Dr. Cordel Parris was born in Trinidad and Tobago. At an early age, Dr. Parris moved to New York, New York, and finished high school. Through diligence and determination, she began her journey at Brooklyn College in New York. Dr. Parris was recruited by Hahnemann University School of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA. She returned to New York after acquiring her doctoral degree and entered Albany Medical College where she completed her internship and residency programs. Her interest in Cardiovascular Disease began when her neighbor suffered a stroke and subsequently died of a heart attack. Dr. Parris attended Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine at Marshall University in West Virginia where she completed her Fellowship. Through the years she found herself in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and eventually founded Parris Cardiovascular Center.