Dr. Hugh Calkins

Dr. Hugh G. Calkins, MD, FACC, FAHA, FHRS

Hugh G. Calkins, MD, FACC, FAHA, FHRS, is a cardiac electrophysiologist and arrhythmia specialist at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland and a leading figure in catheter ablation, atrial fibrillation and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy. He holds the position of Catherine Ellen Poindexter Professor of Cardiology and Director of the Cardiac Arrhythmia Service.

He held his first faculty position at the University of Michigan, where he directed the Pacemaker Service from 1989 to 1992, before returning to Johns Hopkins in 1992 to lead the Arrhythmia Service and Electrophysiology Laboratory. He was elected to the Miller Coulson Academy of Clinical Excellence.

Cardiologists are doctors who diagnose and treat conditions of the heart and blood vessels. After a medical degree they complete general medical training, then several further years in cardiology and often a subspecialty fellowship. Dr. Hugh Calkins works in catheter ablation, atrial fibrillation and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, which means that referrals tend to involve this area specifically.

Key Facts About Dr. Hugh Calkins

• Full Name And Credentials: Hugh G. Calkins, MD, FACC, FAHA, FHRS
• Profession: Cardiac electrophysiologist and arrhythmia specialist
• Field Of Focus: Catheter ablation, atrial fibrillation and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy
• Current Position: Catherine Ellen Poindexter Professor of Cardiology and Director of the Cardiac Arrhythmia Service
• Institution: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and The Johns Hopkins Hospital
• Location: Baltimore, Maryland
• Sees Patients: Yes, in a clinical setting
• Previous Appointments: Held his first faculty position at the University of Michigan, where he directed the Pacemaker Service from 1989 to 1992, before returning to Johns Hopkins in 1992 to lead the Arrhythmia Service and Electrophysiology Laboratory

Dr. Hugh Calkins Degrees And Board Certification

The qualifications below are drawn from the institutional, professional body and publisher sources listed at the end of this profile.

• Undergraduate: Williams College, graduated magna cum laude in chemistry
• Medical Degree: MD, Harvard Medical School, 1983
• Residency: Internal medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 1986
• Fellowship: Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 1989
• Fellowship: Electrophysiology, Johns Hopkins and the University of Michigan

Areas Of Expertise For Dr. Hugh Calkins

Published professional sources describe the work of Dr. Hugh Calkins as centred on:

• Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation
• Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy and dysplasia
• Ventricular tachycardia ablation
• Syncope and tilt table evaluation
• Supraventricular tachycardia and Wolff Parkinson White syndrome

Appointments And Leadership Roles Of Dr. Hugh Calkins

• Catherine Ellen Poindexter Professor of Cardiology, Professor of Medicine and Professor of Pediatrics at Johns Hopkins
• Director of the Cardiac Arrhythmia Service and the Electrophysiology Laboratory at The Johns Hopkins Hospital
• Director of the Johns Hopkins Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia Program
• Director of the Johns Hopkins Atrial Fibrillation Center and the Tilt Table Diagnostic Laboratory
• Past President of the Heart Rhythm Society
• Inaugural holder of the Nicholas J. Fortuin Professorship in Cardiology, awarded in 2008
• Associate Editor of the Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology and editorial board member at the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Circulation and Heart Rhythm
• First author of the 1991 New England Journal of Medicine paper describing diagnosis and cure of Wolff Parkinson White syndrome in a single electrophysiologic test

Awards And Scientific Contributions Of Dr. Hugh Calkins

• Elected to the Miller Coulson Academy of Clinical Excellence in 2014
• First prize in the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology Young Investigator Competition, 1988
• Named by Best Doctors in America, America’s Top Physicians and Baltimore Magazine as a leading cardiologist
• Author of more than 550 manuscripts and over 60 book chapters
• His programme produced the first large United States series describing arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia

Location And Hospital Affiliation Of Dr. Hugh Calkins

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and The Johns Hopkins Hospital

Baltimore, Maryland. Clinical commitments at this institution are arranged through its own departments and services. Confirm the current address, department and telephone number with the institution before travelling, because academic appointments and clinic sites change.

How Catheter Ablation And Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy Shapes Heart Care

Sudden cardiac death is usually caused by a chaotic rhythm in the heart’s main pumping chambers, and it can be the first sign of disease in someone who felt well. Work in this field is about identifying who is at risk before it happens, using family history, electrocardiograms, imaging and genetic testing, and offering an implantable defibrillator to those whose risk is high enough to justify one. Fainting during exercise, or sudden death in a close relative under 40, are the warning signs that most merit specialist assessment.

Subspecialty Colleagues Of Dr. Hugh Calkins

If you are comparing specialists, these profiles cover closely related areas of cardiology:

• Dr. Jeremy Ruskin, cardiac electrophysiology and sudden cardiac death at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital
• Dr. Jonathan Halperin, atrial fibrillation and stroke prevention at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the Zena and Michael A. Wiener Cardiovascular Institute at Mount Sinai
• Dr. Josep Brugada, inherited arrhythmia and sudden death syndromes at Hospital Clinic de Barcelona, Hospital Sant Joan de Deu and the University of Barcelona
• Dr. Pier Lambiase, cardiac electrophysiology and inherited arrhythmia at UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Science and Barts Heart Centre, Barts Health NHS Trust

Browse the full cardiologist directory for more heart specialists.

Making An Enquiry About Seeing Dr. Hugh Calkins

Dr. Hugh Calkins accepting new patients at the Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center, with online booking available and more than 270 patient ratings on file. Access is usually arranged through the institution, a referring doctor or its own clinic rather than through this directory. Insurance participation, fees and waiting times vary by institution and by plan, and they change over time, so check coverage with both the institution and your insurer before scheduling. Use the enquiry button on this page to ask about availability.

Questions Patients Ask About Dr. Hugh Calkins

What does Dr. Hugh Calkins specialise in?

Dr. Hugh Calkins is a cardiac electrophysiologist and arrhythmia specialist whose work centres on catheter ablation, atrial fibrillation and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy. Particular areas of focus include catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation; and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy and dysplasia.

Where is Dr. Hugh Calkins based?

Dr. Hugh Calkins works at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.

Does Dr. Hugh Calkins see patients?

Yes. Dr. Hugh Calkins accepting new patients at the Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center, with online booking available and more than 270 patient ratings on file. Availability, waiting times and the services offered change, so confirm current arrangements with the institution before travelling.

What did Dr. Hugh Calkins study?

MD, Harvard Medical School, 1983. Full training details appear in the education section above.

What are the qualifications of Dr. Hugh Calkins?

Hugh G. Calkins, MD, FACC, FAHA, FHRS. Full credentials are listed above.

What position does Dr. Hugh Calkins hold?

Dr. Hugh Calkins is Catherine Ellen Poindexter Professor of Cardiology and Director of the Cardiac Arrhythmia Service, based at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and The Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Where The Information About Dr. Hugh Calkins Comes From

• Johns Hopkins Medicine provider profile
• Heart Rhythm Society presidency announcement
• University of Arizona Sarver Heart Center grand rounds biography

Editorial Standards For This Dr. Hugh Calkins Listing

This profile was compiled from the public professional sources listed above, including university faculty pages, professional register and society records, journal author statements and publisher biographies. Qualifications, appointments and awards were checked against at least two independent sources where available. Last reviewed on 30 October 2026.

Update note: Held his first faculty position at the University of Michigan, where he directed the Pacemaker Service from 1989 to 1992, before returning to Johns Hopkins in 1992 to lead the Arrhythmia Service and Electrophysiology Laboratory.

Found something out of date? Contact the Find MD Health editorial team and we will review the entry.

Notice To Readers Of The Dr. Hugh Calkins Profile

Information only, not medical advice. Location, services, insurance and availability change, so confirm details with Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Severe or sudden chest pain is a medical emergency.