Surgical Hot Topics

Same Surgeon, Different Light S3: Dr. Bartley P. Griffith

In this episode, Dr. Tom Varghese interviews Dr. Bartley Griffith, professor of surgery at the University of Maryland Medical Center, and the first surgeon to successfully transplant a genetically modified pig heart into a human patient. In the episode, we learn about his upbringing in Pittsburgh and his upward trajectory in academia. Hear about his hilarious first attempts while learning to perform heart transplants, his mentors in Pittsburgh, and his move to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Dr. Griffith discusses the first animal-to-human heart transplant, the work he and his team did in preparation, and how they shattered the barriers around xenotransplantation. Finally, Dr. Griffith talks about the growth opportunities he sees in cardiac surgery and how innovation can shape the future.   

“Same Surgeon, Different Light” is a program from the Society designed to demystify cardiothoracic surgery, revealing the men and women behind their surgical masks. The podcast series is supported by AstraZeneca.

Learn more about STS diversity and inclusion efforts at sts.org/diversity.

Same Surgeon, Different Light S3: Rian M. Hasson, MD, MPH

In this episode, Dr. Tom Cooke interviews Dr. Rian Hasson—assistant professor of thoracic surgery at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. We learn about her upbringing in Riverside, California, with her parents and twin sister and how her love of reading shaped her from a young age. Dr. Hasson discusses her journey through medical school and how she came to decide upon thoracic surgery, as well as what was important to her in finding her place. Finally, she talks about the “I” of inclusion, being a woman and mother in the field, and her ideas about the future of thoracic surgery.   

“Same Surgeon, Different Light” is a program from the Society designed to demystify cardiothoracic surgery, revealing the men and women behind their surgical masks. The podcast series is supported by AstraZeneca.

Learn more about STS diversity and inclusion efforts at sts.org/diversity.

Same Surgeon, Different Light S3: Dr. Sara Pereira

In this episode, Dr. Tom Varghese interviews Dr. Sara Pereira—professor of surgery at University of Utah. In the episode, we learn about her upbringing on a ranch in Cupertino, her pathway to a career in medicine, and her thoughts on leadership and the issues impacting trainees in the workforce. Hear Dr. Pereira discuss her childhood and her plans to pursue a degree in math, before she found herself sitting at her mother’s bedside in the hospital, which influenced her to change course to medicine. She details how she came to choose cardiac surgery, and how she struggled to “do it all” while following her true passion. 

“Same Surgeon, Different Light” is a program from the Society designed to demystify cardiothoracic surgery, revealing the men and women behind their surgical masks. The podcast series is supported by AstraZeneca.

Learn more about STS diversity and inclusion efforts at sts.org/diversity.

Same Surgeon, Different Light S3: Drs. Fatima G. Wilder and Asishana A. Osho

In this episode, Dr. David Cooke interviews Drs. Fatima Wilder and Asishana Osho—both first-year faculty at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital respectively. In the episode, we learn about their upbringings and how that paved the way for their current work. Dr. Wilder spent a lot of her childhood in the General Assembly for the United Nations, and it helped shape her view of people and relationships, as well as provide a perspective of how vast the world really is. Meanwhile, Dr. Osho came to the US from Nigeria to attend a small liberal arts college. He discusses how this education helped shape his interactions with people. Listen as they share why they both wanted to become surgeons, their experiences being the first black faculty within their individual divisions, their goals for working with their communities in Boston, the considerations of raising a family as a cardiothoracic surgeon, and where they see the specialty going in the future. 

“Same Surgeon, Different Light” is a program from the Society designed to demystify cardiothoracic surgery, revealing the men and women behind their surgical masks. The podcast series is supported by AstraZeneca.

Learn more about STS diversity and inclusion efforts at sts.org/diversity.

Same Surgeon, Different Light S3: Dr. Jessica S. Donington

In this episode, Dr. Tom Varghese interviews Dr. Jessica Donington—professor of surgery and Chief of Thoracic Surgery at the University of Chicago. A globally recognized expert in the management of lung cancer, Dr. Donington shares how her love of science and her childhood as one of eight shaped her and her career. In the episode, she tells stories of her upbringing in New Jersey, details how her home life influenced her drive for mentorship, and explains how she pushed the boundaries of her career from early on. 

“Same Surgeon, Different Light” is a program from the Society designed to demystify cardiothoracic surgery, revealing the men and women behind their surgical masks. The podcast series is supported by AstraZeneca.

Learn more about STS diversity and inclusion efforts at sts.org/diversity.

Same Surgeon, Different Light S3: Hassan Tetteh, MD, MBA

In this episode, Dr. David Tom Cooke interviews Dr. Hassan Tetteh—a US Navy Captain, Associate Professor of Surgery at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, and adjunct faculty at Howard University College of Medicine. An artificial intelligence strategist for the Department of Defense and skilled cardiothoracic and transplant surgeon, Dr. Tetteh has completed more than 20 marathons and authored several books. In the episode, he shares stories of his upbringing in Brooklyn, New York, and details how military service has helped shape his life. He also discusses the importance of “paying it forward” in his career and his observations on how artificial intelligence is shaping the CT surgery specialty. 

“Same Surgeon, Different Light” is a program from the Society designed to demystify cardiothoracic surgery, revealing the men and women behind their surgical masks. The podcast series is supported by AstraZeneca.

Learn more about STS diversity and inclusion efforts at sts.org/diversity.

Same Surgeon, Different Light S3: Dr. Daniela Molena

In this episode, Dr. Tom Varghese interviews Dr. Daniela Molena—a thoracic surgeon and Director of Esophageal Surgery at Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, as well as the newly elected President of Women in Thoracic Surgery. Listeners will learn about her upbringing in a small Italian town and her training at one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious schools while simultaneously working as a classical dancer and competing on a national game show. Dr. Molena shares how her medical journey brought her to the United States—which required repeating much of her European training—and the importance of finding a community of supporters at each step. 

“Same Surgeon, Different Light” is a program from the Society designed to demystify cardiothoracic surgery, revealing the men and women behind their surgical masks. 

Learn more about STS diversity and inclusion efforts at sts.org/diversity.

Same Surgeon, Different Light S3: Dr. Mark B. Orringer

In this episode, Dr. David Tom Cooke interviews Dr. Mark Orringer—a general thoracic surgery pioneer who developed the transhiatal esophagectomy, the most prevalent surgery for esophageal cancer. Listeners will learn about his upbringing in Pittsburgh and the work ethic learned from his immigrant father, plus his time at Johns Hopkins—including the involvement of his wife, Susan, in creating a welcoming environment for scores of faculty, fellows, and trainees. Dr. Orringer shares his memories of the esteemed Dr. Vivien Thomas, of traveling to England to work with Dr. Ronald Belsey, a renowned esophageal surgeon, and how working with Belsey changed the trajectory of his career. Listen as he shares his work developing the transhiatal esophagectomy, what he thinks is important in making a good CT surgeon, and the importance of the cardiothoracic surgery specialty. 

“Same Surgeon, Different Light” is a program from the Society designed to demystify cardiothoracic surgery, revealing the men and women behind their surgical masks. 

Learn more about STS diversity and inclusion efforts at sts.org/diversity.

The Resilient Surgeon S2: Haytham Kaafarani, MD, MPH

In this episode, Dr. Michael Maddaus talks with Haytham Kaafarani, MD, MPH, associate professor of trauma and critical care at Massachusetts General Hospital and chief patient safety officer and medical director for The Joint Commission. They discuss Second Victim Syndrome, the often-dramatic psychological impact of an adverse event on the physician—typically operative and one for which the surgeon often feels directly responsible. Dr. Kaafarani is an international expert on second victim due to his direct personal experience with the psychological impact of adverse events, as well as his role in two seminal studies of Second Victim Syndrome in surgeons. 

Listen as Drs. Maddaus and Kaafarani share insights on the emotional toll that an adverse event can take on the life of a surgeon and talk about the importance of peer support for a better recovery. They explore how Dr. Kaafarani became an expert regarding Second Victim Syndrome and how he developed his 5-step peer support program. This discussion will help listeners reflect on their own experiences with major adverse events and understand their part in boosting institutional support. 

“The Resilient Surgeon” is a program from the Society designed to inspire cardiothoracic surgeons to be their best selves, in and out of the OR, using scientifically proven tools and recovery strategies of the world’s top performers.

Learn more about STS wellness efforts at sts.org/wellness.

The Resilient Surgeon S2: Steve Magness

In this episode, Dr. Michael Maddaus talks with Steve Magness about a reimagined idea of toughness and how to help others be tough through compassion, connection, and humanity. Magness is a world-renowned expert on performance and author of the book Do Hard Things: Why We Get Resilience Wrong and the Surprising Science of Real Toughness. His work breaks down the myth of what real toughness is and identifies four pillars of becoming tough as an individual:

• Ditch the facade and embrace reality
• Listen to your body
• Respond instead of react
• Transcend discomfort

Listen as the conversation explores the ways in which toughness and resilience equip individuals with the skills to succeed and become their best selves. 

“The Resilient Surgeon” is a program from STS designed to inspire cardiothoracic surgeons to be their best selves, in and out of the OR, using scientifically proven tools and recovery strategies of the world’s top performers.

Steve Magness, author of Do Hard Things: Why We Get Resilience Wrong and the Surprising Science of Real Toughness, can be reached via stevemagness.com.

Learn more about STS wellness efforts at sts.org/wellness.