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W. Gregory Hundley, MD, talks about how he balances professional goals, family life
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A long-time leader in the field of cardiovascular imaging, W. George Hundley, MD, is also committed to a fulfilling life with his wife and children.
Cardiology Today recently talked with Hundley about his career, his mentors and his interests.
Hundley received his doctorate in medicine from the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond in 1988. He went on to complete both his internship and residency at Parkland Memorial Hospital at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas from June 1988 to June 1991. Hundley also completed his fellowship in cardiology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas between 1992 and 1996.
Hundley has held a number of academic and professional appointments, including assistant professor of internal medicine at the Dallas Veterans Association Medical Center at the University of Texas Southwestern, as well as both assistant and associate professorships of internal medicine and radiology at the Bowman Gray School of Medicine (now the Wake Forest University School of Medicine). He is currently a professor of internal medicine and radiology and medical director of CV MRI at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
Hundley has also served in numerous professional societies such as the American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, Society for CV Magnetic Resonance, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health and the American College of Radiology. He is on the editorial board of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Circulation (imaging section), the American Journal of Cardiology and Journal of Cardiovascular MRI.
Hundley is an avid runner, swimmer and cyclist.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not practicing medicine?
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Professor of internal medicineand radiology. Medical director of CV MRI atthe Wake Forest University Schoolof Medicine. Newspaper section editor of Cardiology Today Imaging section. |
I spend a lot of time with my family and children — with their sports activities and things like that. I enjoy traveling with the family. I personally enjoy swimming, biking and running, outdoor water sports and other sporting activities.
If you had not gone into cardiology or medicine, what would you have done?
Engineering. The reason is because one can identify challenges and work to develop solutions. I have a father and brother who are both engineers, so I enjoy that kind of work.
What would you consider one of your biggest successes in your specialty?
I like having the opportunity to work with others to advance cardiovascular health care and its delivery, as well as scientific discovery and developing new therapies. I also enjoy working with younger physicians. I feel fortunate to work with those who are senior to me and more experienced, because I have had a great time learning from them.
What is the last book you read / art collection you saw / CD you bought? Why, and what did you think of it?
I recently read “Love and Hate in Jamestown” by David Price. It is a historical collection of material and well researched, regarding the colony of Jamestown in Virginia and how our country started there. It tells of the many trials and tribulations of individuals during the first 30 years in existence.
Some of the more impressive things I have seen were when traveling with my wife to art galleries in Florence, Italy. Michelangelo’s “David” comes to mind. The work of Rembrandt is also impressive, particularly how he changed the dynamic of painting and how he made emphasis of light and other parts of the environment to emphasize aspects of his paintings that heretofore had never really been accomplished.
As for music, I have three children who play music and are involved with Scout activities, music activities, sports activities and dance. We spend a lot of time sifting through and listening to their music and moving between their events, so I really have not had much of a chance to delve into music for myself. We listen to all of their stuff.
Who do you most admire, and what would you ask that person if you had five minutes with him/her?
I am a Christian, so I admire Jesus. I would probably ask him how he continued to maintain upstanding, kind, loving relationships, particularly in the face of adversity. Winston Churchill was also an impressive figure. In some ways, he saved many parts of the free world when he was isolated by himself against immeasurable odds. I would ask him how he was able to mobilize and organize a relatively small group of individuals to confront a major obstacle and be successful.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
Most of the best advice comes from your parents. They love you the most, and they can give guidance on many things. If I was not on the right track, my parents were helpful in steering me back onto the correct track. Now, my wife is right there for me and is helpful in getting me to control my emotions and passions, and to remain focused and empathetic and helpful to other people. Both she and my parents were definitely most important in that regard.
Who do you consider a mentor?
My personal mentors would be my parents and wife. Professional would be first Hermes Kontos, MD, from the Medical College of Virginia at the Virginia Commonwealth University. He was helpful in getting me started in research and in the scientific method. Another would be a gentleman named David Hillis, MD. He helped me understand the scientific method, how to formulate my thoughts, write manuscripts and produce scientific studies. Probably third would be William Little, MD, at Wake Forest, who helped teach me to obtain grant funding, NIH funding and to work with others internationally in the field of cardiovascular medicine.
What kind of diet and exercise regimen do you have?
I exercise six days per week between 30 and 60 minutes per day. Two of those days are devoted to cycling, two to swimming and two to running. I do take a day off. I am not a large person, so I eat lean, with lots of fiber, fruits and vegetables. The exercise allows me to clear my mind and physical state.
What do you think will have the biggest influence on cardiology during the next 10 years?
The problem we will face will be more patients to see with fewer physician resources to see them, so I imagine the next big advance will be to develop systems and processes that help us to manage patients while taking account of all the individual needs of those patients. This will involve database systems, relational databases, implementation of care extenders and expanded roles for nurses and nurse practitioners. Some of those will also be scientific developments that will be integrated into those processes, whether they are genetic advances or new imaging technologies and devices. They will all be part of this system, as will structural reporting systems, registries and databases.
What is your favorite travel destination?
Personally, I like anywhere on the waterfront, along the ocean and especially along the Chesapeake Bay. We also enjoy visiting some local destinations and also international travel — particularly Europe because it is so rich in history and culture.
What is your favorite restaurant?
I enjoy seafood, so restaurants in and along coastal destinations are a favorite of mine. Some of those can bring out the seafood old style or some can be more formal — I do not have a preference. – by Eric Raible