Clyde W. Yancy is a preeminent leader in cardiovascular medicine and health equity with a distinguished career spanning over three decades of transformative contributions to cardiology. He currently serves as Vice Dean for Health Equity and Magerstadt Endowed Professor & Chief of Cardiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, where he also holds a professorship in the Department of Medical Social Science and serves as Associate Director of the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute. A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Dr. Yancy earned his medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine in 1982 and completed his internal medicine residency at UT Southwestern Medical Center in 1985. Prior to joining Northwestern, he spent seventeen years at UT Southwestern, where he rose to become the Carl H. Westcott Distinguished Chair in Medical Research and Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs while establishing a renowned cardiovascular program. His early career trajectory established him as a rising star in academic cardiology with a particular focus on heart failure and health disparities.
Dr. Yancy's scholarly contributions have profoundly shaped the field of cardiovascular medicine, with his expertise spanning heart failure management, outcomes research, cardiovascular prevention, clinical practice guidelines, and health equity initiatives. He has authored over seven hundred peer-reviewed publications that have earned him recognition as one of the top one percent of scientific authors worldwide according to citation metrics. His research on heart failure epidemiology, particularly among diverse populations, has provided critical insights that have informed national treatment guidelines and quality improvement initiatives across the United States. Dr. Yancy's leadership in developing evidence-based clinical practice guidelines has established new standards of care for millions of patients with cardiovascular conditions, while his work addressing racial and ethnic disparities in cardiovascular outcomes has illuminated pathways to more equitable healthcare delivery.
Beyond his research accomplishments, Dr. Yancy has held numerous leadership positions that have amplified his impact on the broader medical community, including serving as President of the American Heart Association from 2011-2012 and currently as Deputy Editor for JAMA Cardiology. His influence extends to national policy through extensive service with the National Institutes of Health, Food and Drug Administration, Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute, and Department of Health and Human Services. Recognized with election to the National Academy of Medicine and numerous other honors including the American Heart Association's Physician of the Year award, he remains actively engaged in mentoring the next generation of cardiovascular specialists while advancing his pioneering work in health equity. Dr. Yancy continues to shape the future of cardiovascular medicine through his dual commitment to scientific excellence and the pursuit of health equity for all patients regardless of background.
