Dr. Anthony Magnano, MD, MPH is a cardiologist, cardiac electrophysiologist and co-director of the Atrial Fibrillation Institute at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Jacksonville. He specializes in cardiac electrophysiology, or the study of the electrical circuity of the heart.
Are you originally from the First Coast area? If not, what brought you here?
No, I am from the Albany, New York area. After college, I spent 15 years in New York City during my medical training and started my career there as an assistant professor at Columbia University. Around 2006, I became interested in moving to a progressive private practice cardiology group and began searching in New England and the Mid-Atlantic States. My wife’s parents had relocated to Ponte Vedra Beach 10 years earlier and I had grown to love the area. While visiting them, I learned more about the wonderful medical community in Jacksonville. St. Vincent’s Medical Center offered a perfect fit for my career while bringing me near family in a community that excited us.
What do you enjoy about living in Ponte Vedra?
There is an easy, enjoyable lifestyle in Ponte Vedra. I certainly love the climate and all the year-round outdoor activities that are offered. I’ve found the schools to offer great educational opportunities to our three children. Most of all, we’ve been fortunate to have made great friends in Ponte Vedra.
Tell us a little bit about your family.
My wife Elizabeth is an adjunct professor of international health at University of North Florida. She has been extremely involved in volunteer work in our community and our schools. My oldest son, Chase, is an eighth-grade student at Landrum and plays tennis and lacrosse. My daughter Alexis is a fifth-grade student at Ponte Vedra Palm Valley-Rawlings Elementary School and enjoys lacrosse, basketball, tennis and dance. My youngest son, Carter, is a third-grade student at the same school and is obsessed with sports – he loves running, swimming and playing soccer, lacrosse, flag football, tennis and basketball.
What is your current role like at St. Vincent’s? What is a typical day like?
I am a clinical cardiac electrophysiologist, or a cardiologist that specializes in heart rhythm abnormalities. I serve as co-director of the Atrial Fibrillation institute at St Vincent’s Medical Center. I spend about 30 percent of my time doing outpatient cardiology, including office consultations and patient visits. Ten to 20 percent of my time involves taking care of patients in the hospital. The remaining 50-60 percent of my time is spent performing cardiac procedures. Most of my procedures are ablation procedures, where we map and cauterize misfiring electrical circuits that are affecting the heart rhythm. I also am very involved in pacemaker and defibrillator implantations.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
Arrhythmias can be incredibly complex. There is an endless opportunity to learn in my field. The worldwide collaboration of physicians and researchers is really impressive and has led to direct improvements in our therapies for patients with rhythm disorders.
What is one thing you never anticipated about your job?
The expansion of new procedures, technologies and techniques has been impressive and requires a continued commitment to stay current.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
I love spending as much time as possible with my wife and children. As far as hobbies, I enjoy playing guitar, playing tennis, running, yoga and exercising. I have been a volunteer for the North Florida Cardiovascular Education Foundation for the past 10 years and will, for the second time, co-chair the Ponte Vedra Cardiovascular Symposium on May 7, 2016, when we will host our annual medical education conference featuring many of the world’s premier cardiologists. I have also been involved in the St. Vincent Physicians giving society. Finally, over the past few years, I have really enjoyed writing a column for the Ponte Vedra Recorder that addresses issues in heart health.
