Born in the West Indies, Dr. Vernon Francis spent his childhood on the island of Grenada. He attended Federal City College, Georgetown University School of Medicine and the Medical College of Virginia. He is board certified in internal medicine and cardiovascular diseases. He completed his residency at the Washington Virginia Medical Center and participated in fellowships at the Medical College of Virginia (Adult Cardiovascular Diseases), American College of Cardiology and the American College of Physicians.  He has spoken across the country and serves as a consultant to many hospitals in the West Indies. Dr. Francis is married and has two children.

Grenada, W.I. 2001, Barbados W.I. 2002, Trinidad W.I. 2002, Virginia, USA 1982, Maryland, USA 1981

Board Certified, Internal Medicine - September 11, 1985; # 86375

Board Certified, Cardiovascular Diseases - November 10, 1987; #86375

Grenada Boy's Secondary School, Grenada, West Indies

Federal City College, Washington DC, B.Sc. Biology, 1975

Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington DC, 1979

Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 1985

1979-1980

Internship - Georgetown University School of Medicine and Washington VA Medical Center, Washington DC

1980-1981

Junior Assistant Resident in Medicine - Washington VA Medical Center, Washington DC

1981-1982

Senior Assistant Resident in Medicine - Washington VA Medical Center, Washington DC

1982-1984      

Adult Cardiovascular Diseases, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, VA

1989

American College of Cardiology, (FACC)

1990

American College of Physicians, (FACP)

President, Grenada Heart Centre, St. George’s, Grenada

Consultant Cardiologist, St. Claire Hospital, Port of Spain, Trinidad

Consultant Cardiologist, Mt. Hope Hospital, Champ Fleurs, Trinidad

Consultant, St. George’s Hospital, St. George’s, Grenada

1985-2002

Vice-President, Tidewater Heart Specialists, Inc., Hampton, Virginia

Past

Cardiology, Private Practice, Hampton and Norfolk VA

Past

Director of Cardiac Rehabilitation--Mary Immaculate Hospital

Past

ACLS Course Director--Sentara Hampton General Hospital

Past

Affiliate Faculty for Advanced Cardiac Life Support in State of VA--1994

Past

Chairman--Division of Cardiology--Norfolk Community Hospital

Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, Sentara Leigh Hospital, Sentara Hampton General Hospital, Norfolk Community Hospital, Newport News General Hospital, Riverside Regional Medical Center, Mary Immaculate Hospital

1985-1986 

Assistant Professor, Division of Cardiology, Medical College of VA, Richmond, VA.

1984-1986 

Staff Physician, Division of Cardiology, McGuire VA Medical Center, Richmond, VA

1984-1985

Instructor, Division of Cardiology, Medical College of VA, Richmond, VA

AWARDS

1982

Physician Recognition Award given by the American Medical Association

Council Member, American Heart Association, 1983

Old Dominion Medical Society, 1987

American College of Cardiology, 1984

American Society of Internal Medicine, 1986

American College of Physicians, 1990

Board Member, American Heart Association, Peninsula Chapter

Board Member, American Heart Association, Virginia Affiliate

Association of Black Cardiologists, 1997

Member, Caribbean cardiac society, 2004

Vice President – Grenada medical association, 2004

2004-2005 Director, International Committee, Rotary Club of Grenada

Past President - Grenadians United in Virginia, Inc., VA

Past President - Olde Port Cove Homeowners Association, Yorktown, Virginia

Past Member - Grenada Improvement Group, Washington DC

Past Member – GBSS Old Boys’ Association – Washington DC

Study Protocol

"Accuracy and Reproducibility of Maximal ST Segment/HR Slope in Predicting the Presence and Severity of Coronary Artery Disease by Exercise Stress Testing".

Article

Francis, V. R., Improved echocardiograpic differentiation of restrictive cardiomyopathy from constrictive pericarditis.  Circulation, Volume 72.  (4), III-335, 1985

April 1989:  Advanced Demonstrations in Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty (PTCA)
July 1989:  Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta Georgia, Thrombolytic Therapy in Acute Myocardial    Infarction, Hampton General Hospital, Hampton, VA
February 1990:  "State-of-the-art Echocardiography:  Color flow imaging, TEE, diastolic function, intravascular and    digital echo". Tucson, AZ.
March 1990:  The Thrombolytic/Angioplasty Interface, New Orleans, LA.
March 1990:  Thirty-ninth Annual Scientific Session, American College of Cardiology, New Orleans, LA.
February 1991:  Current and future applications of thrombolysis in cardiology.  Key Biscayne, FL.
September 1991:  Management of Cardiovascular Disease in 1990s.  Medical College of VA, Richmond, VA. October 1991:  "Cardiovascular Board Review", Indianapolis, Indiana.
June 1992:  Internal Medicine 1992:  A Comprehensive Review and Update, Cambridge, Massachusetts. February 1993:  Directional Coronary Atherectomy, Richmond, VA
February 1994:  State-of-the-art Echocardiography, American College of Cardiology, Tucson, AZ.
March 1994:  Demonstrations in Interventional Cardiology XXVIII, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA. February 1995:  Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics, Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC. February 1995:  Optimal Atherectomy Workshop, TCT, Washington, DC.
March 1995:  Current Perspectives in Arrhythmia Management:  1995 State-of-the-Art, Cancun, Mexico.
April 1996:  "Echocardiography as we approach the year 2000", American College of Cardiology, Newport News
February 1996:  Johnson & Johnson Stent Training Center, J & J interventional systems, Washington, D.C.
March 1996:  Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics Symposium VIII, Washington Hospital Center,    Washington, D.C.
May 1996:  Current Perspectives in the Treatment of Ischemic Heart Disease, Hampton General Hospital,    Hampton, VA. 
August 1996:  "Peripheral Angioplasty and All that Jazz" Preceptorship program, New Orleans, LA.
February 1997:  Safety and Integrity Training, Sentara Hampton General Hospital, Hampton, VA.
February 1997:  Complicated Hypertension:  Angina and Congestive Heart Failure, Sentara Hampton General    Hospital, Hampton, VA.
April 1997:  "Peripheral Angioplasty and All that Jazz, Training course, New Orleans, LA.
April 1997:  Rotablator System Training Program, Atlanta, GA.
October 1997:  Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics, IX, Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC October 1997:  Wiktor Stent Training Program, sponsored by Medtronic Transcatheter Cardiovascular    Therapeutics "Sunday Operator Workshop", Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC.
May 1998:  Physician Instruction Program for the Angio-Seal Hemostatic Puncture Closure Device sponsored by       St. Jude Medial Company
October 1998:  Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics X, Washington Hospital Center, Washington, D.C.    TCT "Sunday Workshop", Washington, DC.
November 1998:  The role of antiplatelet agents:  A focus on Myocardial Infarction, Greenwich, CT.
January 1999:  "Reopro Speakers Bureau Training Symposium", Orlando, Florida.
August 1999:  "The ACC/ACA & I Board Review Program in Interventional Cardiology", San Francisco, CA.
September 1999:  "Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics XI, Washington Hospital Center, Washington, D.C. September 1999:  "Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics II Interventional Cardiology Self-Assessment    Course", Washington Hospital Center, Washington, D.C.
March 2000:  Physician Instruction Program For The Angio-seal Hemostatic Puncture Closure Device
    Sponsored  by St. Jude Medical Company
August 2000:  Physician Instruction Program For The Angio-seal Hemostatic Puncture Closure Device sponsored    by St. Jude Medial Company
October 2000:  "The ACC/SCA & I Board Review Program In Interventional Cardiology", Atlanta, GA
The Closer 6 French Suture Mediated Closure System sponsored by Perclose
February 13, 2001:  "Myocardial contrast echocardiography"; 1 hour of category 1 credit
March 3, 2001:  "Critical issues in the choice of contrast media in PTCA"; 2 hours of category 1 credit
March 10, 2001:  "National Summit on Atherosclerosis:  meeting highlights Medical Cyber Session"; 2 hours of    category 1 credit
March 24, 2001:  "Controversies in cardiology:  The Clinics' approach; 2 hours of category 1 credit
August 29, 2001: "State of the Statins:  Early promise of "superstatin" confirmed"; 1 hour of category 1 credit September 2, 2001: "Target:  results and implications in the context of clinical practice; 1 hour or category 1 credit December 1, 2001: “Diabetes Summit Highlights: a new paradigm of management”; 1 hour of category 1 credit December 5, 2001: “Update in Cardiology: Williamsburg Conference”; 15 hours of category 1 credit
February 17, 2002: “The 15th. Annual State-of-the-Art Echocardiography; 26.5 hours of category 1 credit
March 17, 2002:  “51st. Annual Scientific Session, American College of Cardiology”; 30 hours of category 1 credit April 4, 2002: “Acute Coronary Syndromes” 1 hour category 1 credit
July 16th, 2002  “17th Annual Caribbean Cardiac Society Meeting”;   12.5 hours of category 1 credit
March 30th, 2003 “52nd Annual Scientific Session, American College of Cardiology”; 30 hours of category 1 credit July 16th, 2003 “18th Annual Caribbean Cardiac Society Meeting”;   12.5 hours of category 1 credit
March 5th, 2004 “Inaugural Hemispheric Cardiovascular Workshop”; 4 hours of category 1 credit
March 15th, 2004 “Acute Coronary Syndrome”; Intern Lecture series; St. George’s General Hospital; 1 hour
July 5th, 2004; “Acute Coronary Syndrome”; Intern Lecture Series, St. George’s General Hospital, 1 hour
July 13th, 2004; “19th Annual Caribbean Cardiac Society Meeting”; 12.5 hours of category 1 credit
August 28th, 2004; “Renal Symposium”; St. George’s University, School of Medicine; 6 hours of category 1 credit September 27th, 2004; “Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics”; 44   hours of category 1 credit
September 28th, 2004; “PCI: Defining the state of the art”; 2     hours of category 1 credit
January 29th – 30th, 2005; “ATLS”; 19 hours of category 1 credit