Dr. Hugh Calkins is a preeminent leader in cardiac electrophysiology with over three decades of clinical and research excellence at the forefront of arrhythmia management. He currently serves as the Nicholas J. Fortuin M.D. Professor of Cardiology and Professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine where he directs the Clinical Electrophysiology Laboratory, the Arrhythmia Service, and the Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia Program. After graduating Magna Cum Laude with Highest Honors in Chemistry from Williams College he attended Harvard Medical School and completed his Internal Medicine training at Massachusetts General Hospital. He received his cardiology fellowship training at Johns Hopkins and electrophysiology training at both Johns Hopkins and the University of Michigan where he held his first faculty position before returning to Johns Hopkins as Director in 2002 establishing himself as a transformative figure in cardiac rhythm disorders.
Dr. Calkins is internationally recognized for pioneering radiofrequency catheter ablation techniques in the late 1980s which revolutionized the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias and established a new standard of care for millions of patients worldwide. He has published more than 700 scientific articles that have significantly advanced the field of electrophysiology with his work cited extensively across medical literature. His leadership of the 44-member international task force that produced the landmark 2012 Expert Consensus Statement provided critical treatment and research recommendations for atrial fibrillation management that continue to guide clinical practice globally. Over two decades ago he founded the Johns Hopkins ARVC Program which has grown to become the largest and most comprehensive clinical and research program for arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia in the world setting the standard for diagnosis treatment and investigation of this complex condition.
Dr. Calkins has served as President of the Heart Rhythm Society from 2014-2015 and was elected to the Miller Coulson Academy of Clinical Excellence in 2014 recognizing his exceptional clinical expertise and contributions to patient care. He contributes significantly to the advancement of the field through editorial roles as Associate Editor of the Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology and on the boards of prestigious publications including The Journal of the American College of Cardiology HeartRhythm and Circulation Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology. His expertise has been recognized through numerous awards including the NASPE Young Investigator Competition First Prize the Helen B. Taussig Award of the Maryland American Heart Association and the Van Ruyven Medal from the Heart Lung Foundation in the Netherlands. Dr. Calkins continues to advance the field with his vision for improving arrhythmia treatment working toward the ultimate goal of achieving a 100 cure rate for conditions like atrial fibrillation while developing new technologies and approaches that will further transform cardiac rhythm management and improve patient outcomes worldwide.
