As Chair of Cardiovascular Disease in Women and co-director of the Corrigan Women’s Heart Health Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, Dr. Wood helped design and implement the Corrigan Women’s Heart Health Program to improve the clinical care of women and the understanding of cardiovascular disease in women. The program has helped improve the cardiovascular health of women and their families through clinical, research and educational efforts. Dr. Wood’s work on the HAPPY Heart study demonstrated the benefit of an integrated community-based model of stress management, health and life coaching, and group health education in women with low income. This work resulted in the publication of two books, Smart at Heart and Thinfluence.

In order to better understand complex sex differences in heart function, Dr. Wood has studied the cardiovascular adaptation to exercise training and has investigated the cardiovascular benefits of prolonged endurance exercise in non-elite and Olympic athletes and marathon runners. This work described features of temporary left and right sided cardiac changes that occur after completion of a marathon.

Dr. Wood works to raise awareness of gender differences in cardiovascular disease risk, symptoms, and preventive strategies. She is a dedicated advocate and works at regional and national levels to advocate for patients.  She is a member of the AHA multidisciplinary SCAD writing group and has served on the leadership council of the American College of Cardiology Women in Cardiology Committee, currently serves on the Cardiovascular Disease in Women Committee, and is the first female Governor for the Massachusetts Chapter of the American College of Cardiology.

After completing medical school at the University of Missouri-Kansas City followed by training in internal medicine and cardiovascular medicine at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Dr. Wood joined the staff of Massachusetts General Hospital in 2000.

Publications