MIDDLEBURG — Interventional cardiologist Dr. Selin Sendil arrived at Ascension St. Vincent's Clay County last fall with a fervent mission to fulfill — helping those in need of adequate care.

As the newest addition to the hospital's award-winning heart care team, Sendil is looking to bring the complexities of cardiological care to the broader community.

"I'm so grateful and happy to be a part of this team."

Interventional cardiology is a specialized branch that focuses on diagnosing and treating heart and blood vessel conditions using minimally invasive procedures and techniques. Sendil said her main focus will be coronary intervention, treating patients with blocked arteries.

"I'm also very passionate about prevention and having a long-term relationship with the patients in the office," she said.

Sendil's grandfather, who was a long-time smoker, battled with heart attacks and strokes. She said joining the field was a way to help him and others who may be dealing with the same things.

"I wanted to help him, and I wanted to help patients like him. That's why cardiac care was something that I was really drawn into from [a] young age," she said.

Sendil earned her medical degree and completed her residency at the University of Istanbul in Turkey. She came to the U.S. and went on to complete a post-doctoral research fellowship at the University of Maryland and an internal medicine residency at the University of Pittsburg Medical Center-Harrisburg. She also completed cardiovascular medicine and intervention cardiology fellowships at the Columbia University Division of Cardiology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami.

"We are excited to welcome a physician of this caliber to our outstanding cardiology team,” said Bryan Walrath, president and CEO of St. Vincent’s Clay County. “Dr. Sendil’s arrival aligns with our goal to provide more patients with the complex care they need without having to leave their own community.”

Joining the team at St. Vincent's, Sendil is part of a small niche. It's estimated that only 5% of interventional cardiologist are women. Making her a vital piece of representation for not only doctors, but patients.

"I'm very proud to be here. Numbers are growing each year, so women are entering into this field. And there's many complicated reasons behind why there's not many women, but overall, I think we need more women in this field," she said.

"A female patient, when they see a female cardiologist, they feel more comfortable. Especially to talk about their experiences their questions, their concerns."

Her arrival is a gamechanger for the community and heart care team, who earned the American Heart Association's Award for stroke and cardiovascular care in 2024.

With everchanging and evolving advances in the field, Sendil said she's excited to bring her knowledge and expertise to patients right here in the community and be part of a dedicated, passionate team.

"To me, excellent cardiology means when you combine technical skills with empathy, and that's what I'm hoping to bring here. Ascension has a very strong reputation for compassionate care, cardiac clinical excellence. And I'm hoping to be a part of this and contribute to this mission with my expertise in cardiac medicine."