is one of the most accomplished and respected cardiologists Dinner will be held on Friday, Nov. 3, 2017 and will celebrate the 50th of his generation. He worked closely with F. Mason Sones, MD, anniversary of CABG. The CME program will focus on the treatment of Rene Favaloro, MD, and others to pioneer cardiovascular care in coronary artery disease, past, present, and future. The program will be the mid-20th century. Dr. Proudfit graduated from Washington held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Intercontinental Hotel in Cleveland. & Jefferson College in 1935 and earned his medical degree from For more information visit ccfcme.org/CABG50years. Harvard Medical School in 1939. He became Cleveland Clinic’s Also, that evening, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., the Cleveland Clinic second-ever cardiology fellow in 1940. Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart & Vascular Institute He stayed on until he joined the United States Army Air Force will hold the third annual Sones-Favaloro reception and awards in 1943, where he served as an internal medicine specialist.