For Scott Baldwin, MD, one of his greatest joys as a pediatric cardiologist is meeting his young patients, shortly after birth, and watching them grow up, with many of them now adults. In addition, he feels privileged to have been able to work with some of the best pediatric cardiologists to build one of the premier divisions in the country.
“It’s been one of the really rewarding experiences, to get to sit with families whose child may now be 18, 20 years old and reflect back on different points in time of the care journey. Similarly, it has been rewarding to see former trainees go on to lead major cardiology programs throughout the country,” said Baldwin, the Katrina Overall McDonald Professor of Pediatrics and professor of Cell and Developmental Biology.
After a four decade-long career as an internationally recognized expert and researcher in pediatric heart care, Baldwin, chief of the Division of Pediatric Cardiology and co-director of the Pediatric Heart Institute at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, announced he will step down as division chief in late spring/early summer 2025 and then plans to retire from the faculty in June 2026. A national search will be conducted to identify Baldwin’s successor.
“Scott has been a transformational leader for pediatric cardiology at Vanderbilt,” said William Cooper, MD, MPH, interim chair of the Department of Pediatrics, Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Pediatrics and associate dean for Faculty Affairs for Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. “His vision and leadership have been amazing in his more than 20 years in growing and expanding the division’s mission and footprint.”
Hired by cardiologist Thomas P. Graham Jr., MD, who founded and led the Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Baldwin joined Vanderbilt in 2002. He took over as division chief in 2004 when Graham stepped down after 33 years.
Baldwin helped launch the Pediatric Heart Institute at Monroe Carell in 2004 upon the completion of the hospital’s Doctors’ Office Tower, creating a comprehensive health care approach to pediatric heart health by bringing pediatric cardiac surgery, pediatric intensive care and pediatric cardiac anesthesia into the same clinic space. He co-led the Pediatric Heart Institute alongside David Bichell, MD, who stepped down from his role as chief of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery in October.
Under Baldwin’s leadership, the pediatric cardiology division has more than tripled the number of pediatric heart patients the team cares for, expanded the number of outpatient pediatric cardiology clinics across Tennessee from three to nine, and significantly expanded the growth of the faculty from a team of 12 to 30.
Additionally, the Pediatric Heart Institute at Monroe Carell has grown to have one of the largest pediatric heart transplant programs in the country as well as one of the largest electrophysiology and interventional cardiology programs.
“It has been an enormous privilege to work with this team every day,” Baldwin said. “Scientifically, we have some of the brightest minds in the business, and clinically, there’s not a better division of pediatric cardiology, and that’s because of the expertise of the people we have here. I work with a great family of folks who enjoy working together and who strive for excellence in the care of children with congenital heart disease. I’m very optimistic about where we’re going as a program.”
As part of his passion, Baldwin has developed and trained physician-scientists in pediatric laboratory-based research at Monroe Carell. With an expanded fellowship, the program boasted one of only six National Institutes of Health T32 training programs for pediatric cardiologists in the country. More than 100 applicants apply each year for the highly coveted three spots in the pediatric heart fellowship program.
Continuously funded by the NIH for 35 years, Baldwin’s research has focused on understanding the etiology of congenital heart disease, investigating the embryonic development of the heart. He has explored the basic mechanism of fetal valve formation hoping that this knowledge could be used to develop tissue-engineered heart valves in the future.
During his career, he has published over 100 scientific articles, co-authored more than 35 chapters, editorials and reviews, and given dozens of guest lectures around the world.
Among his many activities and honors, Baldwin served as chair of the Scientific Board as well as Board of Directors of the Sarnoff Cardiovascular Research Foundation, a prestigious and competitive program dedicated to developing physician-scientists. The Sarnoff Foundation honored Baldwin with the Arnold Katz Achievement Award in 2017. He was also awarded the American Heart Association’s Helen B. Taussig Memorial Lecture, considered one of the most renowned invited lectures in the field of pediatric cardiology in the United States.
Baldwin earned his medical degree from the University of Virginia, did his pediatric residency and chief residency at the University of Rochester and completed a pediatric cardiology fellowship at the University of Iowa. Previously, he was a member of the pediatric cardiology faculty at the University of Pennsylvania and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia where he served as co-director for Cardiovascular Research.
Through it all, he credits his wife, Andrea, for being the critical person ensuring success through the many facets of his education and professional career. “Because of her endless support, I could have a family of three children, do scientific investigation, and be involved in cutting-edge clinical activities. Not many individuals have been so fortunate,” he said.
He has no immediate plans for what he’ll do in retirement, though he joked, “I think my wife has a lot of plans.”
