Tomsick and Abbottsmith Receive Kaplan Award

Thomas Tomsick, MD, and Charles Abbottsmith, MD, have won the Samuel Kaplan, MD, Visionary Award for their contributions to cardiovascular medicine.

Dr. Tomsick, professor and director of neuroradiology, and Dr. Abbottsmith, adjunct professor of cardiology, received their awards Feb. 26 at the American Heart Association’s 11th Annual Heart Ball.

Dr. Tomsick has been a member of the College of Medicine faculty since 1976 and is a world-renowned interventional neuroradiologist. He pioneered new treatments for bleeding strokes and also helped develop techniques that deliver clot-busting drugs directly to the blockage in the brain.

Dr. Abbottsmith, director of cardiology at The Christ Hospital, received the award for his innovations in cardiovascular research over three decades.

The award honors those who continue the tradition of excellence in cardiovascular science exemplified by Dr. Kaplan, founder and former director of cardiology at Cincinnati Children’s and former professor of pediatric cardiology at UC.

With Leland Clark, PhD, Dr. Kaplan pioneered the use of the heart-lung machine, and also led the development of cardiac catheterization and echocardiology. He is now on the faculty of the University of California–Los Angeles.