Melsjan Shkullaku, MD, MBA — Curriculum Vitae

Current Positions

• Assistant Professor, University of Maryland School of Medicine
• Structural Interventional Cardiology, Luminis Health
• Structural Interventional Cardiology, Annapolis Heart LLC

Languages: English, Albanian, Spanish

Clinical Expertise

Procedures & Areas of Focus

• Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)

  A minimally invasive aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis, performed through a catheter rather than open-heart surgery.

• MitraClip / Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair (TEER)

  Catheter-based mitral valve repair for mitral regurgitation (a leaking mitral valve).

• Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement (TMVR)

  Replacement of a diseased mitral valve through a catheter.

• Tricuspid Valve Intervention

  Transcatheter treatment of tricuspid regurgitation.

• Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI)

  Coronary angioplasty and stenting to open blocked coronary arteries in coronary artery disease.

• Complex PCI & Chronic Total Occlusion (CTO)

  High-risk coronary intervention, including patients turned down for bypass surgery and fully blocked arteries.

• STEMI & Heart Attack Care

  Emergency coronary intervention for ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

• ASD / PFO Closure

  Catheter closure of an atrial septal defect or patent foramen ovale (a hole in the heart).

• Left Atrial Appendage Closure

  A structural heart procedure to reduce stroke risk in atrial fibrillation.

• Mechanical Circulatory Support & ECMO

  Heart-pump and ECMO support for cardiogenic shock and high-risk procedures.

• Echocardiography

  Board-certified interpretation of heart ultrasound, including adult comprehensive echocardiography.

• Advanced Heart Failure & Pulmonary Hypertension

  Inpatient and outpatient management of acute and chronic heart failure.

Education

1. 2013 – 2015

   Master of Business Administration (MBA) — Summa Cum Laude

   • University System of Maryland
   • University of Baltimore and Towson University MBA Program, AACSB

2. 2007 – 2011

   Doctor of Medicine (MD) — High Honors

   • State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York

3. 2003 – 2007

   Bachelor of Science, Biology — Magna Cum Laude

   • Siena College, Loudonville, New York

Postgraduate Training

1. 2019 – 2020

   Advanced Interventional and Structural Cardiology Fellowship

   • University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland
   • Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland

2. 2018 – 2019

   Interventional Cardiology Fellowship

   • University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland
   • Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland

3. 2015 – 2018

   Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship

   • University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland
   • Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland

4. 2011 – 2014

   Internal Medicine Residency

   • University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland
   • Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland

Board Certifications

1. 2019

   Interventional Cardiology

   • American Board of Internal Medicine

2. 2018

   Cardiovascular Disease

   • American Board of Internal Medicine

3. 2017

   Adult Comprehensive Echocardiography

   • Diplomate, National Board of Echocardiography

4. 2014

   Internal Medicine

   • American Board of Internal Medicine

Licensure

1. 2014

   Maryland State Licensed Physician and Surgeon — Active

2. 2014

   Maryland Controlled Dangerous Substances — Active

3. 2014

   Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) — Active

4. 2022

   Washington, DC Licensed Physician and Surgeon — Inactive

5. 2022

   Washington, DC Controlled Dangerous Substances — Inactive

Employment

1. 2023 – Present

   Owner & Physician, Annapolis Heart LLC

   • Cardiovascular disease, interventional and structural cardiology
   • Operating a primary cardiovascular disease, interventional, structural and valve clinic
   • Cardiovascular consult, imaging and interventional/structural cardiology service line development
   • Physician recruitment and business strategy development

2. 2023 – Present

   Interventional and Structural Interventional Cardiology, Luminis Health

   • Anne Arundel Medical Center, Annapolis, Maryland
   • Supports the STEMI program

3. 2023 – Present

   Interventional and Structural Cardiology, University of Maryland Shore Regional Health

   • University of Maryland Medical System
   • Supports the STEMI program

4. 2021 – Present

   Structural Interventional Cardiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine

   • University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland
   • STEMI, PCI, TAVR, TMVR, MitraClip and ASD/PFO closures; management of advanced heart failure and mechanical cardiovascular support
   • Supports the complex PCI and ECMO program

5. 2020 – 2021

   Structural Interventional Cardiology, Adventist HealthCare

   • White Oak Medical Center, Silver Spring, Maryland — Adventist Medical Group, Cardiovascular Consultants
   • Outpatient general, interventional, structural and valve clinic; nuclear, echocardiography, ECG and peripheral study interpretation
   • STEMI, PCI, TAVR, TMVR, MitraClip, ASD/PFO closures, AAA repair, and peripheral diagnostic and interventional studies

6. 2014 – 2015

   Advanced Heart Failure Hospitalist, University of Maryland Medical Center

   • Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Care Unit, Department of Medicine
   • Cardiology telemetry, IMC and CCU: end-stage, acute and chronic cardiovascular disease, pulmonary hypertension, cardiac transplant, mechanical support, post-STEMI and critical care

Academic Appointments & Teaching

1. 2024 – Present

   Preceptor, Physician Assistant Master’s Program

   • University of Maryland School of Graduate Studies
   • University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland

2. 2021 – Present

   Assistant Professor, Structural Interventional Cardiology

   • Cardiovascular Medicine
   • University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland

3. 2021 – Present

   Attending Physician, Structural and Interventional Cardiology

   • Inpatient Cardiovascular Services
   • University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland

4. 2021 – Present

   Faculty, Cardiovascular Disease Curriculum

   • University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland

5. 2020 – 2021

   Preceptor, Interventional and Structural Cardiology

   • Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

6. 2014 – 2015

   Clinical Instructor, Department of Medicine

   • University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland

7. 2014 – 2015

   Attending Physician, Inpatient Cardiovascular Services / Advanced Heart Failure

   • University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland

Teaching Awards

1. 2023

   Faculty Physician of the Year Award

   • In honor of Dr. Gary Plotnick

Clinical Program Leadership

1. 2023 – Present

   Structural Heart Program, Annapolis Heart LLC / Anne Arundel Medical Center

   • Developing a new structural heart program in Annapolis

2. 2021 – Present

   Interventional and Structural Cardiology Program, University of Maryland Medical Center

   • Primary operator unifying structural heart therapies — aortic, mitral, tricuspid, septal defect and left atrial appendage — and structural programs
   • Supports the complex coronary intervention program (surgical turn-down patients, CTO PCI)

3. 2020 – 2021

   Interventional and Structural Cardiology Program, Adventist HealthCare

   • Strategic planning to grow the interventional and structural program as Adventist HealthCare became a four-hospital system
   • White Oak Medical Center chest pain program, ACC Chest Pain Center accreditation
   • Lead physician developing the STEMI triage system for Fort Washington Medical Center and the Adventist HealthCare OneCall system

Administrative & Institutional Service

1. 2021 – Present

   Interventional and Structural Heart Program

   • University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland

2. 2020 – 2021

   Medical Director, STEMI Committee

   • Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center, Silver Spring, Maryland

3. 2014 – Present

   Interviewer, Internal Medicine Residency Program

   • University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland

4. 2008 – 2009

   Member, Admissions Committee

   • School of Medicine, SUNY Upstate Medical University

Hospital Affiliations

1. 2023 – Present

   Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center

2. 2023 – Present

   University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Easton

3. 2021 – Present

   University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center

4. 2011 – Present

   University of Maryland Medical Center

5. 2021 – 2023

   University of Maryland Midtown Campus

6. 2021 – 2023

   Carroll Hospital, LifeBridge Health

7. 2020 – 2021

   Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center

8. 2020 – 2021

   Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center

9. 2020 – 2021

   Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center

Clinical Trials

1. 2026 – Present

   Cardiosense Wearable Echo — Principal Investigator

2. 2022 – 2023

   MedAlliance SELUTION ISR IDE — Principal Investigator

3. 2022 – 2023

   TRISCEND II Pivotal Trial (transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement) — Sub-Principal Investigator

4. 2022 – 2023

   ALIGN-AR Pivotal Trial (TAVR for aortic regurgitation) — Sub-Principal Investigator

5. 2020 – 2021

   PACIFIC-AMI — Sub-Principal Investigator

Professional Societies

1. 2020

   Fellow, American College of Cardiology (FACC)

2. 2020

   Fellow, Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (FSCAI)

Other Employment

1. 2005 – 2007

   Biology Laboratory Assistant

   • Siena College, Loudonville, New York

2. 2005 – 2007

   Resident Assistant, Teaching Assistant

   • Siena College, Loudonville, New York

3. 2004 – 2007

   Patient Care Associate, Surgical Intensive Care Unit

   • Albany Medical Center, Albany, New York

4. 2003 – 2004

   Intern, Intergovernmental Relations

   • New York State Office of the Attorney General, Albany, New York

Publications

1. 2026In review

   Outcomes of Mitral Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair in Severe Left Ventricular Dysfunction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

   Allaham H, Taballat R, Alhaddad I, Hamoudeh A, Kabubji A, Herzallah A, Alaaie H, Shkullaku M, Chahal D, Gupta A.

2. 2026In review

   Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure Following Mitral Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair: The Role of Aortic Stenosis

   Sonbol M, Bennett S, Pu A, Annabathula R, Chahal D, Aalaei-Andabili SH, Gupta A, Shkullaku M, Vesely M, Benitez M, Strauss E, Mysore M, Allaham H.

3. 2023

   First-in-Human Endovascular Aortic Root Repair (Endo-Bentall) for Acute Type A Dissection

   Ghoreishi M, Chahal D, Shah A, Kang J, Hirsch J, Tran D, McCloskey D, Shkullaku M, Gupta A, Strauss ER, Dahi S, Taylor BS, Toursavadkohi S.

   Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions. 2023;16(10):e013348.

   View on PubMed (PMID 37737022, opens in a new tab)

4. 2022

   A Temporal Evaluation and Comparison of Hospitalization Costs of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement and Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement from 2016 to 2020

   Na J, Childress J, Sokolow M, Han P, Norcross G, Fitch J, Davis I, Welch I, Moon J, Shah K, Bazarbashi N, Clark K, Alfaraidhy M, Amir R, Chen K, Allam S, Hossain S, Abraham M, Khan Z, Patel S, Park JE, Bang V, Shkullaku M, Chahal D, Gupta A.

   Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2022;79(9 Suppl):907.

5. 2020

   Extensive Coil Embolization of a Giant Coronary Artery Aneurysm in an Octogenarian: A Case Report

   Ahmed T, Chahal D, Shkullaku M, Gupta A.

   European Heart Journal – Case Reports. 2020;4(3):1–5.

   View on PubMed (PMID 32617506, opens in a new tab)

6. 2020

   A Rare ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Mimic or a True Event?

   Ahmed T, Shkullaku M.

   Cureus. 2020;12(4):e7742.

   View on PubMed (PMID 32391218, opens in a new tab)

7. 2020

   Triple Valve Replacement in a Patient with Severe Combined Aortic and Mitral Stenosis

   Ahmed T, Shkullaku M, Chahal D, Dawood M, Gupta A.

   Cureus. 2020;12(3):e7389.

   View on PubMed (PMID 32337136, opens in a new tab)

8. 2017

   Very Late Pathological Responses to Cobalt–Chromium Everolimus-Eluting, Stainless Steel Sirolimus-Eluting, and Cobalt–Chromium Bare Metal Stents in Humans

   Mori H, Atmakuri DR, Torii S, Braumann R, Smith S, Jinnouchi H, Gupta A, Harari E, Shkullaku M, Kutys R, Fowler D, Romero M, Virmani R, Finn AV.

   Journal of the American Heart Association. 2017;6(11):e007244.

   View on PubMed (PMID 29150493, opens in a new tab)

9. 2016

   Biventricular Metastatic Invasion from Cervical Squamous Cell Carcinoma

   Kapoor K, Evans MC, Shkullaku M, Schillinger R, White CS, Roque DM.

   BMJ Case Reports. 2016;bcr2016215612.

   View on PubMed (PMID 27371746, opens in a new tab)

10. 2014

    Safety of Computed Tomography Imaging in Patients with Cardiac Rhythm Management Devices: Assessment of the FDA Advisory in Real-World Practice

    Hussein A, Abutaleb A, Jeudy J, Phelan T, Patel R, Shkullaku M, Siddiqi F, See V, Saliaris A, Shorofsky SR, Dickfeld T.

    Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2014;63(12 Suppl):A1165.

    View on PubMed (PMID 24583299, opens in a new tab)

Abstracts

1. 2020

   Diagnosis and Treatment of Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection with OCT

   Allaham H, Maheshwari V, Shkullaku M, Chahal D, Pasion J, Finn A.

   SCAI Scientific Sessions 2020. University of Maryland Midtown Campus.

2. 2020

   Successful Coiling of Massive Coronary Artery Aneurysm

   Ahmed T, Chahal D, Shkullaku M, Gupta A.

   American College of Cardiology (ACC) 2020. University of Maryland Midtown Campus.

3. 2019

   Management of Refractory Cardiogenic Shock with VA-ECMO Support Enabling Complex Percutaneous Coronary Interventions

   Ahmed T, Shkullaku M, Chahal D, Madathil R, Gupta A.

   TCT 2019. University of Maryland School of Medicine.

4. 2013

   Spontaneous LAD Dissection in a 32-Year-Old Marathon Runner

   Siddique N, Shkullaku M.

   American College of Physicians Maryland Regional Annual Associates Meeting.

5. 2013

   Myocarditis, Conduction Abnormalities and Heart Failure in Lyme Disease

   Shkullaku M, Siddique N.

   American College of Physicians Maryland Regional Annual Associates Meeting.

6. 2012

   Pheochromocytoma-Associated Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy

   Ganesan R, Shkullaku M.

   American College of Physicians Maryland Regional Annual Associates Meeting.

7. 2012

   Protein-Losing Enteropathy: The First Manifestation of Gastrointestinal Tract Kaposi Sarcoma

   Shkullaku M, Ganesan R.

   American College of Physicians Maryland Regional Annual Associates Meeting.

8. 2012

   Evaluation of FDA Advisory Regarding Interaction of Computed Tomography with Cardiac Pacemakers and Implanted Defibrillators

   Phelan TP, Abutaleb A, Patel R, Shkullaku M, Siddiqi F, Peters RW, Saliaris A, See VY, Shorofsky SR, Dickfeld TM.

   Heart Rhythm Society 33rd Annual Scientific Sessions, Boston, Massachusetts.

Notable Presentations & Lectures

1. 2025

   Presenter, 2025 POCUS Innovators Forum

2. 2023 – Present

   Lecturer, Structural Interventional Cardiology — Continuing Medical Education

   • Valve replacement, complex PCI, circulatory support, morbidity and mortality review
   • Anne Arundel Medical Center, Luminis Health

3. 2022 – Present

   Lecturer, Cardiovascular Disease Series

   • University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland

4. 2018 – Present

   Lecturer, Structural Interventional Fellowship Curriculum and Case Review

   • University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland

5. 2015

   Prosthetic Valve Complications and Management

   • Cardiovascular Medicine Clinical Conference, University of Maryland Medical Center

6. 2014

   Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Review of Evidence for Health Care Expansion and an Economic Perspective

   • Senior Conference, University of Maryland Medical Center