Kathy W. Holmes, M.D., M.P.H.

Specialties:: Pediatric Cardiology, Pediatrics
Special Interest:: Cardiology (Pediatric)
Accepting Patients:: Yes
Languages:: English

Biography

Kathy is a native mid-westerner, born just outside of St. Louis, MO. While in college, she played both field hockey and lacrosse. As she spent considerable time around the gym, she took courses to become an athletic trainer. Experience as a student athletic trainer provided both an excellent introduction to the world of medicine and a source of income in college. Upon graduation, medicine was far from her mind as she took a job as a boarding school teacher at the Williston Northampton School in western Massachusetts. There, she taught 9th grade English, social studies and served as one of the school’s athletic trainers. Aware that her poor spelling would ultimately be a significant problem in the education field, she chose to bone up on her sciences and enter medical school. After two years of pre-requisites, she entered Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York, a school that has a reputation for accepting students who have taken more time to find their way.

In medical school, she was drawn to orthopedics, pediatrics and surgery. She chose pediatrics, specifically cardiology, as the specialty incorporated her love of children, physiology, and the most important muscle of the body. Her future husband, Chuck Henrikson, was a fellow classmate. They met while standing in a line arranged in alphabetical order. Given their proximity in the alphabet, they were often grouped together in the first and second years of medical school. The couple was married during their first year of residency training in New York. Fellowship required a move to Baltimore at Johns Hopkins. Kathy then discovered a passion for cardiac imaging, particularly echocardiography. At the conclusion of fellowship, she stayed as a full time faculty member in cardiology at Johns Hopkins until a unique opportunity presented itself at OHSU.

As faculty at Johns Hopkins, she was the PI for the NIH sponsored registry of Genetically Triggered Thoracic Aortic Conditions (GenTAC). Johns Hopkins has contributed over 600 patients with an additional 200 enrollment planned for the second phase through 2016. OHSU is also an enrollment site for the project. Current echocardiographic efforts include analysis of left ventricular diastolic function in patients with hypertension, aortic dilation in patients with Tetralogy of Fallot, and long-term follow up of patients with bicuspid aortic valve. She would like to continue her research work here at OHSU on a variety of topics related to congenital heart disease.

Kathy and Chuck have three children: Alexis (12), Aidan (9) and Amy (6). They spend their free time now exploring their new home.

Professional Education

Degrees:
B.A., Haverford College, PA, 1987
M.D., Columbia University, NY, 1997
M.P.H., Columbia University, NY, 1997
Residency:
Columbia University, College of Physcians and Surgeons, NY, 2000
Fellowship:
Cardiology Fellowship, The Helen B. Taussig Childrne's Heart Center, Johns Hopkins University, 2006