In memoriam: Professor Carmen Ginghină

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‘Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another.’

Gilbert Keith Chesterton

Professor Carmen Ginghină, an exceptional personality in Romanian cardiology and medicine passed away on 2 August 2022, in Bucharest.

Prof. Ginghină was an eminent pupil and student, graduating with honours from both the Tudor Vladimirescu High School in Târgu Jiu (1965) and the Faculty of Medicine of ‘Carol Davila’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy (1971). After 3 years of internship, she was admitted by competition (first place) as a cardiology resident at the Fundeni Hospital, the current Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases ‘Prof. Dr C. C. Iliescu’, where she continued to carry out her activity until the end of her career.

She became a cardiologist in 1979 and completed her training with several internships in Belgium and France. In the first part of her professional activity, she developed an interest in cardiovascular emergencies, especially coronary emergencies, being a key member and later head of the Coronary Intensive Care Unit. During this period, she completed her PhD thesis with the title ‘The value of medical procedures in limiting the area of myocardial infarction’, under the supervision of Prof. Costin Carp, together with whom she patented the invention of a device for temporary stimulation induced by chest compressions.

Over the years, Prof. Ginghină’s professional activity expanded, with a particular interest in cardiovascular imaging, paediatric cardiology, arterial hypertension, and pulmonary hypertension.

Carmen Ginghină became professor of cardiology at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy ‘Carol Davila’ in 2002. She was elected to many leading positions in national and European scientific bodies.

Between 2004 and 2018, Prof Ginghină was Head of the Cardiology Department at the Emergency Institute for Cardiovascular Diseases ‘Prof. Dr C. C. Iliescu’, the largest cardiology institute in Romania and main training centre, having an important contribution to the institutional development and education of many generations of young cardiologists.

Prof. Ginghină was also Director of the Council for Doctoral Studies at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy ‘Carol Davila’ between 2012 and 2015 and a leading member in various positions within the university.

Prof. Ginghină was President of the Romanian Society of Cardiology between 2002 and 2005 and an active member of the Society’s Board for many years. She was the Editor-in-Chief of the Romanian Journal of Cardiology, the official journal of the Romanian Society of Cardiology, from 2016 to date.

Carmen Ginghină was the National Coordinator for European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Guidelines for many years, successfully overseeing the translation, endorsement, and dissemination of numerous ESC Guidelines. She was course director for several very successful European courses organized in Romania together with or endorsed by the ESC, such as the European Association of Echocardiography courses held in Bucharest in 2007 and 2010. She also organized many national meetings, including several sessions of the National Congress of Cardiology.

Prof. Ginghină was a great teacher, mentoring many generations of students and fellows, many of the Romanian cardiologists being trained under her careful supervision at the Institute for Cardiovascular Diseases ‘Prof. Dr C. C. Iliescu’. She taught everyone, by the power of her own example, the importance of correctness, discipline, careful observation, and care for the patient, all these being doubled by the professor’s special intelligence, erudition, and solid medical culture.

Prof. Ginghină was very fond of writing, and she initiated several new editorial projects, resulting in many valuable books on cardiology, which she directly coordinated. She was the main editor of several comprehensive cardiology best-selling textbooks used by many cardiologists in training to learn and prepare for the cardiology speciality examination. She has also authored more than 150 original papers published in peer-reviewed journals.

Carmen Ginghină was a gifted physician, teacher, and scientist. Above all, Prof. Ginghină was a great human being, always caring and helpful, acting in a modest and well-mannered way. She was admired and regarded with profound affection not only by her patients, but also by students, staff, and colleagues.

She continued to work until her last weeks of life, caring for patients, teaching fellows, writing, and editing for the Romanian Journal of Cardiology.

Her passing is an irreparable loss for the cardiology community, her family, and all those who worked with her. Prof. Carmen Ginghină will always remain in our memory.

Author notes