Carole A. Warnes, M.D.

Carole A. Warnes, M.D., is a cardiologist in the Division of Structural Heart Disease, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine with a joint appointment in the Division of Pediatric Cardiology at Mayo Clinic. Dr. Warnes joined the staff of Mayo Clinic in 1987 and founded the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Clinic, which she directed for 27 years. She holds the academic rank of professor of medicine. She is recognized with the distinction of the Penske Foundation Professorship in Clinical Medicine in Honor of Ian D. Hay, M.D., Ph.D., and J. Eileen Hay, M.B., Ch.B.

Dr. Warnes completed her M.B., B.S. at Newcastle Upon Tyne Medical School in the United Kingdom and did her general medicine training in Newcastle. She was registrar in cardiology at both the London Chest Hospital and the National Heart Hospital in London. Dr. Warnes was visiting staff associate in cardiology at the National Institutes of Health and a British Heart Foundation research fellow at the National Heart Hospital. She received her postgraduate M.D. degree with commendation at Newcastle Upon Tyne Medical School. In 2005 she was made a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (FRCP).

As a cardiologist, Dr. Warnes focuses on adult congenital heart disease, and she oversees the treatment of many patients with difficult cases, including those related to heart disease and pregnancy. She speaks internationally and nationally on these topics and has published three books and more than 200 papers in prominent peer-reviewed journals. She has served as an editorial board member for American Journal of Cardiology, Circulation and Heart. In 2008 she chaired the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) Guidelines for the Management of Adults with Congenital Heart Disease. She has held multiple leadership roles in addition to serving on many committees of the ACC and served on their Board of Trustees for seven years. In 2016 she received the Distinguished Fellowship Award from ACC.

Dr. Warnes is the recipient of the Heart Heroes Leadership Award from the Adult Congenital Heart Association and received the Henry S. Plummer Distinguished Physician Award from Mayo Clinic. She has been honored consistently as Outstanding Teacher of the Year in the Cardiovascular Division at Mayo Clinic, where she was also recognized with the Distinguished Educator Award in 2010 and the Lifetime Achievement for Outstanding Contributions to Medical Education in 2014. In 2015 she received the Laennec Master Clinician Award from the AHA.

Dr. Warnes provides mentorship to numerous fellows and for 10 years served as dean of Mayo Clinic School of Continuing Medical Education. She holds teaching/examining privileges in Clinical and Translational Science at Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.