Academic title: Associate professor of internal medicine
Joined the USA College of Medicine faculty: I joined as faculty in 2015. However, I trained at USA from 2006 to 2013. I never would have left if there had been a faculty position available to me when I completed my cardiology fellowship training.
What does your position in the USA COM/USA Health entail?
I have many roles. I serve as associate program director of the Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship Program. This allows me the opportunity to work alongside our program director to shape the training program for our fellows. I also focus on resident and medical student education in the area of cardiology. Apart from my educational responsibilities, I see patients in both the hospital and outpatient clinic setting and participate in clinical research.
What is your favorite or most rewarding part of your position?
I really enjoy watching a cardiology fellow mature into a well-rounded cardiologist after three years of training with us. I also enjoy mentoring internal medicine residents and students who are interested in pursuing a career in cardiology. It is rewarding to impart some degree of knowledge or experience into a trainee that might impact future patients and their cardiovascular health.
What research or other initiatives are you involved in?
I am actively building a clinical service line unique to our region in the field of cardio-oncology. As the father of a child with cancer, I learned that there are inherent cardiac issues that can develop as a result of receiving chemotherapy or radiation treatment. I used this personal experience to open a clinic specific to the cardiovascular care of cancer patients. This has led to a great working relationship with the wonderful team of oncologists at the USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute. It also has led to multiple collaborative research projects from basic science to cardiac imaging.
Listen to Malozzi's interview on The Cancering Show podcast: "Cancer Treatment and the Heart."
What is your advice for medical students?
I tell my fellows and trainees on the cardiology service at the beginning of each rotation that we are going to work hard, take good care of our patients, but most of all have fun. Being a doctor is a job just like any other job. You wake up, go to work, come home, and repeat. We have chosen this profession because we care about people. Find something in medicine that you are passionate about – so passionate that going to work each day and caring for people is more fun than it is work.
What are your hobbies/interests outside of work?
I have six, very active children; so my hobbies are their hobbies. We play a lot of soccer, football and basketball. We also really enjoy fishing and boating.
