April 23, 2014

Dr. L. Brent Mitchell - 2014 HRS Distinguished Teacher

The Heart Rhythm Society has recognized Dr. Brent Mitchell with the 2014 Distinguished Teacher Award. The award is given in recognition of an individual who has demonstrated outstanding skills as a teacher in the field of cardiac pacing and/or electrophysiology.

“Any darn fool can make something complex; it takes a genius to make something simple.” ? Pete Seeger

L. Brent “Mitch” Mitchell, MD, has been a leader in the field of clinical cardiac electrophysiology for over 30 years. After completing his cardiac electrophysiology fellowship at Stanford University under the mentorship of Jay W. Mason, MD, and Roger Winkle, MD, Dr. Mitchell returned to the University of Calgary, his alma mater, where he quickly rose to positions of leadership – first as the Division Chief of Cardiology and then the Department Head of Cardiovascular Science.

In his time at Calgary, Mitch has authored over 400 peer-reviewed papers, including landmark articles in journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of the American Medical Association. He has served on the Cardiology Residency Training program for over a decade, and he was instrumental in developing the cardiology curriculum for the medical school.

Despite his other outstanding accomplishments, Mitch’s greatest contributions have come in the form of one-on-one and small group teaching. He is a regular presence at the EP Graphics Rounds in Calgary, where he teaches electrophysiology to the fellows and teaches junior faculty members how to teach using the Socratic method, without being too intimidating. Students who recognize the excellence in their teachers seek out those teachers for ad hoc advice. In this regard, it is stunning that Mitch’s office door is always open and students and colleagues regularly come to him to clear up confusion in ECG interpretation or clinical management. It is amazing that he accomplishes anything in there!

Many years after completing their fellowships, former trainees — greater than 30 EP fellows and countless cardiology residents — can still hear Mitch’s calm voice explaining how a bundle branch ventricular tachycardia can have QRS morphology identical to that in conducted sinus rhythm, or describing RVOT ventricular tachycardia QRS morphology. The key to Mitch’s teaching is his ability to explain concepts in a clear and easily understandable manner. Many of Mitch’s students have themselves received teaching awards and accolades, no doubt deserved in part because of his teaching by example.

Mitch has been a tremendous role model for many years. The 2014 Heart Rhythm Society Distinguished Teacher Award is one that he clearly deserves.

Submitted by Satish R. Raj, MD, MScI, FHRS, and George D. Veenhuyzen MD, FRCPC