GEORGE W. VETROVEC, MD
Chairman, Division of Cardiology

gvetrove@vcu.edu

Dr. Vetrovec is Pauley Heart Center's Chairman of the Division of
Cardiology, Director of the Adult Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, and
the Department of Internal Medicine¹s Associate Chairman of Medicine for
Clinical Affairs. He is the Martha M. and Harold W. Kimmerling, M.D. Chair
in Cardiology.

He received his undergraduate (Phi Beta Kappa) and medical degrees from the University of Virginia and his internal medicine and cardiology specialty training from the Medical College of Virginia, where he also served as a Chief Medical Resident.  Since 1976, he has been on the faculty of VCU, achieving the rank of full Professor in 1986.  He was elected to AOA Medical Honor Society as a faculty member in 1986.  Dr. Vetrovec has served in numerous university leadership capacities including his recent appointment to the VCUHS Authority Board of Directors.

Dr. Vetrovec’s research interests involve improving the management of coronary artery disease, particularly related to catheterization and interventional therapies. He has been funded for clinical trials for over 20 years. He has authored or co-authored over 200 papers, eight book chapters and has edited two texts on interventional cardiology and serves on numerous cardiovascular journal editorial boards. Also, he co-chaired the ACC/SCA&I Interventional Board Review Program for five years as well as the Interventional Program at the American College of Cardiology Annual Scientific Meeting for two years.  Dr. Vetrovec currently serves as a Consultant to the FDA New Cardiovascular Devices Panel and is a member of the Subspecialty Board on Cardiovascular Disease of the American Board of Internal Medicine, the national qualifying board for cardiovascular specialists.

Dr. Vetrovec is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, and has served on the Board of Trustees and as Chairman of the Physician Workforce Advisory Committee. He is a Fellow and a past president of the Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions and a past president of the Association of Professors of Cardiology, an organization of chairs in academic cardiology.  He is also a member and a past president of the Association of University Cardiologists, a select group of leaders in academic cardiology.  Dr. Vetrovec’s international recognition includes membership in the Irish Cardiac Society, the Royal College of Physicians of Thailand (Fellow) and the European Society of Cardiology (Fellow).

In addition to administrative, research and teaching activities, Dr. Vetrovec is an active clinical cardiologist, including performing catheterization and interventional procedures.  In 1997, he was awarded “Clinician of the Year” by his physician colleagues in the University practice.  He has been listed as one of the Best Doctors in America by Best Doctors Inc. for more than 12 years.

Dr. Vetrovec has served extensively as a volunteer of the American Heart Association including President of the Richmond Council and the Virginia Affiliate as well as chairman of the Mid Atlantic Region and on the AHA National Board.  In addition, he has served as chairman of the Catheterization Committee of the Council on Clinical Cardiology and co-chaired a groundbreaking Council-sponsored program on Interventional Cardiology.  The AHA presented Dr, Vetrovec with the National Award of Merit in 1991 and the Richmond Golden Heart Award in 1997.

Dr. Vetrovec’s commitment to fulfilling the Pauley Heart Center’s mission of providing the most advanced cardiac education, research and clinical care is evidenced in his leadership of two major fundraising campaigns that, to date, have secured over $14 million in funding for the heart center.  In recognition of his fundraising efforts he was given the first W. Robert Irby Philanthropic Leadership Award by the MCV Foundation.