Dr Swati Mukherjee

One of only 17 female interventional cardiologists, I am the first woman of color to qualify as an interventional cardiologist in ANZ and the first female Australian cardiologist awarded the SCAI-USA Fellowship in recognition of mastery and high ethical standards in practice.

As a clinician at Alfred and Cabrini Health, both tertiary teaching hospitals of Monash University, my clinical and translational research interests include coronary artery disease, heart disease in women, and coronary intervention. I received postgraduate medical research scholarships from the Cardiac Society Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ) and the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) to complete my PhD at Monash University (Alfred). Additionally, I received a scholarship to complete my Fellowship in Interventional Cardiology at The Hull and East Yorkshire NHS Trust, UK.

I am the sole founding director of a multisite comprehensive cardiology practice, focused on evidence-based medicine and continuity of care. I started my practice to provide access to ethical and quality care to groups with disparate access to health interventions. Apart from an interest in heart disease in women, we provide cardiac care in Gippsland (MMM remoteness area 4-6). This practice is becoming an exemplary 'profit for purpose' business.

I am committed to equity and work towards empowering women in medicine, taking a leadership role in shaping policy for apex bodies in medicine globally, including The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP), Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ), and Women as One USA to promote gender parity.

I was invited as an international expert to present on disparities and inequalities in interventional cardiology and healthcare at Cardiovascular Research Technologies (CRT) 2020 in Washington DC. My presentation included data collected in Melbourne showing that only one-third of revascularization patients (either with percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting) are women, and that the percentage has fallen over time. Additionally, door-to-balloon time for women presenting with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is more than 10 minutes longer than for men, and women presenting with heart attacks are less likely to receive evidence-based treatment than men (Victorian Cardiac Outcomes Registry). This presentation was selected for publication in the Highlights of CRT.

I was also an invited speaker at a national cardiovascular congress, presenting on the disparities in outcomes of cardiovascular care in Gippsland compared to metropolitan Melbourne and the rest of Victoria.

Internationally, I am one of only two recipients of the prestigious Women as One 2023 International Escalator Mentorship Award. The Escalator Awards annually recognize highly qualified women physicians improving patient care in their specialty. I have since published with my mentee from Canada on heart disease in women.