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A leading Lafayette cardiologist will receive an honorary doctorate of nursing practice from the ŷ������Ƭ during its Spring 2016 Commencement General Assembly on Friday.

UL Lafayette President Dr. Joseph Savoie will present the honorary degree to Dr. Craig Walker, who is founder, president and medical director of Cardiovascular Institute of the South. The General Assembly will begin at 11 a.m. at the Cajundome.

“In addition to his many achievements as a physician, Dr. Walker has been committed to nursing education on many levels,” Savoie said.

“Throughout his career, he has provided educational opportunities to other physicians and health care professionals. He has supported UL Lafayette’s nursing faculty and nursing students. And, he has helped high school students interested in health care attend an annual cardiovascular conference.

“When UL Lafayette’s first class of nurse practitioners graduated, Dr. Walker hired the first nurse practitioners in cardiac clinics in this region. Cardiovascular Institute of the South continues to employ graduates of our program.

“We are pleased to acknowledge his long history of helping others by presenting him with an honorary doctorate of nursing practice.”

Walker has been a pioneer for new and improved techniques for the treatment of coronary and peripheral vascular disease and has served as principal investigator for numerous trials.

He founded one of the largest cardiovascular conferences in the nation, New Cardiovascular Horizons, to advance the field of cardiovascular medicine by educating physicians, podiatrists, and nurses on endovascular technologies, pharmacotherapy treatments and peripheral interventions.

Through his extensive knowledge and research in peripheral vascular disease, Walker provides training courses to other physicians and nurses from around the world and is co-director of the largest peripheral vascular disease teaching course in the United States.

In 1973, Walker earned the Pre-Medicine Award and received a degree after only two years at Nicholls State ŷ������Ƭ. In 1977, he enrolled at Louisiana State School of Medicine in New Orleans. He conducted his internship at Lafayette Charity Hospital from 1977 to 1978 and also completed his residency at Lafayette Charity from 1978 to 1980.

In 1982, Walker earned a Cardiovascular Fellowship at Ochsner Foundation Hospital and a Research Fellowship and Clinical Instructor in Cardiology and Medicine at Harvard’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston in 1983.

Below are some other highlights of his career:

•  participated in 50 landmark trials for new pharmaceuticals and medical devices;

•  trained over 2,000 medical professionals in hands-on PVD courses;

•  contributed to more than 300 medical publications;

•  presented at 700 speaking engagements and 119 teaching engagements;

•  clinical editor of “Vascular Disease Management” and clinical editorial board member of “Global Vascular Digest”;

•  clinical professor of medicine at LSU School of Medicine and Tulane ŷ������Ƭ School of Medicine; and

•  founded, and serves as chairman emeritus, of Horizons International Peripheral Group, a membership-based organization composed of leading innovators, educators and advocates on the subjects of peripheral artery disease and peripheral vascular disease.