History

In 1949, 13 cardiologists, led by Franz Groedel, MD, MACC and Bruno Kisch, MD, MACC, founded the American College of Cardiology during what is often called "The Golden Age of Cardiology." In his book "American Cardiology: The History of a Specialty and Its College," Bruce Fye, MD, MACC, details how in the period following World War II, factors like the increasing prevalence of heart disease, the advent of federal research funding, breakthroughs in technological innovations, and the growing availability of health insurance worked together to shape cardiology into a major academic and clinical discipline.

Given these dramatic changes taking place in the field of cardiovascular medicine, the College’s founders, including Franz Groedel, MD, MACC, Robert P. Glover, MD, MACC, and others, made continuing education of practicing clinicians the mission of the College. Groedel articulated this mission best when he ordered that any ACC educational endeavor had to impart "a chunk of useful knowledge" to the practicing cardiologist.