Inclusion and Belonging Resources

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons’ Commitment to Inclusion and Belonging

Inclusion a Founding Principle of the Society

Inclusion was one of the founding principles when STS was formed in 1964 as a membership association for all cardiothoracic surgeons.

Workforce on Inclusion and Belonging

Eight women standing in scrubs in an operating room

In 2017, the Society established a Presidential Task Force on Diversity and Inclusion to help conduct a “climate survey” and address inclusion issues within STS and the specialty.
In 2019, the Task Force was transformed into what has come to be known as the Workforce on Inclusion and Belonging, in recognition of its enduring importance to STS and the specialty.

Advocacy to Address Health Disparities

STS is committed to the elimination of disparities in healthcare. The Society recognizes disparities in access to health care and health outcomes across races, socioeconomic status, and gender. STS advocates at the federal level for support of research and legislation that advances access to health care and health outcomes, while maintaining high quality care for patients.

The Thoracic Surgery Foundation

The Thoracic Surgery Foundation (TSF) supports efforts to enhance inclusion in the specialty and improve access to care for underserved populations. Learn more on the Foundation's website.

Same Surgeon, Different Light Podcast

The Same Surgeon, Different Light podcast demystifies cardiothoracic surgery by revealing the men and women behind their surgical masks. Hosts Dr. Cherie Erkmen and Dr. Sara Pereira uncover the backstories of cardiothoracic surgeons from different backgrounds and career stages. It's a fascinating look at the powerful and personal stories about their career journeys.

Same Surgeon, Different Light 'You Belong' Scholars

Podcast
170; S5: Same Surgeon, Different Light w/ 'You Belong’ Scholarship Recipients

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.

48 minutes

Podcast
169; S5: Same Surgeon, Different Light w/ Dr. Emily Farkas

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 she puts it, “You can craft a career that’s a bit different from the rigid way we traditionally view cardiac surgery.”

52 minutes

Podcast
168; S5: Same Surgeon, Different Light w/ Dr. Brittany Zwischenberger

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 partners helped her become a respected clinician, accomplished researcher, and the first female associate professor of cardiac surgery at Duke.

45 minutes