Dr. Jesse Kane is the Assistant Professor of Medicine and an interventional cardiologist at the University of Vermont Medical Center and a former athlete who captained the Israeli National Men’s Lacrosse team – establishing the sport in Israel during his medical studies at Tel Aviv University. His research and interests focus on the optimal management of complex coronary disease and interventional complications.
Shortly after you completed your fellowship training, was there a therapy area or subject matter you wish you were taught or had more experience in?
I had this realization seven months into my career as an attending: the one aspect you can never get good enough at is peripheral intervention. In a lot of programs, it takes a secondary place. But, when you get into trouble and have a groin access complication, it’s a great skill to have. So, I think it's always important, when you're training, to at least get comfortable going up and over, managing groin complications, putting balloons and stents in that area as much as possible. It allows you to get yourself out of trouble in cases that involve groin access.
You've had the opportunity to be involved in a significant amount of medical research, especially considering you're in the early part of your career. How would you advise recent medical graduates interested in research to pursue this path during their residency or fellowship?
There are different parts to getting involved in research. First, there's reading a lot. Reading what others are publishing in the literature and understanding how they do it and what they're looking at is really important in appreciating who those people are behind the scenes and what they're all about.
The second is networking. Connect with your mentors, find people you want to train with, who you respect, whose research you really love, and then work with them.
The third thing is to add value. Don't just go up to somebody and say, 'Are you doing any projects I could help with?' Think about how you can contribute, what skills or perspectives you bring to each research project.
It's a combination of reading, respecting what others are doing, getting mentorship, networking with people who are doing the research, and then thinking critically about what you can give to those projects that's unique to you and adds value to what others are trying to accomplish.
One thing people forget is the corresponding author. A lot of these publications have the person's email right there. If you're really passionate about what that person is doing, their email is literally listed within the paper. That's how I met with my mentors, people like Kate Kearney and Bill Lombardi, who I've learned so much from and collaborated with—you can just reach out to them.
Did you ever feel unprepared after training, especially with the responsibility of saving lives? How did you overcome this fear or hesitation?
My first CTO case as an attending was a pretty complex retrograde case at the University of Vermont, where I'm at now. I definitely didn't have the confidence, because any case I'd done before that point, I'd done with an attending present.
You can never feel prepared enough for a high-risk procedure. But you have to have faith in yourself and confidence that you're doing the right thing, that you've been trained well, and just give it your best shot. I don't think you're ever going to feel fully secure, no matter what level you are, that everything you do is perfect. But you can't get in your head, and you need to have faith in yourself that you're going to do your best for the patient.
Let's talk about the business side of healthcare. Are there concepts or topics you wish you had known more about a few years ago?
Being a great doctor is just not enough. You have to have a certain level of PR and understanding about how you come across to other people, as opposed to only how you treat them. That's something you don't really get in residency or fellowship training.
Early on, I learned it's about having good, clear communication and connections with your referrals. It's just not enough to answer a clinical question. You should be reaching out, making sure they're comfortable with the management, updating them on things that are relevant, and really building relationships, because that's how your practice is going to grow.
Yes, you're a doctor; your main job is to take care of patients. But especially in a specialty field, you really have to have a brand and a personality that people recognize and feel comfortable with. That depends a lot on communicating with referrals.
You also need to be ready to justify yourself to the administration, especially when requesting specific equipment. You have to understand the financial implications of what you're doing, because this is the US healthcare system, and you simply can't get every single supply that you need. You have to justify the cost, demonstrate how it's helping patients.
Those things don't really come up during a fellowship, but you quickly realize them when you're attending.
Dr. Jesse Kane is the Assistant Professor of Medicine and an interventional cardiologist at the University of Vermont Medical Center and a former athlete who captained the Israeli National Men’s Lacrosse team – establishing the sport in Israel during his medical studies at Tel Aviv University. His research and interests focus on the optimal management of complex coronary disease and interventional complications.
Shortly after you completed your fellowship training, was there a therapy area or subject matter you wish you were taught or had more experience in?
I had this realization seven months into my career as an attending: the one aspect you can never get good enough at is peripheral intervention. In a lot of programs, it takes a secondary place. But, when you get into trouble and have a groin access complication, it’s a great skill to have. So, I think it's always important, when you're training, to at least get comfortable going up and over, managing groin complications, putting balloons and stents in that area as much as possible. It allows you to get yourself out of trouble in cases that involve groin access.
You've had the opportunity to be involved in a significant amount of medical research, especially considering you're in the early part of your career. How would you advise recent medical graduates interested in research to pursue this path during their residency or fellowship?
There are different parts to getting involved in research. First, there's reading a lot. Reading what others are publishing in the literature and understanding how they do it and what they're looking at is really important in appreciating who those people are behind the scenes and what they're all about.
The second is networking. Connect with your mentors, find people you want to train with, who you respect, whose research you really love, and then work with them.
The third thing is to add value. Don't just go up to somebody and say, 'Are you doing any projects I could help with?' Think about how you can contribute, what skills or perspectives you bring to each research project.
It's a combination of reading, respecting what others are doing, getting mentorship, networking with people who are doing the research, and then thinking critically about what you can give to those projects that's unique to you and adds value to what others are trying to accomplish.
One thing people forget is the corresponding author. A lot of these publications have the person's email right there. If you're really passionate about what that person is doing, their email is literally listed within the paper. That's how I met with my mentors, people like Kate Kearney and Bill Lombardi, who I've learned so much from and collaborated with—you can just reach out to them.
Did you ever feel unprepared after training, especially with the responsibility of saving lives? How did you overcome this fear or hesitation?
My first CTO case as an attending was a pretty complex retrograde case at the University of Vermont, where I'm at now. I definitely didn't have the confidence, because any case I'd done before that point, I'd done with an attending present.
You can never feel prepared enough for a high-risk procedure. But you have to have faith in yourself and confidence that you're doing the right thing, that you've been trained well, and just give it your best shot. I don't think you're ever going to feel fully secure, no matter what level you are, that everything you do is perfect. But you can't get in your head, and you need to have faith in yourself that you're going to do your best for the patient.
Let's talk about the business side of healthcare. Are there concepts or topics you wish you had known more about a few years ago?
Being a great doctor is just not enough. You have to have a certain level of PR and understanding about how you come across to other people, as opposed to only how you treat them. That's something you don't really get in residency or fellowship training.
Early on, I learned it's about having good, clear communication and connections with your referrals. It's just not enough to answer a clinical question. You should be reaching out, making sure they're comfortable with the management, updating them on things that are relevant, and really building relationships, because that's how your practice is going to grow.
Yes, you're a doctor; your main job is to take care of patients. But especially in a specialty field, you really have to have a brand and a personality that people recognize and feel comfortable with. That depends a lot on communicating with referrals.
You also need to be ready to justify yourself to the administration, especially when requesting specific equipment. You have to understand the financial implications of what you're doing, because this is the US healthcare system, and you simply can't get every single supply that you need. You have to justify the cost, demonstrate how it's helping patients.
Those things don't really come up during a fellowship, but you quickly realize them when you're attending.
Dr. Jesse Kane is the Assistant Professor of Medicine and an interventional cardiologist at the University of Vermont Medical Center and a former athlete who captained the Israeli National Men’s Lacrosse team – establishing the sport in Israel during his medical studies at Tel Aviv University. His research and interests focus on the optimal management of complex coronary disease and interventional complications.
Shortly after you completed your fellowship training, was there a therapy area or subject matter you wish you were taught or had more experience in?
I had this realization seven months into my career as an attending: the one aspect you can never get good enough at is peripheral intervention. In a lot of programs, it takes a secondary place. But, when you get into trouble and have a groin access complication, it’s a great skill to have. So, I think it's always important, when you're training, to at least get comfortable going up and over, managing groin complications, putting balloons and stents in that area as much as possible. It allows you to get yourself out of trouble in cases that involve groin access.
You've had the opportunity to be involved in a significant amount of medical research, especially considering you're in the early part of your career. How would you advise recent medical graduates interested in research to pursue this path during their residency or fellowship?
There are different parts to getting involved in research. First, there's reading a lot. Reading what others are publishing in the literature and understanding how they do it and what they're looking at is really important in appreciating who those people are behind the scenes and what they're all about.
The second is networking. Connect with your mentors, find people you want to train with, who you respect, whose research you really love, and then work with them.
The third thing is to add value. Don't just go up to somebody and say, 'Are you doing any projects I could help with?' Think about how you can contribute, what skills or perspectives you bring to each research project.
It's a combination of reading, respecting what others are doing, getting mentorship, networking with people who are doing the research, and then thinking critically about what you can give to those projects that's unique to you and adds value to what others are trying to accomplish.
One thing people forget is the corresponding author. A lot of these publications have the person's email right there. If you're really passionate about what that person is doing, their email is literally listed within the paper. That's how I met with my mentors, people like Kate Kearney and Bill Lombardi, who I've learned so much from and collaborated with—you can just reach out to them.
Did you ever feel unprepared after training, especially with the responsibility of saving lives? How did you overcome this fear or hesitation?
My first CTO case as an attending was a pretty complex retrograde case at the University of Vermont, where I'm at now. I definitely didn't have the confidence, because any case I'd done before that point, I'd done with an attending present.
You can never feel prepared enough for a high-risk procedure. But you have to have faith in yourself and confidence that you're doing the right thing, that you've been trained well, and just give it your best shot. I don't think you're ever going to feel fully secure, no matter what level you are, that everything you do is perfect. But you can't get in your head, and you need to have faith in yourself that you're going to do your best for the patient.
Let's talk about the business side of healthcare. Are there concepts or topics you wish you had known more about a few years ago?
Being a great doctor is just not enough. You have to have a certain level of PR and understanding about how you come across to other people, as opposed to only how you treat them. That's something you don't really get in residency or fellowship training.
Early on, I learned it's about having good, clear communication and connections with your referrals. It's just not enough to answer a clinical question. You should be reaching out, making sure they're comfortable with the management, updating them on things that are relevant, and really building relationships, because that's how your practice is going to grow.
Yes, you're a doctor; your main job is to take care of patients. But especially in a specialty field, you really have to have a brand and a personality that people recognize and feel comfortable with. That depends a lot on communicating with referrals.
You also need to be ready to justify yourself to the administration, especially when requesting specific equipment. You have to understand the financial implications of what you're doing, because this is the US healthcare system, and you simply can't get every single supply that you need. You have to justify the cost, demonstrate how it's helping patients.
Those things don't really come up during a fellowship, but you quickly realize them when you're attending.
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World's Brightest Physicians
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You have unique experiences in both networking and leadership. Regarding the former, whether in research or with senior colleagues, what tips have helped you build those relationships?
The first thing is being genuine. Don't put on an act; be your authentic self and be honest about your values. That's how you'll connect with people who share those values. Not everyone will be your person, but you'll find those who are by being real.
Don't be intimidated by big names. They're still people, and most reached their level through connection, compassion, and being good to others. Take Bill Lombardi, for example – he's open, welcoming, and warm - not high and mighty. I've found that many of my heroes in interventional cardiology, like Bill, Manos Brilakis, Kate Kearney, and Lorenzo Azzalini, are simply good people.
When I'm authentic, they are too, and that's how you build a strong community.
That segues nicely into the next topic, which is about leadership. You've led in lacrosse and even introduced the sport to Israel during medical school. You've learned a lot about driving initiatives forward and motivating teams. When it comes to leadership in medicine, what are some key skills for becoming a truly effective leader?
The most important thing is always asking yourself how you can add value to others, whether it's your techs, nursing staff, colleagues, fellows, mentors—anyone you work with. If you invest in those around you, they'll give back tenfold without you having asked for anything.
For example, we're building a complex PCI program at the University of Vermont. I've made a point to talk with our nursing staff about their training needs for complex cases. We do drills, simulations, equipment reviews, and they love it. They're learning and growing, and in return, I have a team that knows I care about their development and who is well-trained on all the equipment.
Overall, I think the biggest part of being a leader is identifying what your team and individual members need to feel like a part of the bigger picture.
Let's move on to some rapid-fire questions. First up: do you listen to music in the cath lab? If so, what two or three songs are always on your playlist?
If things are going downhill or it's been a long week and it's Friday, and everyone's exhausted, we listen to "Karma" by Taylor Swift. No one can be sad listening to that. Midweek, I listen to a lot of LL Cool J classics, mainly "I Need Love" – such a great song. And then there's Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams."
How about movies? Are there a couple that always stand out, or that you'll watch if they're on TV?
I love the Star Wars movies. I can watch anything from that series anytime. My wife and I also love rom-coms, like Notting Hill and Annie Hall. Those are classics.
Let's take you back to your mid-to-late 20s, maybe at the end of medical school or starting residency. What would you tell your younger self?
In training, you look at all the steps, especially in cardiology or any subspecialty. You think, I have to do an intern year, then residency, fellowship, then interventional fellowship.' It feels like it goes on forever, but, then you become an attending and realize there are different levels to that as well.
I'd tell myself that, as cliché as it sounds, there's no real beginning or end. It's a journey. If you're an intern, don't think about the years ahead. Focus on what's right in front of you: how are you going to learn, develop, and grow this year? Otherwise, it's too daunting. I spent a lot of my residency overwhelmed by the road ahead, only to become an attending and realize, 'Now I have a 30-year career.'
Medicine is a long path. Enjoy each step and don't get too preoccupied with what's next.
Finally, any events, conferences, or clinical research you'd like us to link to or mention?
Attending any major cardiac conference is great for networking and hearing directly from experts. I highly recommend going to conferences in person and attending the lectures, no matter what stage of your career you’re at.
Three specific recommendations: If you're interested in interventional cardiology, the CRF Interventional Complications course is excellent. It covers unique concepts that are very challenging, both from a psychological perspective and in terms of patient safety and management. It's a truly unique conference.
I also recommend the Manos Brilakis CTO videos and PCI videos on YouTube, which are great if you're just getting started in interventional cardiology.
And finally, the Journey to Better podcast by Bill Lombardi is fantastic. It covers a lot of the intangible aspects of medicine that don't come up in grand rounds or clinical experiences.
You have unique experiences in both networking and leadership. Regarding the former, whether in research or with senior colleagues, what tips have helped you build those relationships?
The first thing is being genuine. Don't put on an act; be your authentic self and be honest about your values. That's how you'll connect with people who share those values. Not everyone will be your person, but you'll find those who are by being real.
Don't be intimidated by big names. They're still people, and most reached their level through connection, compassion, and being good to others. Take Bill Lombardi, for example – he's open, welcoming, and warm - not high and mighty. I've found that many of my heroes in interventional cardiology, like Bill, Manos Brilakis, Kate Kearney, and Lorenzo Azzalini, are simply good people.
When I'm authentic, they are too, and that's how you build a strong community.
That segues nicely into the next topic, which is about leadership. You've led in lacrosse and even introduced the sport to Israel during medical school. You've learned a lot about driving initiatives forward and motivating teams. When it comes to leadership in medicine, what are some key skills for becoming a truly effective leader?
The most important thing is always asking yourself how you can add value to others, whether it's your techs, nursing staff, colleagues, fellows, mentors—anyone you work with. If you invest in those around you, they'll give back tenfold without you having asked for anything.
For example, we're building a complex PCI program at the University of Vermont. I've made a point to talk with our nursing staff about their training needs for complex cases. We do drills, simulations, equipment reviews, and they love it. They're learning and growing, and in return, I have a team that knows I care about their development and who is well-trained on all the equipment.
Overall, I think the biggest part of being a leader is identifying what your team and individual members need to feel like a part of the bigger picture.
Let's move on to some rapid-fire questions. First up: do you listen to music in the cath lab? If so, what two or three songs are always on your playlist?
If things are going downhill or it's been a long week and it's Friday, and everyone's exhausted, we listen to "Karma" by Taylor Swift. No one can be sad listening to that. Midweek, I listen to a lot of LL Cool J classics, mainly "I Need Love" – such a great song. And then there's Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams."
How about movies? Are there a couple that always stand out, or that you'll watch if they're on TV?
I love the Star Wars movies. I can watch anything from that series anytime. My wife and I also love rom-coms, like Notting Hill and Annie Hall. Those are classics.
Let's take you back to your mid-to-late 20s, maybe at the end of medical school or starting residency. What would you tell your younger self?
In training, you look at all the steps, especially in cardiology or any subspecialty. You think, I have to do an intern year, then residency, fellowship, then interventional fellowship.' It feels like it goes on forever, but, then you become an attending and realize there are different levels to that as well.
I'd tell myself that, as cliché as it sounds, there's no real beginning or end. It's a journey. If you're an intern, don't think about the years ahead. Focus on what's right in front of you: how are you going to learn, develop, and grow this year? Otherwise, it's too daunting. I spent a lot of my residency overwhelmed by the road ahead, only to become an attending and realize, 'Now I have a 30-year career.'
Medicine is a long path. Enjoy each step and don't get too preoccupied with what's next.
Finally, any events, conferences, or clinical research you'd like us to link to or mention?
Attending any major cardiac conference is great for networking and hearing directly from experts. I highly recommend going to conferences in person and attending the lectures, no matter what stage of your career you’re at.
Three specific recommendations: If you're interested in interventional cardiology, the CRF Interventional Complications course is excellent. It covers unique concepts that are very challenging, both from a psychological perspective and in terms of patient safety and management. It's a truly unique conference.
I also recommend the Manos Brilakis CTO videos and PCI videos on YouTube, which are great if you're just getting started in interventional cardiology.
And finally, the Journey to Better podcast by Bill Lombardi is fantastic. It covers a lot of the intangible aspects of medicine that don't come up in grand rounds or clinical experiences.
You have unique experiences in both networking and leadership. Regarding the former, whether in research or with senior colleagues, what tips have helped you build those relationships?
The first thing is being genuine. Don't put on an act; be your authentic self and be honest about your values. That's how you'll connect with people who share those values. Not everyone will be your person, but you'll find those who are by being real.
Don't be intimidated by big names. They're still people, and most reached their level through connection, compassion, and being good to others. Take Bill Lombardi, for example – he's open, welcoming, and warm - not high and mighty. I've found that many of my heroes in interventional cardiology, like Bill, Manos Brilakis, Kate Kearney, and Lorenzo Azzalini, are simply good people.
When I'm authentic, they are too, and that's how you build a strong community.
That segues nicely into the next topic, which is about leadership. You've led in lacrosse and even introduced the sport to Israel during medical school. You've learned a lot about driving initiatives forward and motivating teams. When it comes to leadership in medicine, what are some key skills for becoming a truly effective leader?
The most important thing is always asking yourself how you can add value to others, whether it's your techs, nursing staff, colleagues, fellows, mentors—anyone you work with. If you invest in those around you, they'll give back tenfold without you having asked for anything.
For example, we're building a complex PCI program at the University of Vermont. I've made a point to talk with our nursing staff about their training needs for complex cases. We do drills, simulations, equipment reviews, and they love it. They're learning and growing, and in return, I have a team that knows I care about their development and who is well-trained on all the equipment.
Overall, I think the biggest part of being a leader is identifying what your team and individual members need to feel like a part of the bigger picture.
Let's move on to some rapid-fire questions. First up: do you listen to music in the cath lab? If so, what two or three songs are always on your playlist?
If things are going downhill or it's been a long week and it's Friday, and everyone's exhausted, we listen to "Karma" by Taylor Swift. No one can be sad listening to that. Midweek, I listen to a lot of LL Cool J classics, mainly "I Need Love" – such a great song. And then there's Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams."
How about movies? Are there a couple that always stand out, or that you'll watch if they're on TV?
I love the Star Wars movies. I can watch anything from that series anytime. My wife and I also love rom-coms, like Notting Hill and Annie Hall. Those are classics.
Let's take you back to your mid-to-late 20s, maybe at the end of medical school or starting residency. What would you tell your younger self?
In training, you look at all the steps, especially in cardiology or any subspecialty. You think, I have to do an intern year, then residency, fellowship, then interventional fellowship.' It feels like it goes on forever, but, then you become an attending and realize there are different levels to that as well.
I'd tell myself that, as cliché as it sounds, there's no real beginning or end. It's a journey. If you're an intern, don't think about the years ahead. Focus on what's right in front of you: how are you going to learn, develop, and grow this year? Otherwise, it's too daunting. I spent a lot of my residency overwhelmed by the road ahead, only to become an attending and realize, 'Now I have a 30-year career.'
Medicine is a long path. Enjoy each step and don't get too preoccupied with what's next.
Finally, any events, conferences, or clinical research you'd like us to link to or mention?
Attending any major cardiac conference is great for networking and hearing directly from experts. I highly recommend going to conferences in person and attending the lectures, no matter what stage of your career you’re at.
Three specific recommendations: If you're interested in interventional cardiology, the CRF Interventional Complications course is excellent. It covers unique concepts that are very challenging, both from a psychological perspective and in terms of patient safety and management. It's a truly unique conference.
I also recommend the Manos Brilakis CTO videos and PCI videos on YouTube, which are great if you're just getting started in interventional cardiology.
And finally, the Journey to Better podcast by Bill Lombardi is fantastic. It covers a lot of the intangible aspects of medicine that don't come up in grand rounds or clinical experiences.
