1924 -

Biography

Leonard Dreifus obtained his undergraduate education at the University of Pennsylvania and a medical degree from Hahnemann Medical College in 1951. His internship and residency were completed at the prestigious Philadelphia General Hospital between 1951 and 1954. He pursued his cardiovascular training at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago and at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. He was Chief of Cardiology at the U.S. Army Hospital in Valley Forge and then joined the Faculty at the Hahnemann Medical College in 1960. In his 14 years at Hahnemann he ascended the ranks from Assistant to full Professor of Medicine and held a variety of clinical titles there including Director of the Electrocardiographic and Electrophysiologic units. He became Chief of the Cardiovascular Division at the Lankenau Hospital in 1974 and held that post for 15 years while holding a clinical appointment at the Jefferson Medical College of the Thomas Jefferson University as Professor of Physiology and Professor of Medicine.

Dr. Dreifus has been active in several medical and scientific societies. He served as President of the American College of Cardiology from 1978 to 1979 and was Chairman of the Extramural Programs for Continuing Medical Education from 1979 to 1985. He is currently Chairman of the Cardiovascular Technology Assessment Committee for the ACC. He has also been very active in the American Heart Association and has held numerous posts at the local and national level. He was President of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Heart Association from 1975 to 1976 and served as Chairman of the Research Committee and as a member of the Board of Governors. In 1989, he became Chairman of the Government Relations Committee for the North American Society for Pacing and Electrophysiology and he is also a member of the Ethics Committee for NASPE. He has served on the Editorial Boards of numerous and prestigious journals including the American Journal of Cardiology, the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, and the Journal of Electrocardiology. He is currently a senior editor for PACE.

Dr. Dreifus has been honored at every level of his career including membership in Alpha Omega Alpha, and election to the Hall of Fame of his beloved Central High School in Philadelphia in 1986. He received the Distinguished Fellowship Award and the Master Teacher Award from the American College of Cardiology. He received a Senior Investigator Achievement Award from the American Heart Association Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter in 1985. Dr. Dreifus is the author or co-author of over 200 original scientific reports and nearly 100 reviews and chapters. He has been the recipient of numerous grants from federal, private, and industrial sources. He is a recognized expert in the field of cardiac electrophysiology. He regularly lectures internationally on a variety of topics having to do with cardiac arrhythmia and electrophysiology. He has been the organizer of a cardiac arrhythmia conference in Philadelphia that recently celebrated its 25th Anniversary. He co-chaired the Organizing Committee for the Board Review Course for Cardiac Electrophysiology sponsored by the American College of Cardiology in 1992 and 1994.

- Peter R. Kowey, MD

Interview Excerpt

What sparked Dreifus' interest in electrophysiology (2:26 sec.; Real Audio)

Sharing knowledge with other centers (2:35 sec.; Real Audio)

Understanding dual pathways (1:23 sec.; Real Audio)

Excerpted from this interview:
Interviewer: Ronald E. Vlietstra
Date: January 7, 1998
Place: Watson Clinic
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