Physicians with Heart: Dr. Brian Cardis

From Pharmacy to Pediatrics: Finding His Calling

After working for two years as a pharmacist, Brian Cardis, MD, switched gears entirely to attend medical school at the University of South Carolina. He initially ruled out pediatrics, but when he did his pediatric rotation, he says his wife knew before he did that he’d found exactly where he belonged.

“She could tell I was in a better mood after coming home from working with kids,” he said. “I was reading more and genuinely fascinated by the pathologies and care of children at all stages of their development, from newborn to young adult. I enjoyed learning about the various heart defects and conditions, and as a musician, I had a knack for listening to heart sounds and murmurs and differentiating between the sounds and tones.”

Dr. Cardis completed his pediatric residency at Palmetto Health in Columbia, SC, and cardiology fellowship at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta/Emory University. He stayed on as faculty after completing his training and is now based in Macon, where he cares for patients and teaches medical students and pediatric residents at Mercer University.

He said his team in Macon works well together and focuses on cross-training, helping each other and keeping the environment positive and upbeat. Dr. Cardis believes he couldn’t do what he does without the deep expertise of the other subspecialists at Children’s. Together, they co-manage their patients and ensure that South Georgia families can receive the specialty care their children need closer to home.

A Passion for Education and Patient Connection

Dr. Cardis values cardiac education and said it’s vital to reassure families and give them an accurate and balanced perspective, even when they are facing a serious diagnosis. He uses humor, drawings, and simple, relatable examples to communicate effectively with both his patients and their parents.

“A lot of what we do as physicians is about reassurance and relieving the tension that can be present when we’re talking about a child’s health,” he said. “It’s part of my job to help everyone feel more comfortable, which I do by ditching the coat and tie, getting down on the kids’ level, making jokes and showing them visually what’s going on with their hearts. I want to be sure parents know that the vast majority of children we see go on to lead normal or relatively normal lives, and Children’s Cardiology is made up of world-class providers who will give them the best possible outcomes.”

He is optimistic about advancements in cardiac care, such as the ability to use a patient’s own cells to grow a new heart valve. Unlike artificial valves, a biologic valve using a child’s own tissue would grow with them, potentially avoiding multiple surgeries as their heart develops.

Life Beyond the Clinic

When he’s not seeing patients, Dr. Cardis plays the trumpet for his church and with a local band. In 2024, he was crowned champion in the Key West Conch Shell Blowing Contest. With a lung capacity built by years of trumpet playing, he held a long note for just over one minute. A few of his young patients have even Googled him and seen him “playing the shell,” which he proudly keeps in his office.

Dr. Cardis and his wife met in pharmacy school and have two sons. One is an attorney in Atlanta, and the other entered medical school at Mercer University in the fall of 2025.