PHYSICIAN PROFILE
Michael Sills , MD
Cardiologist , Baylor Scott & White Heart and Vascular Hospital – Dallas Pomeroy and Betty Smith Endowed Chair in Cardiovascular Education
or more than three decades , Michael Sills , MD , a cardiologist on the medical staff at Baylor Scott & White Heart and Vascular Hospital – Dallas , has dedicated his career to serving patients . His clinical expertise includes general cardiology , echocardiography , valvular heart disease , peripheral vascular disease and preventive cardiology .
In addition to caring for patients , he is dedicated to training the next generation of physicians and was recently named the Pomeroy and Betty Smith Endowed Chair in Cardiovascular Education and serves as program director for the cardiovascular fellowship program at Baylor University Medical Center . This three-year program has trained more than 100 fellows since its inception in 1968 .
“ My mentors were incredibly good to me when I was training — they didn ’ t ask for anything except the knowledge that I would take all the great teaching that they gave to me and pass it forward ,” said Dr . Sills . “ It ’ s my honor and privilege to hold this endowed chair and be able to fulfill that promise .”
How did you decide to become a physician and then choose cardiology as your specialty ?
The opportunity to make a difference was what drew me to medicine , and I was very blessed that it turned out to be something that I really love doing .
Cardiology is one of those specialties that spans the gamut of how you approach medicine — we bridge complex procedures with the simple use of a stethoscope and careful conversations . I have access to more technology than anything you could imagine — we do a lot of incredible procedures in the noninvasive lab , cardiac catheterization lab as well as the electrophysiology department here at BHVH . And yet the most important procedure I perform is talking with patients . Cardiology gives me the opportunity to interact with patients and the community using my hands , my ears and everything I ’ ve learned over the last 30 years . It ’ s a remarkable specialty .
What do you find most fulfilling about training the next generation of cardiovascular physicians ?
The great part about working with young people is they consistently ask me interesting questions that challenge me because they ’ ll look at something from a totally different perspective . So , it pushes me to stay current and to constantly learn more . It is enormously gratifying to be able to help train these remarkable young people who will be the next generations of inspired physicians providing the best care to our community .
Taking care of people and being in an educational environment means that I am always challenged . I am surrounded by bright colleagues who are continually sharing new information and new ways of caring for our patients . The aspect that is the most meaningful to me is how this environment allows me to feel like I ’ m delivering everything I can for the patients we care for .
What are the most important things you hope to teach to this next generation of cardiologists ?
I hope I can teach these young physicians to recognize what an honor it is that patients trust you . So many people , from all walks of life , are willing to ask for our help and trust us with their most intimate details and literally put their life in our hands . We should never underestimate what that means , and we have to honor that trust by treating everyone with dignity and respect . The most important part of our relationships is for us to remember that maintaining that trust is a privilege .
Also , we all need to remember that to be a physician is to be a healer and teacher as well . We always need to be educating our patients who have put their trust in us and the young physicians who we are training . It is incredibly important for all of us to lead humbly by setting our own best personal examples .
In addition to your commitment to your patients and cardiology fellows , you are also dedicated to your family — can you tell us about them ?
My wife , Shelle , is the most important person in my life . She is an incredible example of how to have the humble spirit of a servant , which is something she believes in and demonstrates every day . I ’ ve learned a lot from her about how to listen and how to bring faith into what you do . There are people who go to church for the major holidays and then there are people who use their faith to help inspire their actions every day . There ’ s no better example than her , and it reflects in all she does and in how our children live their lives . We have a marvelous family , good people who believe in doing good things and giving back , and it comes from my wife . We are very blessed and grateful for our children , their spouses and their families . They all inspire me every day .
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THE COMPASS / BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE FOUNDATION NEWS / SPRING 2023