Laurence Sperling, MD, FACC, FAHA, FACP, FASPC [link to SOM faculty profile] exemplifies a commitment to excellence in medicine. He is currently the Katz Professor in Preventive Cardiology at the Emory University School of Medicine, and professor of Global Health in the Rollins School of Public Health. He served as the president of the American Society for Preventive Cardiology from 2014-2016, and currently serves on the writing committee of the ACC/AHA Guideline on the Management on Blood Cholesterol.
He has served as medical director for numerous programs at Emory University and as a course director or presenter for several Emory CME programs. Sperling currently serves as the course director for the annual Emory Division of Cardiology CME program, Emory Symposium on Coronary Atherosclerosis Prevention and Education (ESCAPE). The ESCAPE meeting is now in its 18th year and is one of the longest running CME meetings focused on cardiovascular prevention in the country.
Sperling’s contribution to excellence at Emory is demonstrated by his involvement with several initiatives. In 2004, he founded and continues to direct the first and only LDL apheresis program in the state of Georgia, and is the PI for the National FH Registry site at Emory. He was voted one of America’s and Atlanta’s Top Doctors and appears often on local and national TV, newspaper, radio, and magazines. He has received awards for excellence in both teaching (including 4 Golden Apple Awards and The Dean’s Teaching Award) and mentorship. He was chosen by the SOM Dean to be among the first faculty society advisors for the school’s curriculum.
He was a visiting professor on the faculty of the Imperial College of London (National Heart & Lung Institute) working with current World Heart Federation president, David Wood, and has delivered invited presentations on every continent except for Antarctica.
Sperling continues to be actively involved with practice improvement on a national level. He is a globally renowned thought leader whose work has focused on heart disease prevention, lipid metabolism, and LDL apheresis. As a pioneer in Preventive Cardiology, Sperling has been able to grow and contribute to the development of this important field.