Edward Bove, MD is known to many of his patients as a compassionate doctor with an international reputation of someone who rises to the challenge of complicated heart cases. For the pediatric cardiac surgeons who have trained under him, Dr. Bove, cardiac surgeon at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital and Chair of the Department of Cardiac Surgery at University of Michigan Health System, is an invaluable mentor and an innovator in the area of congenital heart disease. Now, his clinical expertise and prowess in program development will fuse with Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital's cadre of pediatric heart surgeons and physicians to take the hospital's Heart Institute to next level."For years, we have been assembling a pediatric cardiac team like no other in South Florida, employing some of the best physicians and surgeons in the country, to offer an array of services that cover the spectrum of cardiac diseases in children and heart transplantion," said Frank Scholl, MD, Chief of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery and Surgical Director of Pediatric Cardiac Transplant at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital. "Dr. Bove's collaboration and expertise in program development will help us further construct and expand the program, while we continue to align our talented medical staff."While still a practicing pediatric cardiac surgeon and Chair of Cardiac Surgery at University of Michigan, Dr. Bove has started collaboration in a mentorship capacity with physicians at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital Heart Institute, where he will also scrub in for highly intricate cardiac cases. He will review the program and advise on changes to help innovate and enhance its current structure."Having had the opportunity to lead the pediatric cardiac surgery program at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital for many years, I can step in with enough experience to help reorganize a bit, bring on new talent where additional expertise is needed and assist them with very complex cases," said Dr. Bove, who has a national and international reputation in cardiac surgery with a focus on congenital heart disease. "I see in Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital a congenital heart program and a children's hospital poised for world-class status. There is a lot of great talent here."With a humble and friendly demeanor, Dr. Bove is known to guide cardiac teams with poise and confidence and cardiac programs with vision and strategy. He is credited for bringing international recognition to the University of Michigan's pediatric cardiac program, and has been profiled for performing more than 10,000 life-saving cardiac surgeries in his career. Yet, among his many roles as physician, surgeon and administrator, he finds his position as mentor to be the most rewarding of his career."I enjoy teaching; I get a kick at seeing my students do a great job in the operating room and the contributions they provide when they operate," he said.In fact, his mentorship position with Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital Heart Institute will reunite him with one of his pupils, Pediatric Cardiac Surgeon Steven Bibevski MD, Ph.D., who trained under his tutelage at Michigan. The connection of Drs. Bibevski and Bove is only one example of the academic pedigree and caliber of the cardiac team at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital. Dr. Scholl worked at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he performed congenital heart surgery and transplantation, as surgical director of the heart transplantation and cardiac assist device program, prior to joining Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital. As a pediatric hospital that is part of Memorial Healthcare System, Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital offers the foundation to care for congenital heart patients throughout their lives. For years, the team has offered children the life-saving technology to bridge to transplant through the use of a cardiac assist device, known as the Berlin Heart. Since they established the Pediatric Cardiac Transplant program in 2010, the team has successfully performed 14 heart transplants with all patients doing well post operation."Having someone of Dr. Bove's character and reputation providing his counsel and guidance will help us focus on areas that will give the program further substance, while developing specific niche programs that will thrust Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital into true world-class status," Dr. Scholl said.Dr. Bove says he is convinced Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital Heart Institute has the right formula and mix of talent to be among the best programs in the country."We all have ways of comparing how we do versus other major centers. Achieving better outcomes in terms of mortality is essential, but it goes beyond that," Dr. Bove said. "It's pushing the envelope and innovating. World class programs invent new ways of doing things, what others have not been able to see. Innovation separates world class."