Emphasizing the Physician in Physician Scientist: Science + Education with Dr. Mary Beth Fontana

Dr. Fontana is an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine Emeritus in Cardiovascular Diseases at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. This interview took place during the American Physician Scientist Association Midwest Meeting on March 8th, 2025 in a session entitled "Interview with an Icon."

Dr. Fontana completed her BA, MD, Internal Medicine Residency, and Fellowship in Cardiology at The Ohio State University Hospital (she’s only spent one year away for her internship at UNC Chapel Hill). 

After all of her training at OSU, she decided to stay. She became an Assistant Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine in 1971 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 1976. Although OSUCOM students know her primarily as an educator, she is also a clinician scientist, publishing many papers on valvular disease, ranging back to as early as 1970 with a paper entitled “The Varying Clinical Spectrum of the Systolic Click” in Circulation.

To speak to her background as an educator. She became the director of the ACLS program in 1991 until 2004. She also became the Director of the Independent Study Program in 1992, which was one of the educational paths for preclinical medical students at Ohio State at the time. Notably, she has been the Cardiopulmonary Block Co-Director for Preclinical Education since 2011.

She has won at least 35 Teaching Awards in the College of Medicine, including the Ohio State University Lifetime Teaching Award, and is deeply intertwined with this institution.