An Interview With Jake Frankel
Balance is important.
Take every meeting.
After the lecture, go up and ask the question!
Embrace discomfort.
Learn to communicate effectively.
As part of my series about healthcare leaders, I had the pleasure of interviewing Ethan Korngold.
Ethan Korngold, M.D. is a leader in transcatheter interventions, education, and innovation with more than 20 years of experience in medical practice. His career is defined by interdisciplinary collaborations in coronary, peripheral, and structural clinical and research programs to provide high-quality, leading-edge patient care.
Prior to joining Abbott’s Vascular business, Ethan was the Medical Director and Division Chief of Interventional Cardiology and Structural Heart at the Providence Heart and Vascular Institute in Portland, Oregon. He also held leadership and clinical research roles as Medical Director of Cardiovascular Research at the same organization.
As an authority on the topics of coronary, peripheral vascular, and structural interventions, Ethan is a regular speaker at national and international conferences and has co-authored multiple publications for peer-reviewed journals.
Ethan holds a bachelor’s degree in Biochemical Sciences from Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and received his M.D. from Washington University in St. Louis. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine as well as fellowships in Cardiovascular Disease, Interventional Cardiology, and Vascular Medicine and Intervention at the Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Ethan is board certified in Cardiovascular Disease, Interventional Cardiology, Vascular Medicine, and Vascular Ultrasound.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! What is your “backstory”?
I am the first doctor in my family. Growing up, I was fascinated by science, but I was also broadly curious — a tinkerer. As a cardiologist and proceduralist, I am delighted to combine my interests and passions to help people, especially those where I call home. For me, the transition to the medical device industry has been an opportunity to make an even broader impact by ushering in the next generation of technology that can help people all around the world.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?
The developments in interventional cardiology over the course of my career have been nothing short of transformational. Diseases that were once fatal or debilitating — such as heart attacks, critical limb ischemia, and heart valve disease — previously required major surgery. Today, they can be treated with catheter-based technology, allowing patients to live healthy and fulfilling lives with their families. Witnessing and being part of this evolution in medicine has been truly remarkable.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
I’ve been fortunate to have great teachers throughout my life, from middle school to high school, college, and beyond. One teacher in middle school gave me a piece of advice that has stayed with me: “Do the best you can with the information you have and the time you are given.” I think about that all the time. It’s a guiding principle in my decision-making — make the best decision you can and move forward.
In cardiology, I had a mentor who was a true legend in the field. He taught 30 years of cardiology fellows at Mass General and was an incredible influence on my career.
When it comes to performing procedures, two mentors stand out from my fellowship training. One was extremely smooth, polished, and efficient. He made everything look easy, was great with patients and families, and always got things done in the most effective way possible. The other was incredibly creative and non-traditional, someone who thrived in challenging situations that required breaking boundaries and thinking outside the box.
I’ve found that success often follows an 80/20 approach: 80% of the time, you follow best practices and work methodically. But in those difficult and unpredictable moments — the 20% — you need to think creatively and push beyond conventional limits. Learning from both mentors helped shape my own approach to challenges.
Is there a particular book that made an impact on you? Can you share a story?
I’ve always read a wide variety of material and avoid focusing too deep on just one subject. I find that making connections between different disciplines is extremely fascinating. Art, architecture, design, and even a full range of musical genres influence the way I think. Recently, I’ve been reading a lot about AI, the environment, and other interdisciplinary topics.
Throughout my career, I’ve been lucky to practice across different fields, from coronary interventions to structural heart disease. It’s unusual for someone to be able to work at a high level across multiple disciplines, but I’ve found that I learn and function best when working at the intersection of different areas of expertise.
How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?
Whether in clinical practice or working in the medical device industry, I strive to keep patients at the center of everything I do. Medical procedures are some of the most significant moments in people’s lives. Anything we can do to make those experiences safer, more effective, and less invasive can have a profound impact on both patients and their families.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share a story about how that was relevant to you in your own life?
“No one cares how hard you think your call night was. Make it look easy, and fun.”
This was something I learned early in my training. No matter how tough things get, maintaining composure and making things appear seamless — even under pressure — helps instill confidence in your team and your patients.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?
- Balance is important.
- Take every meeting.
- After the lecture, go up and ask the question!
- Embrace discomfort.
- Learn to communicate effectively.
If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?
I would advocate for more car-free spaces in cities. Walking and biking are good for the mind and body.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.
There’s one thing I’ve read every day for the past 25 years: Jason Kottke’s blog. His curation of ideas and discoveries has had a huge impact on me. I’d love to meet him and discuss his approach to knowledge, curiosity, and the way he connects different fields of thought.
What is the best way our readers can follow you online?
You can find me on LinkedIn or Bluesky.
Thank you so much for these wonderful insights!
Abbott’s Dr. Ethan Korngold: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became A Doctor was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.