By Rudy Arispe
For Dr. Salah El-Bash, practicing medicine is truly a family affair.While completing an interventional cardiology fellowship at Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine in West Virginia, he did so with his brother, Feras, at his side.
“We trained at the same institution and would always scrub together,” Dr. El-Bash said. “A goal of ours has always been to work together.”
The siblings have made that vision into reality. Recently, Dr. El-Bash became the newest cardiologist to join the team of Heart Endovascular and Rhythm of Texas (HEART), where big brother, Dr. Feras El-Bash, has been caring for patients since 2016.
In addition to being an interventional cardiologist, Dr. Salah El-Bash is also an endovascular specialist at HEART. “I deal with the arteries, veins and peripheral vascular disease,” he said. “Most of the time I’m able to provide patients with a quicker recovery by doing invasive cardiac and peripheral procedures through the wrist and even the foot, if necessary. Traditionally, it has been through the groin to get to the arteries. Me and other interventional partners are able to take on complex blockages that patients have been told are not approachable, and we believe amputation should be an absolute last resort.”
“For Dr. Salah El-Bash, practicing medicine is truly a family affair.”- Rudy Arispe
He chose to specialize in cardiology because of the hands-on procedures that are required for which he believes he excels. It also allows him to incorporate the acute care setting and provide long-term treatment of patients. “You get that continuity of care and treat the diagnosis, such as a heart attack, and they get great satisfaction and years later you’re still managing their chronic conditions.”
After earning his undergraduate degree in biology from West Virginia University, Dr. El-Bash received his doctor of medicine degree from West Virginia University School of Medicine and then completed his residency at Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine. He credits his interventional cardiology fellowship for preparing him for his career as a cardiologist.
“I’m now fully skilled to tackle any peripheral vascular disease,” he said. “I got tremendous exposure to all the modern technology that is available today while doing my fellowship.”
While Dr. El-Bash said his brother, Feras, whom he “looks up to” influenced him to focus on cardiology, it was their father, a urologist, who encouraged him to become a physician. “Growing up, I saw the bond he had with his patients and the respect he had for them,” he said. “That’s what I can take away for my doctor-patient relationships.”
Meet the Team of Heart Endovascular and Rhythm of Texas
Dr. Charles Bailey graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine before going onto internal medicine in Phoenix. He taught for a year as chief resident before starting his cardiology fellowship in Wisconsin. Dr. Bailey then completed his fellowship in interventional cardiology in Pittsburgh. He started his career in New Braunfels, where he started the interventional cardiology program and helped establish the first Center for Peripheral Vascular Excellence.
Dr. Wassim K. Choucair received his MD from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. He completed his residency and fellowships in internal medicine, cardiology and electrophysiology from George Washington University, the National Institute of Health and Georgetown University Hospital. Dr Choucair’s training and practice spanned cardiovascular and heart rhythm disorders. He focuses on heart and rhythm disorders, cardiac devices and ablation interventions. He is honored to serve and practice in South Texas for the 15th year from Corpus Christi to San Antonio. He is now at the South Texas Medical Center with his established Heart and Rhythm Institute and Coastal Heart Foundation. In addition, Dr. Choucair takes great pride in partnering with the Heart Endovascular and Rhythm of Texas (HEART).
Dr. Feras El-Bash earned his medical degree from West Virginia University School of Medicine. Afterward, he did an internal medicine residency as well as a general cardiology fellowship at Marshall University. He did his interventional cardiology fellowship at the University of Connecticut Hartford Hospital. He is board certified in internal medicine, general cardiology, interventional cardiology, endovascular medicine, as well as nuclear cardiology and echocardiography. Dr. Feras El-Bash decided to leave his previous practice in 2016 to help establish and cofound Heart Endovascular and Rhythm of Texas (HEART).
Dr. Miltiadis (Milton) Leon is board certified in cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology. He completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine in Farmington, Conn. Dr. Leon then followed with his cardiology fellowship at the University of Texas-Houston Medical School and Texas Heart Institute in Houston and continued his sub-specialty fellowship in interventional cardiology at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School in Boston. He is the founder of Cardiology Associates of West Texas, a well established practice in San Angelo over the last 14 years. Dr. Leon is proud to be affiliated with HEART PA.
Heart Endovascular and Rhythm of Texas Is Located At 1202 E Sonterra Blvd. #604
San Antonio, Texas 78258. For More Information on HEART Visit www.heartdoc.care or Call 210.844.2393.
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