DALLAS, Nov. 18, 2013 – The American Heart Association has presented one of its highest honors, the Eugene Braunwald Academic Mentorship Award, to cardiologist and medical professor Mark Josephson, M.D., of Harvard Medical School.

The AHA award cited Josephson “for four decades devoted to the mentoring of generations of medical students, residents and fellows while playing a transformational role in the advancement of clinical cardiac electrophysiology.”

Josephson, Chief of Cardiovascular Medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital and Herman Dana Professor of Medicine in the Boston medical school’s Cardiovascular Division, was honored during the opening ceremony of the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2013 at the Dallas Convention Center.  American Heart Association President Mariell Jessup, M.D., of Philadelphia presented the award, a citation and $1,000 honorarium.

“During an extraordinarily productive career, Dr. Josephson has built an admirable legacy that he aptly describes as ‘the success of my academic children and grandchildren,’” Jessup said in making the presentation. “This response accurately reflects an abiding commitment to development of the character, skills and knowledge of those under his tutelage.”

Josephson has been at the forefront in the education of thousands of clinicians and researchers on the intricacies of heart rhythm disturbances, Jessup said.

“His investigations and scholarly contributions have elevated the management of cardiac arrhythmias from an intriguing scientific idea to a robust diagnostic and therapeutic discipline that has dramatically improved patient outcomes,” she said.

“Mark Josephson has placed an indelible positive imprint on teaching and practicing clinical medicine, a record that is virtually unmatched.”