Eileen M Handberg, Ph.D., ARNP

My name is Eileen Handberg, PhD, ARNP, and I am a professor of medicine and director of the Cardiovascular Clinical Trials Program in the University of Florida Division of Cardiovascular Medicine. I serve the university as an Institutional Review Board alternate member, serve on the Promotion and Tenure Committee and am program co-director for the One Florida PCOR.net Clinical Data Research Network.

I am an adult nurse practitioner providing cardiovascular care to patients for 30+ years. I fell in love with cardiology when I worked in the intensive care unit as a young nurse. I have practiced in almost every area of cardiology over the course of my career but have focused on ischemic heart disease, particularly in women, with specific interest in exercise intervention and other risk reduction strategies.

My priority as a provider is to be there for my patients and for them to know it’s not just about the therapy I can prescribe. It’s about compassion and the ability to listen and assist them and their families with navigating the health care environment.

I have spent the last 30 years running the Cardiovascular Clinical Trials Program at UF. Our mission has been to facilitate the research of faculty and fellows to improve our understanding of cardiovascular disease. I have participated in over 1,000 clinical trials during my career, many of which have resulted in the evidence that guides cardiology practice today.

I have been an investigator and PI on many clinical trials over the years that have resulted in changes in treatment guidelines. I have been a WISE investigator, looking at women with nonobstructive coronary artery disease, and our research has led to a much better understanding of women with chest pain.

I am program director for the practitioner competency assessment program, Florida CARES, one of only seven assessment centers in the U.S. I have been active in several professional societies, including the American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology and the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association as its current president. My goal has been to make an impact in cardiovascular care, and being a part of these strong organizations has allowed me to do that.

When I’m not practicing medicine, I enjoy working out and being on the water, especially at the beach.