David H Birnie MB ChB, MRCP(UK), MD

Dr. David Birnie was appointed Staff Cardiac Electrophysiologist at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute in May 2002. He was educated in Scotland and received his medical degree (MB ChB) from Glasgow University in 1990.. He spent three years as a cardiology research fellow at Glasgow University from 1993 studying the immunology of atherosclerosis and was awarded his PhD equivalent (MD) in 1996. Between 1996 and 2001 he did cardiology training at Glasgow University and received his Certificate of Completion of Specialist Cardiology Training in 2001. In addition, he spent a year in 1999-2000 as a Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellow at the Ottawa Heart Institute.

His clinical focus is on all aspects of cardiac electrophysiology including arrhythmia pharmacotherapy and radiofrequency ablation of simple and complex arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation. He also has a major clinical interest in all aspects of implantation and follow-up of device therapy for arrhythmias. To date he has been involved in over 400 peer-reviewed presentations, publications, and book chapters. His major ongoing research interests are selection and optimization of CRT for heart failure patients, investigating optimal strategies for complication reduction around device surgery and following AF ablation and cardiac sarcoidosis. He has current peer reviewed funding from CIHR and Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. He has managed to combine work with his major passion/hobby; serving as cardiologist for the Medical Advisory Committee of the Canadian Soccer Association.