The Ten-Minute Interview with...Michael Cogliano BS, RCIS, FSICP

Why did you choose to work in the invasive cardiology field? What do you like best about it? I spent quite a bit of time in college preparing for a career in basic research. During my senior year, I decided that I wanted a career with more personal interaction (cell cultures don't speak to you unless you've got issues!). I chose invasive cardiology because I felt that this field complemented both my technical strengths and my personality. I think that I most enjoy being able to have a positive impact on people’s lives at a time when they are very anxious. What is the most bizarre case you have ever involved in? A number of years ago I was involved in a case in which we shot a patient's vein graft and realized that the marker ring had detached from the aorta and migrated down along the graft. I had never seen this happen before and haven't heard of it since. The graft was widely patent and the patient needed no further treatment. Where do you see yourself professionally when it is time to retire? My long-term goal is to be the president of a hospital/health system. If all goes well, that's where I'll be positioned at retirement. Can you describe your role within the SICP? I was granted fellowship a few years ago. I'm unfortunately not very active right now because I'm busy earning an MBA. In combination with family and work, I have no free time. I plan on becoming more active when I graduate in December. Anyone who volunteers for whatever cause must truly believe in the goals of that cause. The SICP supports the highest quality of patient care by directly contributing to the development of those in our profession. I feel this is an honorable cause. My biggest challenge is finding the time to contribute. Why did you choose to get involved with the SICP? How did it happen? I've been a member for probably 7 years. I was involved with another society at the time that I didn't feel was adequately supporting my profession. I met some early members at a meeting and was impressed by their zeal for the SICP. That was enough to convince me to join. Are there any websites or texts you would recommend to other labs? Most often, I use Medscape and theheart.org. There’s so much out there that you must stick with one or two sites to avoid wasting your time. There’s so much available on the web that I no longer update my reference books. If you could send a message back to yourself at the beginning of your cath lab career, what advice would you give? I would advise myself to do exactly what I have done¦ work hard, make friends, and let God take care of the rest. Any tips for potential or current cath lab supervisors out there? My advice to potential supervisors is to find a good mentor and ask a lot of questions. Volunteer to help with projects outside of your job description and get some decision-making experience. There are a number of good books on the shelves now that discuss leadership versus management. Make sure that you understand the difference between the two. The key to both achieving a leadership position and holding your current position is learning to balance management responsibilities with leadership practices. Don’t expect anybody to promote you out of the kindness of his or her heart. You have to earn it. What changes do you think will occur in the field of cardiology in the coming decades? The biggest change I see happening is not necessarily a decrease in heart disease, but a decrease in the number of repeat customers. The use of drug-eluting stents will help to prevent subsequent visits of our patients. We’re going to have to complement these technological advances with more comprehensive preventive care and risk screening to catch patients earlier in the disease process.

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