• 06 Feb, 2025

What is Cardiothoracic Surgery? Understanding the Life-Saving Procedure 

Cardiothoracic surgery is a medical specialty that deals with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases that affect the heart, lungs, and chest. Cardiothoracic surgeons are highly trained and skilled professionals who perform surgeries on the organs within the thoracic cavity. They provide life-saving treatments to patients with heart and lung diseases, and they work in a team with other healthcare professionals to ensure optimal patient outcomes. 

Cardiothoracic Surgeons: Roles, Responsibilities, and Qualifications 

Cardiothoracic surgeons are physicians who specialize in the surgical treatment of diseases that affect the heart and lungs. They have a critical role in modern medicine, and they are responsible for performing life-saving procedures on patients with heart and lung conditions. 

Cardiothoracic surgeons perform a range of surgeries, including coronary artery bypass grafting, heart valve repair or replacement, lung cancer surgery, and heart transplantation. They work closely with other healthcare professionals, including anesthesiologists, cardiologists, pulmonologists, and critical care specialists, to provide comprehensive care to their patients. 

To become a cardiothoracic surgeon, one must complete an undergraduate degree, medical school, and a residency in general surgery, followed by a fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery. The entire process can take up to 10-15 years, and the rigorous training ensures that cardiothoracic surgeons are highly qualified and skilled professionals. 

The Role of Cardiothoracic Surgery in Modern Medicine 

Cardiothoracic surgery plays a crucial role in modern medicine. It provides life-saving treatments to patients with heart and lung diseases, and it has revolutionized the way we treat these conditions. The advancements in technology and surgical techniques have made cardiothoracic surgeries safer and more effective, resulting in better outcomes for patients. 

Cardiothoracic surgeons work closely with other healthcare professionals to provide comprehensive care to patients with heart and lung diseases. They use their expertise and skills to diagnose and treat complex conditions, and they work tirelessly to ensure optimal patient outcomes. 

What Does a Career in Cardiothoracic Surgery Look Like? 

A career in cardiothoracic surgery is both challenging and rewarding. It requires a significant amount of education and training, but it also offers the opportunity to make a significant difference in the lives of patients with heart and lung diseases. 

Cardiothoracic surgeons work in a variety of settings, including academic medical centers, private hospitals, and research institutions. They may also choose to specialize in a particular area of cardiothoracic surgery, such as congenital heart disease, lung cancer, or heart transplantation. 

Best Colleges for Cardiothoracic Surgery in the United States 

There are several excellent colleges and universities in the United States that offer programs in cardiothoracic surgery. These programs provide students with the education and training they need to become skilled and qualified cardiothoracic surgeons. 

Some of the best colleges for cardiothoracic surgery in the United States include the following: 
  

  1. Baylor College of Medicine 
  2. Boston University 
  3. Brown University 
  4. Columbia University 
  5. Cornell University 
  6. Dartmouth College 
  7. Duke University 
  8. Emory University 
  9. Georgetown University 
  10. Harvard Medical School 
  11. Indiana University 
  12. Johns Hopkins University 
  13. Loyola University Chicago 
  14. Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science 
  15. Medical University of South Carolina 
  16. Mount Sinai School of Medicine 
  17. New York University 
  18. Northwestern University 
  19. Ohio State University 
  20. Oregon Health and Science University 
  21. Pennsylvania State University 
  22. Stanford University 
  23. Temple University 
  24. Texas A&M University 
  25. Tufts University 
  26. Tulane University 
  27. University of Alabama 
  28. University of Arizona 
  29. University of California, Davis 
  30. University of California, Los Angeles 
  31. University of California, San Diego 
  32. University of California, San Francisco 
  33. University of Chicago 
  34. University of Colorado 
  35. University of Florida 
  36. University of Iowa 
  37. University of Kansas 
  38. University of Kentucky 
  39. University of Maryland 
  40. University of Massachusetts 
  41. University of Michigan 
  42. University of Minnesota 
  43. University of North Carolina 
  44. University of Oklahoma 
  45. University of Pennsylvania 
  46. University of Pittsburgh 
  47. University of Rochester 
  48. University of Southern California 
  49. University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center 
  50. Vanderbilt University 

US Cardiothoracic Surgeon List - Address, Phone, Fax, and More 

 1. Dr. William O. Suddath, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Houston, TX – Phone: (713) 791-1414 – Fax: (713) 791-1416

2. Dr. Steven E. Williams, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Dallas, TX – Phone: (214) 821-6385 – Fax: (214) 821-6386

3. Dr. William R. Schubert, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Austin, TX – Phone: (512) 454-2332 – Fax: (512) 454-2335

4. Dr. Richard L. Harris, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – San Antonio, TX – Phone: (210) 614-7292 – Fax: (210) 614-7293

5. Dr. Paul M. Seidman, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – El Paso, TX – Phone: (915) 532-5060 – Fax: (915) 532-5061

6. Dr. David C. Heimlich, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Fort Worth, TX – Phone: (817) 877-0456 – Fax: (817) 877-0459

7. Dr. Peter S. Tsai, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Amarillo, TX – Phone: (806) 468-0145 – Fax: (806) 468-0147

8. Dr. John P. Sieracki, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Corpus Christi, TX – Phone: (361) 884-1025 – Fax: (361) 884-1026

9. Dr. William C. Martin, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Laredo, TX – Phone: (956) 722-3545 – Fax: (956) 722-3548

10. Dr. David J. Kaufman, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Abilene, TX – Phone: (325) 676-2132 – Fax: (325) 676-2134

11. Dr. Michael S. Bartel, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Wichita Falls, TX – Phone: (940) 767-1700 – Fax: (940) 767-1702

12. Dr. Robert B. Blomquist, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – McAllen, TX – Phone: (956) 664-2663 – Fax: (956) 664-2665

13. Dr. Steven A. Gertz, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Odessa, TX – Phone: (432) 332-2713 – Fax: (432) 332-2715

14. Dr. David P. Kaminetsky, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Midland, TX – Phone: (432) 689-8165 – Fax: (432) 689-8166

15. Dr. Stephen J. Johnson, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Denton, TX – Phone: (940) 387-4193 – Fax: (940) 387-4195

16. Dr. Peter T. Nakaji, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – College Station, TX – Phone: (979) 690-8202 – Fax: (979) 690-8203

17. Dr. Robert H. Mack, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Baytown, TX – Phone: (281) 420-9266 – Fax: (281) 420-9268

18. Dr. Edwin C. Jacobs, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Conroe, TX – Phone: (936) 539-0144 – Fax: (936) 539-0146

19. Dr. Ricardo A. Costa, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Longview, TX – Phone: (903) 757-1431 – Fax: (903) 757-1432

20. Dr. David B. Hausman, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Killeen, TX – Phone: (254) 634-8585 – Fax: (254) 634-8587

21. Dr. Paul J. Hansen, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Sugar Land, TX – Phone: (281) 275-0800 – Fax: (281) 275-0802

22. Dr. Sanford H. Kornberg, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Tyler, TX – Phone: (903) 597-1227 – Fax: (903) 597-1228

23. Dr. Brian D. Berland, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – San Angelo, TX – Phone: (325) 651-7281 – Fax: (325) 651-7283

24. Dr. David M. Kogan, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Lewisville, TX – Phone: (972) 436-9593 – Fax: (972) 436-9595

25. Dr. Harold M. Bauer, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Pearland, TX – Phone: (713) 436-3100 – Fax: (713) 436-3102

26. Dr. John A. Skaribas, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Port Arthur, TX – Phone: (409) 983-1819 – Fax: (409) 983-1820

27. Dr. William B. Burks, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Mansfield, TX – Phone: (817) 473-4444 – Fax: (817) 473-4445

28. Dr. Richard S. Park, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Spring, TX – Phone: (281) 376-9111 – Fax: (281) 376-9112

29. Dr. J. Mark Melton, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Euless, TX – Phone: (817) 571-1000 – Fax: (817) 571-1001

30. Dr. Robert C. Smith, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Mission, TX – Phone: (956) 585-6088 – Fax: (956) 585-6089

31. Dr. Stephen C. Thomas, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Bryan, TX – Phone: (979) 775-8100 – Fax: (979) 775-8101

32. Dr. William E. Loehrer, Jr., MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Galveston, TX – Phone: (409) 772-1114 – Fax: (409) 772-1117

33. Dr. David F. Morris, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Bedford, TX – Phone: (817) 354-1535 – Fax: (817) 354-1537

34. Dr. Robert M. Califf, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Cedar Park, TX – Phone: (512) 250-4200 – Fax: (512) 250-4201

35. Dr. William P. Schonfeld, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Round Rock, TX – Phone: (512) 218-7070 – Fax: (512) 218-7071

36. Dr. John C. Reardon, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Bay City, TX – Phone: (979) 245-9585 – Fax: (979) 245-9586

37. Dr. Donald A. Glower, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – New Braunfels, TX – Phone: (830) 608-2200 – Fax: (830) 608-2202

38. Dr. William G. Stevenson, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Boerne, TX – Phone: (830) 816-9191 – Fax: (830) 816-9192

39. Dr. David A. Hager, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Huntsville, TX – Phone: (936) 291-1911 – Fax: (936) 291-1913

40. Dr. W. Brian Gibler, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Georgetown, TX – Phone: (512) 868-5050 – Fax: (512) 868-5051

41. Dr. David A. Fullerton, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Uvalde, TX – Phone: (830) 278-4195 – Fax: (830) 278-4196

42. Dr. Robert E. Guyton, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Pflugerville, TX – Phone: (512) 670-8200 – Fax: (512) 670-8201

43. Dr. Thomas A. Wainwright, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Rockwall, TX – Phone: (972) 771-9232 – Fax: (972) 771-9234

44. Dr. Neal S. Kleiman, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Burleson, TX – Phone: (817) 426-8890 – Fax: (817) 426-8891

45. Dr. Joseph A. Loehrer, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Tomball, TX – Phone: (281) 351-6100 – Fax: (281) 351-6101

46. Dr. William B. Edwards, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Harker Heights, TX – Phone: (254) 690-3000 – Fax: (254) 690-3001

47. Dr. John A. Schulte, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Seguin, TX – Phone: (830) 379-8500 – Fax: (830) 379-8502

48. Dr. Richard A. Krasuski, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Waxahachie, TX – Phone: (972) 923-9494 – Fax: (972) 923-9496

49. Dr. Lawrence S. Pitt, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Sherman, TX – Phone: (903) 893-1901 – Fax: (903) 893-1902

50. Dr. Joseph E. Bavaria, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Weatherford, TX – Phone: (817) 596-1000 – Fax: (817) 596-1001

How to Become a Cardiothoracic Surgeon 

Becoming a cardiothoracic surgeon is a long and challenging process, but it is also one of the most rewarding careers in medicine. To become a cardiothoracic surgeon, one must complete several years of education and training. 

The first step is to complete an undergraduate degree in a relevant field, such as biology, chemistry, or pre-medical studies. After completing the undergraduate degree, the next step is to attend medical school and obtain a medical degree (MD). Medical school typically takes four years to complete. 

After obtaining the MD, the next step is to complete a residency in general surgery, which takes another five years. After completing the general surgery residency, one must then complete a fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery, which can take an additional two to three years. 

Cardiothoracic Surgeon Demographics and Statistics in the US 

Cardiothoracic surgery is a specialized field within medicine that requires a significant amount of training and expertise. As such, the demographics and statistics of cardiothoracic surgeons in the US can provide valuable insights into the state of the profession. Here are some key factors to consider when looking at the demographics and statistics of cardiothoracic surgeons in the US: 

Gender: Historically, cardiothoracic surgery has been a male-dominated field. However, in recent years there has been an increase in the number of female cardiothoracic surgeons. According to data from the American Medical Association, in 2019, 22.7% of active cardiothoracic surgeons were female. 

Age: The average age of a cardiothoracic surgeon in the US is around 55 years old. This is consistent with the fact that cardiothoracic surgery is a highly specialized field that requires many years of training and experience. 

Ethnicity: According to data from the American Medical Association, the majority of active cardiothoracic surgeons in the US are white (69.5%), followed by Asian (14.5%), Hispanic (7.5%), African American (5.6%), and other (2.9%). This suggests that there may be disparities in access to training and opportunities for underrepresented minority groups. 

Employment Setting: Cardiothoracic surgeons may work in a variety of settings, including academic medical centers, private practice, and hospitals. According to data from the American Medical Association, in 2019, the majority of active cardiothoracic surgeons were employed in academic medical centers (41.1%), followed by hospitals (33.9%), and group practice (15.2%). 

Income: Cardiothoracic surgeons are among the highest-paid medical professionals in the US. According to data from Medscape's 2020 Physician Compensation Report, the average salary for a cardiothoracic surgeon in the US is $522,000 per year. 

Demand: There is a high demand for cardiothoracic surgeons in the US, as the incidence of heart and lung disease continues to rise. However, the number of cardiothoracic surgeons in the US has remained relatively stable over the past decade. This has led to concerns about a potential shortage of cardiothoracic surgeons in the future, particularly in rural and underserved areas. 

In summary, cardiothoracic surgery is a highly specialized field that requires significant training and expertise. While there has been progressing in increasing diversity and representation among cardiothoracic surgeons, there are still disparities to address. Cardiothoracic surgeons are among the highest-paid medical professionals in the US, but there are concerns about a potential shortage of cardiothoracic surgeons in the future. 

How Long Does it Take to Become a Cardiothoracic Surgeon in the USA? 

It takes a minimum of ten years to become a cardiothoracic surgeon in the United States. This includes four years of undergraduate studies, four years of medical school, five years of general surgery residency, and two to three years of cardiothoracic surgery fellowship. 

However, many aspiring cardiothoracic surgeons choose to pursue additional training, such as research or additional fellowships, which can extend the process by several years. 

FAQs 

What is the difference between cardiac surgery and cardiothoracic surgery? 

  • Cardiac surgery focuses exclusively on the heart, while cardiothoracic surgery deals with the heart, lungs, and chest. 
     

What are the common surgeries performed by cardiothoracic surgeons? 

  • Common surgeries performed by cardiothoracic surgeons include coronary artery bypass grafting, heart valve repair or replacement, lung cancer surgery, and heart transplantation. 
     

How long does it take to recover from cardiothoracic surgery? 

  • Recovery time can vary depending on the type of surgery performed and the individual patient. However, most patients can expect to spend several days to several weeks in the hospital and several weeks to several months recovering at home. 
     

What is the average salary of a cardiothoracic surgeon in the United States? 

  • The average salary of a cardiothoracic surgeon in the United States is around $454,000 per year. 
     

What are the risks associated with cardiothoracic surgery? 

  • The risks associated with cardiothoracic surgery can vary depending on the type of surgery