, is a coronary heart illness (cardiovascular) specialist with UVA Well being. A graduate of UVA’s Faculty of Drugs, Valentine has additionally served as president of the American Faculty of Cardiology.

We requested Carl “Mike” Valentine our 7 fast questions.

1. What has most impressed and formed your strategy to affected person care?

I’ve been extremely lucky as I used to be studying drugs to have fantastic mentors. One in every of my first mentors right here was Dr. Lewis Barnett, who was the pinnacle of household drugs. He was a compassionate, form, loving particular person who taught me affected person care on the bedside and actually take heed to sufferers. I additionally had unimaginable mentors in cardiology like Dr. Jim Dove, Rick Gazel, Pam Douglas at Duke, and lots of others who guided me and walked with me alongside the best way. They’ve helped me study what it was prefer to undergo the robust occasions and develop into a greater chief, a greater physician, and a greater doctor all the best way round.

And final, in fact, can be my dad. He was a really form and compassionate doctor. He was quiet, a “quiet large” as we stated, and he taught me a lot of my early classes about drugs, like what it meant to deal with the whole affected person and be there for the affected person after they want you essentially the most.

2. What’s your favourite a part of your job?

Taking good care of sufferers each day. Having the ability to hear their tales, discovering out the place they arrive from and what they’re doing, and what worries them essentially the most. Having the ability to give them consolation and, hopefully, kindness and smart recommendation in order that they’ll higher deal with themselves.

3. What’s your greatest concern if you’re a affected person?

That I will not get to ask the questions that make me fear essentially the most. So usually I ask sufferers, “If you happen to had three questions that you just wished answered earlier than you left this room, what would they be?” As a result of I wish to be sure that’s what if you stroll out the door.

4. What do you do for stress reduction?

I train on daily basis, a minimum of 5 occasions per week. I play golf, fly fish, hike – I do something I can to get outdoors.

5. Canines or Cats?

Canines. I am an actual canine individual. I’ve had canines my entire life. Sadly, we needed to bury our canine, Sam, at age 16 a few years in the past, and it was an enormous loss for us.

6. What’s the final film you noticed? Thumbs up or down?

Wow. I have not seen any motion pictures lately. However the one factor that I’ve wished to observe is the newest season of Succession.

7. What’s the very best recommendation that you just’ve ever heard?

The perfect recommendation that I’ve ever heard is to dwell every day so that you just make a distinction in another person’s life – that you’re form, compassionate, and listening, in an effort to be the very best buddy that anyone ever had.