Dr Kevin Hellestrand
MBBS (Hons), PhD, FRACP, FCSANZ, FACC, FHRS, FESC
I am a Clinical Cardiologist and Cardiac Electrophysiologist practising on the North Shore of Sydney, where I have been in practice for 30 years.
I am an honours graduate from Sydney University (1974). My junior clinical years, and initial cardiology training, were spent at Sydney Hospital and St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney, followed by 3 years at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, undertaking research in cardiac arrhythmias and completing my PhD in Cardiac Electrophysiology in 1983.
I returned to Australia and have been a Consultant Cardiologist and Cardiac Electrophysiologist at Royal North Shore Hospital, North Shore Private Hospital and The Sydney Adventist Hospital since that time.
Apart from my fellowship with the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand, I have obtained Fellowships with the American College of Cardiology, The Heart Rhythm Society (USA), and the European Society of Cardiology.
My interests and expertise are particularly related to the management of cardiac arrhythmias (with a special expertise in cardiac ablations) including pacemakers, but I practise as a General Cardiologist, treating all aspects of adult cardiac diseases.
I am married, with one son, and in my spare time have a very active interest in SCUBA diving and underwater photography (with two published books), as well as golf and travel.
Dr David Gray
MB BS, PhD, FRACP,FCSANZ
I graduated in Medicine from Sydney University in 1983, and did most of my residency at Royal North Shore Hospital, apart from one year at Repatriation General Hospital, Concord. I completed my advanced training in Cardiology at RNSH in 1990, and was admitted to Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians in the same year.
In 1991 I took up a clinical and research position in the Department of Cardiovascular Studies at Leeds University in the United Kingdom.
I returned to RNSH in 1993 to undertake a PhD research project in the Cardiology Department, and at the same time began part-time consulting work in Hornsby Cardiac Diagnostic Unit at its former location in Balmoral St, Hornsby.
My research project involved examining how changes in blood cholesterol levels influenced the function of a protein in heart cell membranes. I was awarded a NH and MRC Postgraduate Research Scholarship in 1994, and based on results from my research I received the inaugural Young Investigator Award from the NSW Cardiovascular Club in 1995, and the Young Investigator Award from the NSW branch of the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand in 1996.
On completion of my research work in 1996 I entered full time private practice in Hornsby and I was awarded my PhD degree in 1998. I was Honorary Medical Director of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Unit at RNSH in 1999 and 2000, and subsequently Chairman of the Section of Cardiology at the Sydney Adventist Hospital for 3 years. I worked for over 10 years as a Visiting Medical Officer at Hornsby Hospital and I have been a Visiting Medical Officer in Cardiology at the Sydney Adventist Hospital since 1996.
I am married with two children. My interests outside Cardiology include music, surfing and golf.
Dr Malini Govindan
BMED, FRACP, FCSANZ
I am a clinical cardiologist practicing in the North Shore and Westmead.
I graduated in Medicine from the University of Newcastle in 2000 and undertook my initial clinical training at Concord Repatriation General Hospital and went on to complete my Cardiology training at Nepean and Westmead Hospitals.
I undertook PhD studies in London, UK from 2008-2011 at the University of London, supported by a British Heart Foundation grant, on the subject of atrial fibrillation. I also had my initial training in clinical cardiac electrophysiology and ablation at St Georges Hospital in Wimbledon, London. I worked in specialised areas of cardiology including inherited and congenital cardiac conditions, cardiac arrhythmias and cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators.
I returned to Australia in 2011 and am working as a General Consultant Cardiologist at the Sydney Adventist Hospital and also at Westmead Private Hospital with consulting rooms in Hornsby Diagnostic Unit and Westmead Private Cardiology.
I am currently completing my clinical electrophysiology training at Westmead Hospital with a focus on ablation of cardiac supraventricular arrhythmias and atrial fibrillation. My other areas of interest within the field of cardiology include management of resistant hypertension, pregnancy related heart conditions, pulmonary hypertension, valvular heart disease and echocardiography.
I have ongoing research projects and continue to publish in peer reviewed cardiology journals in the field of cardiac arrhythmias and teach for the Royal Australian College of Physicians examinations and Sydney University Medical School.
I am a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of Physicians, the Cardiac Society of Australia and the European Heart Rhythm Association.
Outside of cardiology, my interests include classical music, tennis, golf and oenology.
Dr Lachlan McDowall
BSc (Hons 1) MBBS PhD FRACP
I am a Clinical Cardiologist and Cardiac Electrophysiologist practicing on Sydney’s North Shore and the Central Coast.
I completed 3 degrees and postdoctoral research at Sydney University over a period of 12 years, first graduating with a Bachelor of Science with first class honours (2003). I was subsequently awarded an Australian Postgraduate Award Scholarship to complete a PhD in Physiology, the Faculty of Medicine (2007) and finally postgraduate medicine, awarded a Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery (2011).
I spent my postgraduate clinical years from intern to Physician and Cardiology Advanced Training at Royal North Shore Hospital becoming a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of Physicians (Cardiology) in 2018. I followed this with subspecialty training as a Clinical Electrophysiology and Pacing Fellow at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane (2019) and Toronto General Hospital in Canada (2020-21). Through this I gained extensive experience in the management of arrhythmias, diagnostic electrophysiology, simple and complex cardiac ablations and the implantation and management of pacemakers/defibrillators. Concurrent with my medical training I continued post-doctoral research in Physiology and continued lecturing at Sydney University concurrent with my PhD, medical degree and into my clinical years.
I have returned to Australia and rejoined my established network on the North Shore and Central Coast to provide subspecialty Cardiac Electrophysiology and Pacing services, while also managing a broad range of adult General Cardiology.
Outside of my practice I enjoy staying active outdoors with my wife & young boys and as the footy coach.
Dr Ashleigh Dind
MBBS (Hons 1), FRACP
I am a Clinical Cardiologist and Cardiac Imaging Specialist based at Hornsby Cardiac Diagnostic Unit. I also work at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick and am an Honorary Medical Officer and researcher at Royal North Shore Hospital in St Leonards.
I graduated from the University of New South Wales with first class honours and completed my Junior Medical Officer training on the Central Coast. I returned to Sydney and spent most of my training at Royal North Shore Hospital as a physician trainee and then a cardiology advanced trainee, becoming a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (Cardiology). I followed this with subspecialty training as the Cardiology Imaging Fellow at Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick. I gained broad experience specialising in echocardiography (ultrasound of the heart), CT coronary angiography and cardiac MRI. My particular interest is in the imaging of coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease and heart failure, but I enjoy managing a broad range of cardiac problems as a General Cardiologist.
I enjoy and am heavily involved in medical education, founding the HEART Course for Cardiology Trainees across Australia in 2021. During my training I taught medical students from the University of Sydney and I am currently a clinical tutor for medical students from the University of New South Wales.
My research is currently focused on differentiating myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) from infarction (a heart attack) using echocardiography and MRI. In 2022, I was awarded a grant from Heart Research Australia to use innovative software to detect subclinical abnormalities in the heart muscle that are too subtle to be seen with the naked eye. My research aims to expedite the diagnosis for patients with myocarditis without invasive testing.
Outside of cardiology I enjoy spending time with my husband and our two daughters, running and trying delicious new foods while travelling.