Surgical Hot Topics

In the latest episode of Same Surgeon, Different Light, host Dr. Sara Pereira welcomes three recent “You Belong” Scholarship recipients — medical student Manuel De La Garza, Dr. Sanjhai Ramdeen, and Dr. Humberto Rodriguez-Quintero — to discuss the career paths they are forging as future leaders in medicine. 

They also share how attending the 61st STS Annual Meeting in Los Angeles strengthened their commitment to pursuing a career i...

Host Dr. Cherie Erkmen welcomes Dr. Emily Farkas, a cardiothoracic surgeon at the Indiana University School of Medicine, to discuss her unconventional path to becoming a trailblazer in global medicine. Dr. Farkas shares how she balances a clinical career in academic medicine with surgical missions around the world, and she reflects on her hope of serving as a model for the next generation of surgeons committed to giving back. As sh...

The 2025 STS Leadership Institute meeting in Chicago was an enriching experience that surpassed all expectations. Surgeons from various stages of their careers gathered to connect and share insights, creating a vibrant networking environment.

This episode delves into the personal journey of an early-career surgeon who attended the institute. It highlights the valuable lessons learned about leadership, goal-setting, and self-improv...

Embarking on your journey as a cardiothoracic surgeon is a pivotal moment that can significantly influence your career and personal life. Making the right choices early on is crucial to avoid a cycle of unsatisfactory job experiences.

In this episode, we delve into essential considerations for new surgeons, drawing from personal experiences on both sides of the hiring table. Whether you're choosing your first position or contemp...

In this gripping episode, we delve into the world of medical students as they navigate the intense period leading up to their winter break. The library becomes a hive of activity, filled with students eager to gain insights from those who have successfully completed their clerkships.

Join us as we follow one determined student with a passion for cardiothoracic surgery. After the panel discussion, they seize the opportunity to ga...

What were the most practice-changing thoracic surgery papers of 2024? In this episode of Thinking Thoracic, Dr. Linda Martin, UVA Health, and Dr. Jeff Yang, Thinking Thoracic co-host, spotlight top studies shaping the field, from groundbreaking lung cancer and esophageal cancer findings to surgical profession papers that impact how surgeons work and lead. Dr. Martin’s curated list is a go-to resource for surgeons looking to stay at...

Host Dr. Sara Pereira sits down with Dr. Brittany Zwischenberger, a cardiothoracic surgeon at Duke University, to explore her remarkable career journey. Dr. Zwischenberger shares how she briefly considered majoring in Italian Studies before deciding to follow in the footsteps of her surgeon father and mentor. She also opens up about personal challenges—including divorce and single motherhood—and how support from her surgical partne...

Host Dr. Sara Pereira sits down with Dr. Ian Bostock, a thoracic surgeon at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute and an associate professor of surgery at Florida International University. Their conversation explores his journey from childhood in Mexico and his early passion for both biology and art, to his initial interest in transplant surgery—and how a serendipitous meeting at Starbucks helped shape his career path. Dr. Bostock ...

Laurie Baedke, executive coach, founder and CEO of Growth Edge Holdings, and best-selling author, talks with Dr. Michael Maddaus about  “stepping outside your comfort zone” to grow professionally and personally in this episode of The Resilient Surgeon. They address the challenges of promoting high performers into leadership roles without equipping them with critical skills like communication, accountability, and influence. Listen t...

Host Dr. Cherie Erkmen speaks with Dr. Tomislav Mihaljevic, cardiothoracic surgeon and CEO & President of the Cleveland Clinic, about his remarkable path—from early life in Croatia to surgical training in Zurich and Boston—a journey that reflects the international growth of the Cleveland Clinic itself. Now at the helm of one of the world’s most prestigious healthcare systems, Dr. Mihaljevic shares how his global experiences con...

In April, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the proposed rule for the fiscal year 2026 Inpatient Prospective Payment System. This annual regulation introduces several initiatives that will have a direct impact on cardiothoracic surgery.

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons is diligently reviewing all the proposed changes. They plan to submit their comments in the coming months to represent the interests o...

Conflict is inevitable in the high-pressure, high-stakes world of cardiothoracic surgery. Whether it's a difference in opinion during an operation, tension between surgical team members, or friction over program outcomes, the ability to manage conflict effectively is a critical—yet often underdeveloped—skill for surgeons at all stages of their careers.

As the field continues to emphasize collaboration, communication, and leadershi...

Host Dr. Cherie Erkmen sits down with Dr. Lisa Brown, a thoracic surgeon at UC Davis Health, to discuss key moments that shaped her career path, from nursing assistant to considering applying to PA school to obtaining her medical degree, considering specializing in emergency medicine, before landing as a thoracic surgeon.  She’ll also talk about her clinical interests and why her research in pre-op education and patient-reported ou...

Congratulations—you’ve landed the leadership role you’ve been working toward. After months (or years) of strategic effort, your appointment is finalized and the path forward begins. Whether you're stepping into a new position or pioneering an inaugural role, this change is as much about vision and preparation as it is about execution.

In this episode, we explore essential considerations to help ease the transition and set yourself...

Co-hosts Dr. Cherie Erkmen and Dr. Sara Pereira have a fascinating conversation with Dr. Ross Ungerleider, a congenital heart surgeon at University of North Carolina Health, and his wife, Dr. Jamie Ungerleider, an educational psychologist, about their research and personal experiences supporting surgeons and their families, with a particular focus on spousal wellness. Their work emphasizes the importance of addressing the well-bein...

In a significant move, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has unveiled a comprehensive restructuring plan aimed at streamlining operations. This initiative will see the agency's workforce reduced by 10,000 full-time employees, alongside the consolidation of 28 divisions into 15. The workforce reduction is part of a larger administration-wide effort, cutting HHS's total employee count from 82,000 to 62,000.

The re...

In the latest episode of Same Surgeon, Different Light, live from #STS 2025, co-hosts Drs. Sara Pereira and Cherie Erkmen speak with Dr. Stephen Yang, a professor of surgery and medical oncology at Johns Hopkins University, about how the cardiothoracic specialty can be further diversified through initiatives such as the Looking to the Future Scholarship. They also discuss how providing medical students and residents with mentorship...