A Note from an Alumnus
I completed the Meta-Analysis Academy programme in June 2026, motivated by a desire to better understand how scientific evidence is generated, evaluated, and translated into clinical practice. At a time when medical professionals are exposed to an overwhelming volume of research, the ability to critically assess evidence has become as important as the evidence itself.
What distinguished the programme was not simply its technical content, though the methodological grounding it provided was thorough and practically oriented. It was the clarity with which Dr. Cardoso communicated the underlying logic of evidence synthesis: why certain design choices matter, what assumptions different statistical models carry, and how the quality of a meta-analysis is ultimately determined by decisions made long before the pooled estimate is calculated.
Beyond teaching a research method, the programme encouraged a more disciplined and sceptical approach to scientific literature. It provided the tools necessary to move from being a consumer of evidence to becoming an independent contributor to it—formulating questions, evaluating competing interpretations, and producing research according to internationally recognised standards.
That someone who has received a Harvard teaching award and whose publications have shaped clinical guidelines chose to build a programme accessible to clinicians working far from elite academic institutions says something meaningful about his understanding of where medicine needs to go.
This page is offered as a record of intellectual debt.
Overview
Rhanderson Cardoso, MD, FACC, is a cardiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School. His clinical and investigative work spans coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmia management, and cardiovascular prevention. He holds a Master’s degree in Cardiovascular Epidemiology from Johns Hopkins University, completed his residency at the University of Miami — where he served as Chief Resident — and currently holds an academic appointment at Harvard Medical School.
He is Fellow of the American College of Cardiology (FACC). His ORCID identifier is 0000-0003-3622-7605.
Biography
Dr Cardoso was born in Tocantins, Brazil. His early formation — shaped by values of faith, resilience, and service — preceded a medical career that would take him from Brazil to some of the most demanding academic environments in North American medicine.
He completed his medical residency at the University of Miami, where he rose to the position of Chief Resident and distinguished himself as an educator to the point of receiving a teaching award subsequently established in his name. He then pursued advanced training in cardiovascular epidemiology at Johns Hopkins University, before joining Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, where he remains based.
At Harvard, he received the Junior Faculty Teaching Award from the Cardiovascular Division — recognition of a commitment to medical education that runs parallel to his research output.
Academic Formation
- Origin — Tocantins, Brazil
- Medical residency — University of Miami (Chief Resident; teaching award established in his name)
- Master’s degree in Cardiovascular Epidemiology — Johns Hopkins University
- Current position — Cardiologist, Brigham and Women’s Hospital / Harvard Medical School
- Fellowship — Fellow of the American College of Cardiology (FACC)
- Award — Junior Faculty Teaching Award, Cardiovascular Division, Harvard Medical School
Research Output and Scientific Impact
As of 2026, Dr Cardoso has authored or co-authored more than 106 indexed publications on PubMed, with research appearing in journals including JACC Cardiovascular Imaging, Heart Rhythm, Mayo Clinic Proceedings, EClinicalMedicine, and Cardiovascular Research, among others. His work has contributed to international cardiovascular guidelines.
His Google Scholar profile records over 3,100 citations, an h-index of 29, and an i10-index of 66. His most-cited works include meta-analyses on SGLT2 inhibitors in arrhythmia and heart failure, dietary guidance for cardiovascular disease prevention, and catheter ablation strategies for atrial fibrillation.
A recurring methodological thread runs through his research portfolio: the rigorous synthesis of evidence across randomised controlled trials through meta-analysis — the same framework he teaches through the Meta-Analysis Academy, which has reached students in more than 100 countries.
Selected Publications
- Association of SGLT2 inhibitors with arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death — Heart Rhythm, 2021 (243 citations)
- A clinician’s guide to healthy eating for cardiovascular disease prevention — Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 2019 (202 citations)
- SGLT2 inhibitors decrease cardiovascular death and heart failure hospitalizations — EClinicalMedicine, 2021 (177 citations)
- AI-guided quantitative plaque staging predicts long-term cardiovascular outcomes — Cardiovascular Imaging, 2024 (144 citations)
- Cryoballoon versus radiofrequency catheter ablation in atrial fibrillation: a meta-analysis — Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology, 2016 (129 citations)
Full publication list: PubMed · Google Scholar
The Meta-Analysis Academy
In parallel with his clinical and research commitments, Dr Cardoso founded the Meta-Analysis Academy (MAA Education LTDA), a structured online training programme designed to equip healthcare professionals — regardless of institutional affiliation or geographic location — with the skills to plan, conduct, and publish systematic reviews and meta-analyses independently. The programme has enrolled students from more than 100 countries.
The curriculum comprises eleven modules, moving from research question formulation through database search, study selection, data extraction, statistical analysis, and manuscript submission. Live weekly sessions complement recorded content, and participants are guided towards producing a publication-ready protocol during the course.
The Meta-Analysis Academy operates as an independent educational initiative and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Johns Hopkins University, or the University of Miami.