Dr. Joseph A. Hill will receive the American Heart Association’s highest volunteer honor, the Gold Heart Award, recognizing a lifetime of transformative contributions to advancing health and hope for everyone, everywhere. The award highlights his role as editor-in-chief of Circulation, the association’s flagship journal, where he oversaw the peer-review process for thousands of research papers over a decade.
Each week, about 100 submissions arrive at Circulation. Only six make the final cut. Hill and his global team of associate editors meet weekly to debate which studies merit publication. The process is rigorous but not devoid of humanity. “The conversation is incredibly erudite,” Hill said. “Yet we’re all regular people, too.”
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Hill’s tenure as editor-in-chief ends in June, a role he held for 10 years. During that time, he helped raise the journal’s impact factor from 19 to 41, a measure of how often its articles are cited in other research. “This strategy has been powerfully effective,” Hill said, though he emphasized the journal’s broader value beyond citation counts.
As a professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center, Hill also leads research on heart failure, a condition that has “exploded” in recent years. His work examines how the heart remodels under stress, uncovering mechanisms that shape clinical care. “We made the journal uniquely informative, friendly, and exciting,” he said, reflecting on his legacy.
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Hill’s influence extends beyond Circulation. He has shaped the content of the American Heart Association’s major conferences and held leadership roles in both clinical and research-focused councils. His efforts have bolstered the association’s global reach and reinforced its reputation as a premier source of cardiovascular science.
When asked about success, Hill points to family. His two sons, now pursuing medical degrees, may have picked up on his passion during family dinners. “I think they heard that Dad, when he’s at the end of his career, is going to look back and say, ‘I made the world a better place — or at least I tried.’”
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Hill’s journey to editorial leadership began in 2015, when Dr. Eugene Braunwald, a towering figure in cardiology, encouraged him to apply for the Circulation editor-in-chief position. “I’ve always been a stickler for getting it right,” Hill said. Over the past decade, he has sharpened that commitment, ensuring every published paper meets exacting standards.
Among his initiatives, Hill expanded Circulation’s themed issues, making the “Go Red for Women” edition annual and introducing others focused on disparities and cardiovascular surgery. He also increased the number of international reviewers, broadening the journal’s perspective.
