Dr. Brandon Bader had a passion for science ever since high school. “I’ve always loved science and that kind of progressed into the medical field,” he explains. “I liked combining my scientific interest with a passion for helping others.” During medical school Dr. Bader decided he wanted to practice cardiology. “Studying the heart always made a lot of sense to me. It’s just such an important system in the body. Plus, it’s a field where you can really help people and make a strong impact on their health.”

As an interventional cardiologist Dr. Bader performs a number of procedures to help patients including coronary angiograms and percutaneous coronary interventions which involve placement of stents to keep arteries open. “One of the great things about cardiology is that treatments are constantly changing and improving. For instance, we now have the ability to look inside the arteries with miniature cameras and utilize special tools such as drills and balloons to open up blockages in the heart arteries,” he explains. “There’s so much more that we can do now.”

Dr. Bader believes in working hand-in-hand with his patients to achieve their goals. “First, you have to come to mutual agreement on what the goals are for a heart patient,” he explains. “If a patient says that I want a certain quality of life, or that I am willing to accept a certain amount of risk so that I don’t have to take a medication, I think it’s important to work with that patient and help them reach their ultimate goals.”

Dr. Bader is encouraged by the patients who have done well after dealing with their heart disease. “I have seen many patients who were active and tried to lead a healthy life but due to genetics or some other factor they ended up having heart disease and needed treatment. However, I have seen many of these patients make a full recovery and be able to go back to doing the things they loved, such as long-distance running or biking. It’s very satisfying to be a part of that.”

In his spare time Dr. Bader and his wife enjoy staying active. They love to take their Labrador retriever out on hikes or to a lake for swimming. Dr. Bader also enjoys paddle-boarding, cycling, skiing and other outdoor activities.