Paul Khairy
His patients' stories, Paul Khairy says, are where he finds inspiration for his work.
"Many were born with severe heart defects, defied all odds, and overcame tremendous obstacles," says Dr. Khairy of his patients with congenital heart disease.
But his interest in this field of cardiology came after a previous interest in arrhythmias. He had received a diploma in adult electrophysiology at the University of Montreal after his cardiology specialization.
Then Dr. Khairy had gone to Harvard University to get some exposure to some of the cases of arrhythmia in patients with congenital heart disease. But since this had traditionally been a pediatric specialty, he was one of the few doctors treating adult patients who was interested in looking at the issue of arrhythmia in adult patients with congenital heart disease.
"In many places, you would have 50-year-olds hospitalized in a pediatric centre to treat arrhythmia," he said.
So, after receiving a diploma in adult congenital heart disease, he returned to Montreal, where he had grown up, and became the director of the Adult Congenital Heart Centre at the Montreal Heart Institute. He also holds a Canada Research Chair in Electrophysiology and Adult Congenital Heart Disease.
There are now more adult congenital heart disease centres, he says, so there is now a critical mass of not only interested physicians but also of adult patients, so that meaningful research can be done in this area. So he is involved in putting together research networks, in Canada and abroad. His position as a research director at Harvard's Boston Adult Congenital Heart Disease Service helped in the formation of a North American alliance.
Some first studies have been completed, and in the data analysis, Dr. Khairy's additional PhD in epidemiology and biostatistics from the University of Montreal comes into play.
Dr. Khairy is also an associate professor at the University of Montreal, and has co-authored a textbook on using cold therapy (cryoablation) in treating arrhythmias, which is safer than using heat (cauterizing).
Married with five children, including two sets of twins (he says his wife deserves a Top 40 Saints award), Dr. Khairy plays violin and guitar, and enjoys snowboarding.
Looking forward, Dr. Khairy is working with a group in London, England, to set up missions for patients with congenital heart disease in different parts of the world.
"We are … trying to get people motivated and on board … in the hopes of having our patients live longer and better lives."
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