Cardiology Professor Dr. John Holt

The Department is deeply saddened by the death of beloved cardiology professor John H. Holt, Jr., M.D. Dr. Holt served the Division of Cardiovascular Disease for nearly 60 years. He came to UAB as an NIH Cardiovascular Research fellow under the guidance of the legendary Tinsley R. Harrison, M.D. He joined the faculty in 1963.

In 1971, Dr. Holt became the first Chief of the Cardiovascular Section at the BVAMC, a position he held for more than a decade.

Every fellow who trained here can attest to his devotion to medical education and his expertise in electrocardiography. In fact, Dr. Holt was instrumental in formulating the protocol and diagnostic criteria for the exercise ECG test.

His wife Nancy also made a lasting contribution to academic medicine, working as one of two original operators for UAB’s “Medical Information Service via Telephone” (MIST) line until her retirement in 2001.

In 2019, they established the John H. Holt, Jr., MD, and Nancy M. Holt Endowed Professorship in Cardiovascular Medicine to give back to the university they both loved so much.

Their legacy lives on through their six children, one of whom is a is a nurse at UAB, and granddaughter who will graduate from medical school in the spring of 2023.

Gifts in memory of Dr. Holt may be made online.