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Career Paths in Cardiology: Physician Scientist
Cardiology is a field with a wide range of subspecialty choices. Most FITs decide on a subspecialty in their first two years of fellowship; however, it is never too late to develop your niche. Exploring your options with an open mind will help you find the best fit within Cardiology. In this regular featured series, we highlight experts in Missouri that are engaged in sub-specialty fields.
Dr. Zainab Mahmoud is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, and the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Washington University in St. Louis. She is a physician-scientist specializing in cardio-obstetrics, with a focus on improving maternal cardiovascular health.
Dr. Mahmoud earned her medical degree from Trinity College Dublin and completed residency and fellowship training at University of Pennsylvania and Washington University in St. Louis. She also holds a Master’s degree in Health Policy from Imperial College London.
Her research applies implementation science to advance maternal cardiovascular outcomes, supported by a K23 award from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). She has received several recognitions, including the 2022 American College of Cardiology/Merck Fellowship Award and the 2023 Nanette K. Wenger Research Goes Red® Award for Best Scientific Article on Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke in Women, recognizing her contributions to the field.
In addition to her clinical and research work, Dr. Mahmoud serves on the American College of Cardiology’s Reproductive Health and Cardio-Obstetrics Council. Through her scholarship and leadership, Dr. Mahmoud aspires to drive innovation in cardio-obstetrics and ensure that scientific discoveries translate into meaningful impact worldwide.
Tell us more about your career journey
My career journey has been shaped by a deep interest in the intersection of cardiovascular health and pregnancy. I trained in medicine and health policy in Ireland and the United Kingdom, followed by residency and fellowship training in the United States. During my cardiology fellowship at WashU, I became drawn to the emerging field of cardio-obstetrics, a discipline that bridges cardiology and maternal health to address the leading causes of maternal morbidity and mortality. This path led me to pursue a career as a physician-scientist, integrating clinical care with research to improve cardiovascular outcomes for women before, during and after pregnancy.
Which research areas are you most passionate about?
My research focuses on implementing evidence-based interventions to improve maternal cardiovascular health, particularly in populations at highest risk. I am especially passionate about using implementation science methods to enhance the prevention and management of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and to strengthen postpartum cardiovascular care. Some of my work is based in Nigeria, where I aim to adapt and scale effective models of care in low-resource settings and bring some lessons back to inform practice in high-burden communities in the U.S.
Tell us about some of the greatest challenges you have encountered and how you overcame them
One of the biggest challenges has been navigating a nontraditional path within cardiology. Cardio-obstetrics and implementation science are both relatively new areas, and building a research program in this space required persistence, mentorship, and collaboration across disciplines. I have been fortunate to have incredible mentors who believed in my vision and institutions that supported the integration of global health, cardiology, and maternal health research. Learning to balance clinical, research, and personal responsibilities has also been a continual process, one that requires setting clear priorities and embracing flexibility.
Are there any technologies or tools that have transformed how you do research?
Digital health technologies have been transformative. I am able to collaborate better with international research teams. Remote blood pressure monitoring, mobile health tools now make it possible to extend postpartum care and improve adherence to evidence-based interventions, even in resource-limited environments.
What advice would you like to share with FITs who may be interested in following your path?
Stay curious and follow the questions that matter most to you, even if they don’t fit neatly into established pathways. Seek mentors within and outside your field, build a network of collaborators, and look for opportunities that align with your passion. The most meaningful work often happens at the intersection of disciplines, and your unique perspectives can help shape where the field goes next.
