The Department of Pediatrics is home to programs with a long tradition of innovation and excellence, and the Division of Pediatric Cardiology stands out for its enduring commitment to advancing care, research and education in children’s heart health.
A driving force behind that work for more than two decades has been David Parra, MD, Professor of Pediatrics, Medicine, and Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Director of Pediatric Noninvasive Imaging Services and Director of Advanced Cardiac Imaging. On July 1, Parra will step into a new leadership role as Associate Director of the Division of Pediatric Cardiology, an appointment that recognizes his sustained impact on clinical care, imaging innovation and training of the next generation of pediatric cardiology leaders.
“Dr. Parra’s deep clinical insight, commitment to innovation and dedication to advancing care for children with heart disease make him an outstanding choice as associate director of the Division of Pediatric Cardiology and a tremendous asset to our patients, families and academic community,” said Juan C. Salazar, MD, MPH, Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Vanderbilt Health, System Pediatrician-in-Chief for Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt and the James C. Overall Professor of Pediatrics.
Parra’s path to Vanderbilt Health began in Quito, Ecuador, where he was born and raised. He earned his medical degree from the Universidad Central del Ecuador, completed a residency in general pediatrics at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Florida, and pursued fellowship training in pediatric cardiology at the University of Michigan. Since joining Vanderbilt Health in 2004, he has helped shape how congenital and acquired heart disease is diagnosed and managed for patients across the region.
In 2005, Parra launched Monroe Carell’s first pediatric and congenital cardiac MRI program and has directed it ever since. The program now performs more than 400 studies each year and serves patients from Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama and beyond. It also supports care for adults with congenital heart disease and is a key component of Vanderbilt Health’s Adult Congenital Heart Disease Fellowship Program.
Parra has also led the echocardiography laboratory since 2012, overseeing interpretation of more than 25,000 echocardiograms annually, including over 2,000 fetal studies. Under his guidance, tele-echocardiography expanded to five regional centers, enabling same-day interpretation and consultation for hospitals and neonatal intensive care units statewide.
A dedicated educator and mentor, Parra has trained fellows, residents and sonographers who now lead imaging programs across the country. He received the Pediatric Cardiology Excellence in Teaching Award in 2019 and has authored nearly 50 peer-reviewed publications and chapters, contributed to national guidelines, and earned recognition as a Fellow of the American Society of Echocardiography.
