In this month’s 10-minute interview, EP Lab Digest speaks with Leslie A. Saxon, MD, Chief of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Southern California.

Why did you choose to work in the field of electrophysiology? Tell us about your background in EP.
I had very little exposure to EP until I started my Cardiology Fellowship at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s in Chicago. My first rotation was in EP and Dr. Pablo Denes, the EP Director, was a very positive role model. I went on to train in EP under William Stevenson at UCLA. Bill really helped me develop into a clinical researcher and interventionalist. He is a very patient man.

Describe your role as Chief of Cardiovascular Medicine at USC's Keck School of Medicine. What is a typical day like for you?

Dr. Sayar is an electrophysiologist with Eastlake Cardiovascular in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. He was nominated by his colleagues to participate in this special 10-minute interview!

Tell us about your medical background and how you came to work in the field of electrophysiology. What interested you about this field?

Michael L. Arnold, RN, RCIS is the Clinical Nurse Leader for the EP lab at Tucson Medical Center. Read more about him here.

Why did you choose to work in the field of cardiac electrophysiology (EP)? What interested you about this field?

EP is a dynamic field, ripe with technical and intellectual challenges and seemingly boundless frontiers. I chose to specialize in EP for two reasons. First, it involves constantly learning new techniques, new principles, and new technology. And, although the science is ever changing, it requires a strict, constant adherence to the rules of logical arguments. Secondly, it is a young field, and many of us have the honor of working alongside past and future pioneers on a day-to-day basis. Not only could you be working with a person who has just invented the next great technique, but many of us work side by side with the same physicians who have catheters, sheaths, and procedures named after them already. It is great to be a part of it all.

Sumeet S. Chugh, MD is the Associate Director of the Heart Institute, Section Chief of Clinical Electrophysiology, and Pauline and Harold Price Chair in Cardiac Electrophysiology Research at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. He is also Professor of Medicine at David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

Tell us about your medical background and how you came to work in the field of electrophysiology (EP).

Brenda Rechtman, RN, BSN, is the Manager of the EP lab at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital in Virginia. She recently was one of only 11 Carilion Clinic nurses to receive the prestigious ‘Healthcare with a Human Touch’ Award. In this interview, she talks about her career in nursing.

Why did you choose to work in the field of electrophysiology (EP)?

Truthfully, EP chose me. I was looking for a job in cardiology, having worked primarily in that area for many years, including CCU. I was called by a friend to interview for a position in a new department called electrophysiology. I had not heard of EP at that time. At my interview, I heard my first description of the EP lab from the new medical director, Dr. William Welch. He decided to give me the opportunity to work in the lab. I have been here 17 years, primarily in the role of staff RN, team leader and manager.

Describe your role in the EP lab. What is a typical day like for you?