Colin Watanabe, MD, FASE, FACC

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• Ablation of isthmus and non-isthmus-dependent flutters in a patient with cor triatriatum dexter.

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Get to know Cardiologist Dr. Colin Watanabe, who serves patients in Los Angeles, California.

Dr. Watanabe is a skilled cardiologist at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, where he is a part of the Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship Training Program. His specialty is general cardiology with a particular focus on echocardiography (sonogram of the heart),  and he is a past Director of the Echocardiography Laboratory.

“The best part of being a cardiologist is being able to interact with and establish lasting relationships with patients.. I decided to pursue a career in medicine primarily for this reason, and it remains the most rewarding part of my job. Additionally, I have a great deal of respect for my colleagues, as they are excellent doctors and close friends. Our department is also unique in that it is an academic program, which allows us to teach cardiology fellows and residents, and to stay abreast of the latest innovations in our field. The Los Angeles Medical Center is also a referral center for most Kaiser Permanente hospitals, and this allows us to follow many members with a variety of interesting cardiac conditions” expressed Dr. Watanabe. 

Since 2005, he has been serving as an Assistant Clinical Professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. He also serves as Specialty Preceptor at the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine.

Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Dr. Watanabe is of Japanese ancestry, but since his family has been in California for four generations (Sansei or Yonsei), he also considers himself to be a California native.

Academically, he graduated with his Bachelor of Science Degree from UCLA in 1992. He then went on to earn his Medical Degree from the UCSF School of Medicine in 1999.

Furthering his training, Dr. Watanabe performed his residency in internal medicine at the University of Washington in 2002, followed by his fellowship in cardiovascular disease at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles in 2005.

With a passion for his profession, the doctor attained board certification in cardiovascular disease and internal medicine through the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM). The ABIM is a physician-led, non-profit, independent evaluation organization driven by doctors who want to achieve higher standards for better care in a rapidly changing world.

Dr. Watanabe is a Fellow of the American Society of Echocardiography (FASE) and a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology (FACC).

He is actively involved in guiding structural heart intervention procedures including MitraClip, transcatheter mitral valve replacement, tricuspid valve edge-to-edge repair, and left atrial appendage occlusion.  Areas of research include sub-investigator, ENCIRCLE Clinical Trial; sub-investigator, ACCURATE Clinical Trial; sub-investigator, REPRISE-IV Clinical Trial; co-investigator, APOLLO Clinical Trial; and echocardiographer, ALLIANCE Clinical Trial.

Cardiology is a branch of medicine that deals with the disorders of the heart, as well as some parts of the circulatory system. The field includes medical diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular heart disease, and electrophysiology. Cardiologists are doctors who diagnose, assess, and treat patients with diseases and defects of the heart and blood vessels (the cardiovascular system).

Attributing his success to hard work and truly caring for his patients, one of Dr. Watanabe’s philosophies about leading a healthy and happy life is to be balanced, both at work and outside of the hospital. Although he loves his job and pursues it with a passion, he is also equally passionate about the family, social, and spiritual aspects of his life. He is a firm believer that being balanced in this way makes one a better physician.

On a more personal note, Dr. Watanabe lives in South Pasadena with his wife and son. They love Southern California for many other reasons, including the great weather, the diversity of people and excellent food, the cultural amenities, and the proximity to fantastic outdoor activity areas. 

His hobbies include mountain biking, skiing, cooking, reading, guitar, going to sports and cultural events, and spending time with family and friends.

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