Eileen M Handberg

My name is Eileen Handberg, PhD, ARNP, and I am a professor of medicine and director of the Cardiovascular Clinical Trials Program in the University of Florida Division of Cardiovascular Medicine. I serve the university as an Institutional Review Board alternate member, serve on the Promotion and Tenure Committee and am program co-director for the One Florida PCOR.net Clinical Data Research Network. I am an adult nurse practitioner providing cardiovascular care to patients for 30+ years. I fell in love with cardiology when I worked in the intensive care unit as a young nurse. I have practiced in almost every area of cardiology over the course of my career but have focused on ischemic heart disease, particularly in women, with specific interest in exercise intervention and other risk reduction strategies. My priority as a provider is to be there for my patients and for them to know it’s not just about the therapy I can prescribe. It’s about compassion and the ability to listen and assist them and their families with navigating the health care environment. I have spent the last 30 years running the Cardiovascular Clinical Trials Program at UF. Our mission has been to facilitate the research of faculty and fellows to improve our understanding of cardiovascular disease. I have participated in over 1,000 clinical trials during my career, many of which have resulted in the evidence that guides cardiology practice today. I have been an investigator and PI on many clinical trials over the years that have resulted in changes in treatment guidelines. I have been a WISE investigator, looking at women with nonobstructive coronary artery disease, and our research has led to a much better understanding of women with chest pain. I am program director for the practitioner competency assessment program, Florida CARES, one of only seven assessment centers in the U.S. I have been active in several professional societies, including the American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology and the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association as its current president. My goal has been to make an impact in cardiovascular care, and being a part of these strong organizations has allowed me to do that. When I’m not practicing medicine, I enjoy working out and being on the water, especially at the beach. Dr. Handberg is a Research Professor of Medicine and Director of the Cardiovascular Clinical Trials Program in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine. She also serves the University as an Institutional Review Board member, and representative on the College of Medicine Continuing Medical Education committee. She is an Adult Nurse Practitioner and has an outpatient practice, and manages research patient care. She is program Director for the practitioner competency assessment program Florida CARES, one of only 7 Assessment Centers in the US. An active member and current Trustee of the American College of Cardiology, Dr. Handberg serves on several committees including the ACC Scientific Sessions planning committee, PC3, Compensation, Metabolic Work Group, and is a member of the CV Team Council leadership group. She is the co-director of the ACC Core Curriculum for the Cardiovascular Clinician program, and served as co-chair of the Team-Based Work Group. She has served on several Presidential appointed committees including the search committee for the JACC Editor, and CEO search committee. She was the past Chair of the Nurse Education Committee, and has served on the Accreditation, BPQI committees and Anticoagulation Task Force. In 2009 she qualified for the designation FACC and was the first nurse (CCA) to achieve this recognition. Additionally she is a member of the American Heart Association’s Council on Cardiovascular Nursing and the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association (PCNA), and is program director for the Vascular Biology Working Group (VBWG). She has contributed to over 90 articles, featured in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, JAMA, Circulation, and the Journal of Women’s Health, among others.