Cole Heine Joins the Surfing Doctors

Goofy-footer, medical student, photographer, tube maestro and surf forecaster, Cole keeps himself busy and is our latest member to sign up.

Nationality
USA

Current Position
Medical Student, Class of 2029, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, New York.

Education and Work Experience
2019–2023
Sc.B. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology with Honors, Data Fluency Certificate, Magna cum laude, Brown University, Rhode Island.

2023–2025
Research Associate at the Marcus Institute for Aging Research in Boston, studying delirium prevention and its interplay with dementia.

Medical Interests
Though it is still early in my training and career, I feel strongly drawn to surgery and have been exploring the different paths within it. So far, I’ve really enjoyed shadowing in the operating room for general, cardiac, colorectal, surgical oncology and head-and-neck cases, but there’s still plenty more to explore.

Local Surf Spot
I’ve bounced around quite a bit over the past seven years, so I haven’t had the classic decade-long connection to a local break like I did growing up. These days I’d have to say Lido Beach, although I’m still very attached to a few spots in Rhode Island and Malibu from years past.

Favourite Surf Destination
It’s so hard to choose, but I’d have to say the Telos. I’ve been dreaming about one of the lefts over there ever since I visited in 2025.

Travel Experience
I’ve been fortunate to travel extensively while growing up and through college. Some highlights include Indonesia, Spain, Nicaragua, El Salvador, the Caribbean, Oahu, Peru and Brazil.

Best Surf Trip Ever
I spent more than a month in Indonesia before starting medical school, finishing with a week at pumping G-Land. In classic fashion, the best two waves of the trip—and my life—were both no-makes through Moneytrees, so I’ll definitely be heading back.

Worst Surf Trip Ever
El Salvador during the ISA World Juniors. I got both skunked and absolutely out-surfed by a bunch of 10-year-olds. I love El Salvador, but that one was a rough trip.

Best Thing About Surfing
Being in the ocean and solving the puzzle. Studying the forecast, spending time watching how a wave behaves, learning which swells, tides and winds make it work, trying different boards to find the right match, and then finally putting it all together to score epic surf—that’s just the coolest thing in the world.

Best Advice You Were Ever Given About Surfing
Never leave good waves.

Favourite Surfer in the World, and Why
At the moment, I’d have to say Dave Rastovich. His style is so refined it’s almost inconspicuous. If you don’t look closely, you don’t notice how perfect his timing and placement on the wave really are—it all just looks completely natural.

Honourable mentions go to John John Florence, Yago Dora, Noa Deane, Tosh Tudor and Dane Reynolds.