From as early as I can remember, cardiac surgery was my calling. That passion was solidified in medical school when I witnessed my first open-heart procedure. Since completing my training 28 years ago, I’ve had the privilege of performing more than five thousand adult and pediatric open-heart surgeries—and each one remains special to me.
While many aspects of these operations have become routine for my team and me, I never forget that for most patients, this is a once-in-a-lifetime event. It is deeply important to me that patients and their families feel informed, confident, supported, and at peace with the diagnostic and surgical plan.