M2 Alex Yang’s article "Distinguishing the athletes’ heart from inherited cardiomyopathies" was published in Beaumont’s State of the Heart newsletter, a publication containing heart health information for patients and families. Yang’s piece discusses hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a pathological thickening of the heart muscle, which is the most common cause of sudden cardiac death.

Yang became interested in this topic as a former track and cross-country runner who often pushed himself physically and mentally to overcome barriers and meet goals.

“At times, athletes can stop listening to physical signals from their body because of this mentality, and eventually it can catch up in a detrimental way,” he says.

Beyond classroom instruction

After learning about hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in cardiology class and realizing how infrequently it is diagnosed, Yang met with Barry Franklin, Ph.D., director of Preventive Cardiology and Cardiac Rehabilitation at Beaumont Hospital and professor at OUWB.

“I spoke frequently with Dr. Franklin, who advised me over the phone from 700 miles away,” Yang says. “When I finally submitted my article to him, he continued to provide me with guidance. His passion for teaching and providing guidance for medical students is truly admirable, and I look forward to collaborations in the future."

Read Yang and Franklin’s articles on pages 4 and 5 of the newsletter.