Cardiothoracic Surgery

The Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Stanford Medicine is a world-renowned leader in surgical care, scientific inquiry, and clinical education for cardiovascular and thoracic diseases. The department carries a legendary legacy of innovation, tracing back to Dr. Norman Shumway, the father of heart transplantation, who performed the first successful adult heart transplant in the United States at Stanford in 1968, and the world's first successful combined heart-lung transplant in 1981.

Today, operating in the heart of Silicon Valley, the department continues to push the boundaries of medical science. Working in close partnership with Stanford Health Care opens in a new tab and Stanford Medicine Children's Health opens in a new tab (Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital), the department delivers exceptionally advanced, compassionate, and precise surgical interventions for adult and pediatric patients with complex cardiac, vascular, and thoracic conditions.

Academic and Clinical Training Pathways

The Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery is dedicated to preparing the next generation of global leaders, academic surgeons, and pioneering researchers through highly competitive clinical training programs:

• Integrated Thoracic Surgery Residency (I-6) Program: A premier, six-year residency program designed for matching medical school graduates. This pathway provides comprehensive, highly integrated training across cardiothoracic, vascular, and general surgery, alongside dedicated time for academic research.

• Independent Thoracic Surgery Fellowship (Traditional 2-Year or 3-Year Program): Designed for general surgery residency graduates seeking specialized, elite-level training in adult cardiac, congenital cardiac, or general thoracic surgery.

• Advanced Subspecialty Fellowships: Specialized clinical and research training is offered in highly focused areas, including:

  • Pediatric and Congenital Cardiothoracic Surgery

  • Advanced Aortic Surgery

  • Heart and Lung Transplantation and Mechanical Circulatory Support (MCS)

  • Minimally Invasive and Robotic Thoracic Surgery

• Medical Student and Undergraduate Clerkships: Offering immersive clinical rotations, surgical simulation experiences, and research mentorship to Stanford medical students and undergraduates exploring surgical careers.

Research, Innovation, and Clinical Excellence

The department's multidisciplinary faculty and researchers lead groundbreaking clinical trials, translational research, and basic science investigations to improve surgical outcomes and patient recovery:

• Cardiovascular Transplantation and Heart Failure: Continuing a historic legacy by advancing long-term outcomes in heart, lung, and multi-organ transplantation, as well as pioneering next-generation mechanical circulatory support systems (such as LVADs and total artificial hearts).

• Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery: Consistently ranked among the best in the nation, clinicians at the Betty Irene Moore Children's Heart Center perform highly complex reconstructive procedures on neonates and children, utilizing advanced virtual-reality planning and personalized 3D-modeled surgical techniques.

• Aortic and Valvular Innovation: Advancing valve-sparing aortic root replacements, complex mitral valve repairs, endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (TEVAR/EVAR), and transcatheter valve therapies (TAVR).

• Robotic and Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery: Using state-of-the-art robotic systems to perform precise, lung-sparing oncological resections, reducing postoperative pain and accelerating recovery for patients with thoracic malignancies.

• Translational Science and Tissue Engineering: Leading laboratory investigations into myocardial preservation, stem cell-mediated cardiac regeneration, bioengineered tissue scaffolds, and artificial intelligence in surgical predictive modeling.