SARASOTA, Fla. – Sarasota Memorial’s medical team honored interventional cardiologist Michael Mumma, MD, FACC, with a Lifetime Achievement Award at SMH’s annual medical staff meeting on Tuesday.
Dr. Mumma, who joined the medical staff at Sarasota Memorial Hospital in 1989, was recognized for 30+ years of clinical leadership, exemplary service and unwavering commitment to his patients and community.
“The practice of medicine is both an art and a science – the ability to bring scientific principles to the art of human interaction,” said SMH Cardiology Chair James Fox, MD, before presenting his longtime colleague with SMH’s Lifetime Achievement Award on Tuesday. “A discussion of Michael’s scientific abilities tells only half the story … everyone has a warm personal story to tell about Mike. I believe that I share the same sentiments with the physicians and staff in this room and those throughout the department that we have all been lucky to know and work with this exceptional man.”
Each year, SMH awards the Lifetime Achievement Award to a member of the medical staff who has made lasting contributions to the practice of medicine over a lifetime, and who has made a significant impact to patient care at SMH and in the community.
During his 31-year career at SMH, Dr. Mumma served in several leadership roles, including terms as section chief of cardiology and electrophysiology, and as medical director of the Heart Failure Center, where he guided the care of some of the most vulnerable heart patients in our community. He is the only member of Sarasota Memorial’s medical staff who has held privileges and actively practiced in all 3 disciplines of cardiology – electrophysiology (interventional treatment of the heart’s complex electrical system, such as abnormal heart rhythms or arrhythmias); interventional cardiology (catheter-based treatment of coronary and vascular disease, such as stents and balloon angioplasty); and structural heart (interventional repair of defects of the heart, such as failing valves or vessel abnormalities).
In addition to seeing patients in a busy private practice, Florida Cardiac Consultants, Dr. Mumma served as principal investigator in many new treatment trials through SMH's Clinical Research Center. Outside of work, Dr. Mumma enjoys time spent with family, traveling and a multitude of hobbies, including fishing, flying, golfing and woodworking. He is a U.S. Coast Guard-licensed boat captain, an instrument-rated pilot, accomplished musician and avid fan of Duke University.
Here are some of the many personal comments SMH staff and colleagues shared about Dr. Mumma :
- He is the consummate clinical cardiologist whose technical skills are legendary.
- He is the rare interventionalist who became truly expert in complex device implantations. Most impressively, he took on the most challenging interventional and structural work at a late stage of his career.
- He is a consummate professional who never fails to put patients’ health and welfare as a top priority.
- He truly exemplifies professionalism, integrity, collegiality.
- He is a joy to be around, and a gift to our profession and our community.
Simply put, he is a role model.
But Dr. Mumma’s colleague Daniel Pacifico, MD, perhaps summed it up best:
7“He is a true Renaissance man who can master anything he tries, whether it is learning piano, flying an airplane, hitting golf balls, pool balls or writing complex computer programs.
"What kind of cardiologist can perform EP studies, peripheral interventions, implant CRT devices, coronary stents, TAVR valves, mitral valve clips and still have time to practice general cardiology, perform cardiology research, serve as cardiology department chairman and run the Sarasota Memorial (heart failure) clinic? ... Only Dr. Michael Mumma.”