Joe Abunassar

Joe Abunassar, Associate Professor at Queen's University, is a physician-scientist in the Department of Medicine. He earned his MD from the University of Ottawa in 2008, completed Internal Medicine residency there, and pursued specialized training in Cardiology (University of Ottawa Heart Institute) and Interventional Cardiology (University of Ottawa, 2015; John Hopkins School of Medicine, 2016). He also holds an MSc in Patient Safety and Quality Improvement from the University of Toronto (2015).

• Clinical Focus: General Cardiology/CCU, Cardiac Imaging, Interventional Cardiology
• Key Contributions: Launched regional programs for percutaneous PFO closure (cryptogenic stroke) and SCAD referral (2016-present)
• Research Affiliation: Co-founder of the Interventional Cardiology at Queen’s Research Group

His scholarly work appears in journals like the American Journal of Cardiology, Canadian Journal of Cardiology, and JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions, reflecting his expertise in interventional cardiology and quality improvement. He currently co-chairs the Department of Medicine Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Committee and coordinates clinical rotations through the cardiac catheterization laboratory.