Surgical Hot Topics

#177; S6: Same Surgeon, Different Light w/ Dr. Ara Vaporciyan

In this episode of Same Surgeon, Different Light, cohosts Dr. Cherie Erkmen and Dr. Sara Pereira sit down with guest Dr. Ara Vaporciyan, professor of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, to explore a career dedicated to advancing surgical education and leadership. 

Dr. Vaporciyan reflects on his path from an early fascination with heart transplantation to becoming a nationally recognized educator and institutional leader. He discusses the evolution of thoracic surgery, the demands of academic medicine, and his belief that expert surgeons must become “consciously competent” to effectively teach trainees. 

Grounded in mentorship, negotiation, and “teaching to the gap,” he offers thoughtful insights on curriculum design, leadership, and preparing the next generation of surgeons.

#176, S5 The Multitasking Myth: Attention, Errors, and the Surgeon’s Mind

In a new episode of The Resilient Surgeon, host Melanie Edwards, MD, sits down with cognitive neuroscientist Daniel Smilek of the University of Waterloo’s Vision & Attention Lab to explore how attention and perception shape performance. Their conversation dives into the realities of everyday multitasking, examining how it contributes to lapses in attention, cognitive errors, and mind wandering. Smilek connects this research directly to surgical practice and surgeon well-being. Listen today.

• Resources referenced in the discussion:
  Bidelman, G. M., & Feng, S. (2025). Familiar music reduces mind wandering and boosts behavioral performance during lexical semantic processing. Brain Sciences, 15(5), 482.
• Killingsworth, M. A., & Gilbert, D. T. (2010). A wandering mind is an unhappy mind. Science, 330(6006), 932-932.
• Kiss, L., & Linnell, K. J. (2021). The effect of preferred background music on task-focus in sustained attention. Psychological research, 85(6), 2313-2325.
• Seli, P., Risko, E. F., Smilek, D., & Schacter, D. L. (2016). Mind-wandering with and without intention. Trends in cognitive sciences, 20(8), 605-617.
• Watson, J. M., & Strayer, D. L. (2010). Supertaskers: Profiles in extraordinary multitasking ability. Psychonomic bulletin & review, 17(4), 479-485.

#176; S6: Same Surgeon, Different Light w/ Dr. Kazuhiro Yasufuku

In this episode of Same Surgeon, Different Light, Dr. Cherie Erkmen and Dr. Sara Pereira sit down with Dr. Kazuhiro Yasufuku of the University of Toronto, a global leader in minimally invasive thoracic oncology, to explore a career shaped by discipline, innovation, and cross-cultural experience.

He reflects on his surgical training in Japan’s rigorous, hierarchical system and his academic journey in North America, sharing how these environments informed his approach to patient care and research. Dr. Yasufuku discusses the development of endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS), from early prototypes to worldwide adoption, transforming lung cancer staging. He also offers insights on perseverance, leadership, mentorship, and the future of increasingly minimally invasive, patient-centered care.

#20, S2 Advancing ERAS and the Evolution of Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery

In this episode of Thinking Thoracic, podcast hosts Hari Keshava, MD, and Erin Gillaspie, MD, talk with René Petersen, MD, of Copenhagen University Hospital, about the latest developments in Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols.

As a longtime leader and pioneer in the field, Dr. Petersen shares insights from his extensive experience advancing recovery practices. The conversation covers the broader evolution of minimally invasive thoracic surgery, including video-assisted approaches, and how these developments inform patient selection for tubeless procedures.

Maximizing Your Team Performance: Communication and Investment

All surgeons lead teams, and our ability to do this helps ensure effective and safe care for our patients. Maximizing team performance can be one of the more challenging aspects of our specialty, and yet it's something most of us have little or no formal training in. In this STS blog article, Dr. Trent Magruder shares two key aspects to helping teams function smoothly: effective communication, and investment in each member.

#175; S6: Same Surgeon, Different Light w/ Dr. Stephanie Chang

In this episode, hosts Dr. Sara Pereira and Dr. Cherie Erkmen sit down with guest Dr. Stephanie Chang, Surgical Director of Lung Transplant at NYU Langone Transplant Institute, to explore how a childhood dream of teaching evolved into a career in surgical precision and innovation. She reflects on the moment a college biology class sparked her fascination with CABG, the mentorship that shaped her during training at Washington University in St. Louis, and her role in performing the first fully robotic lung transplant at NYU—while sharing insights on leadership, mentorship, and balancing life beyond the operating room.

#175, S5 Choosing a Life That fits

Season 5 starts here. Join Dr. Melanie Edwards, new host of The Resilient Surgeon, for the kick-off of season five with a “Live from #STS2026” episode. Hear from Drs. Jamie and Ross Ungerleider about work-life integration, and making choices that contribute to more fulfillment, joy, and authenticity in life. Listen today. 

#19, S2 Breathing New Life into Emphysema Care

n this episode of Thinking Thoracic, podcast hosts Hari Keshave, MD, and Erin Gillaspie, MD, talk with J. W. Awori Hayanga, MD, West Virginia University Medicine, about his recent study published in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery on surgical interventions for end-stage emphysema. The conversation highlights symptom burden, a multidisciplinary approach to treatment, and the latest data on lung volume reduction surgery. 

 

Article references:

 

Hayanga JWA, Luo X, Reddy S, Mehaffey JH, Rothenberg P, Chauhan D, Rajjoub H, Mascio C, Baker N, Badhwar V, Lamb J, Toker A. Endobronchial Valve Therapy vs Lung Volume Reduction Surgery in the United States. Ann Thorac Surg. 2025 Nov;120(5):917-925. doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2025.06.053. Epub 2025 Jul 19. PMID: 40691922; PMCID: PMC12542816

 

Hayanga JWA, Voppuru S, Bham N, Hansen A, Mehaffey JH, Rajjoub H, Reddy S, Badhwar V, Lamb J. Higher Costs and Lower Reimbursement of Endobronchial Valve Therapy vs Lung Volume Reduction Surgery in the United States. Ann Thorac Surg. 2026 Jan;121(1):174-180. doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2025.09.033. Epub 2025 Nov 6. PMID: 41205846.

Getting Promoted in Cardiothoracic Surgery

Advancing in cardiothoracic surgery requires more than technical excellence in the operating room. In this latest STS Career Development blog, Sahar Saddoughi, MD, shares how surgeons can get promoted by building programs, leading multidisciplinary teams, and aligning their clinical and academic work with institutional priorities. She believes that success comes from demonstrating measurable impact, strategic focus, and leadership that shows you are already contributing at the next level.

#174; S6: Same Surgeon, Different Light w/ Dr. Gianluigi Bisleri

In this Same Surgeon, Different Light episode, hosts Dr. Sara Pereira and Dr. Cherie Erkmen sit down with guest Dr. Gianluigi Bisleri to reflect on his early training in Italy, a once-imagined path in music, and his fellowship at Columbia University. He shares insights from leadership roles across Europe and Canada, discussing his work advancing minimally invasive valve and atrial fibrillation surgery, training as a left-handed surgeon, and building programs from the ground up.

In a candid conversation on leading change, he reflects on introducing new technologies in complex academic environments, mentoring the next generation, and embracing resilience, lifelong learning, and balance—lessons shaped by family life in Toronto, skiing Canadian winters, and playing guitar in a band.