Will the COVID-19 Epidemic Reshape Cardiology?

Alkhouli, Mohamad; Coylewright, Megan; Holmes, David R

The emergence of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) began a series of unparalleled changes in health care systems worldwide. In the United States, the rapid evolution of the epidemic poses unprecedented challenges to hospitals, medical staff, training programs, policy makers, and professional societies(1). For cardiology, COVID-19 brings substantial changes to the way we conceptualize and practice medicine. As others have observed, the abrupt change of our routines and priorities offers us the opportunity for reinvention; in this space, we can critically examine several facets of our profession. In this perspective, we discuss key questions resonating in the cardiology community in the midst of the epidemic. The discussion is structured around three domains: clinical practice, education and training, and professional values. We describe the immediate ramifications and potential long-term impact of COVID-19 on each domain.