Career Development

After 2 years of virtual-only programming, The Society’s 59th Annual Meeting, January 21 – 23 in San Diego, California, promises an in-person experience that’s better than ever—with late-breaking abstracts, challenging case presentations, immersive experiences, and never-before-seen scientific discoveries and surgical techniques.  “The ability for colleagues and friends to gather in person for the first time in several years will be a palpable opportunity to not only share intellectual knowledge but also—perhaps more importantly—reconnect on a personal level,” said S. Adil Husain, MD, chair of the STS Workforce on Annual Meeting. “We have each experienced many unique challenges since our last in-person meeting and this reunion of sorts will be a valuable elixir for us all.”  The program planning committee received a record number of exciting abstract submissions in all subspecialty areas, Dr. Husain said. They designed the program with a focus on blending top-scoring science with highly respected invited speakers, with an emphasis on interaction and discussion time.  Adult Cardiac Offerings Target Optimal Outcomes  Parallel sessions in adult cardiac surgical topics explore why cardiac surgeons should be involved in pulmonary embolism response teams, the management of severe aortic stenosis in young adult patients, optimizing care for infective endocarditis, the heart team approach to complex tricuspid valve disease, and much more.   Hands-on courses cover annular enlargement and mitral valve repair, while “In the OR with” videos take attendees on an immersive journey as world-class surgeons demonstrate complex aortic arch reconstruction, minimally invasive mitral valve repair, and the Ross procedure. The J. Maxwell Chamberlain Memorial Paper and Richard E. Clark Memorial Paper will unveil outcomes data in large patient groups—the former on coronary artery bypass grafting versus multivessel percutaneous intervention, and the latter on the effect of surgical strategy in isolated tricuspid valve procedures.  Congenital Program Is Dynamic with Data  Data-driven outcomes, evidence-based guidelines, and optimizing the landscape for the current and future congenital surgery workforces feature prominently in the congenital surgery curriculum. “To Train or Not to Train?” will include a debate on the regulation of fellowship positions, and “Leveling the Playing Field” will explore whether it’s useful for lower-volume centers to partner with high-volume centers to deliver best results.  Engaging video and abstract presentations will demonstrate single leaflet neocuspidization with autologous pericardium, position of the autograft and homograft in the Ross-Konno procedure, neonatal palliation for high-risk single ventricle heterotaxy, and a novel hybrid palliation technique for a premature newborn prior to Norwood single ventricle palliation. The inaugural James S. Tweddell Paper investigates the creation of an STS adult congenital heart surgery risk model, and the Clark paper analyzes the STS National Database for patterns in the management of tetralogy of Fallot.   General Thoracic Sessions Showcase Next-Gen Techniques  Parallel sessions in the general thoracic program highlight topics including controversies in transplant practices, immunotherapy and targeted molecular therapy, and challenging esophageal consults, while an Ask the Experts session titled “Elegant Solutions to Lung Disasters” will show attendees how to salvage pulmonary resections gone wrong. Attendees will gain hands-on expertise in complex central airway reconstruction, and an “In the OR with” video demonstrates uniport segmentectomy and left lower lobectomy.  Among the abstracts are a 20-year experience with salvage esophageal reconstruction with colon interposition, a one-step classifier for molecular differential diagnosis between multiple primary lung cancer and intrapulmonary metastasis, the evolution of pain control for adult pectus excavatum repair, and how the number of involved structures affects outcomes in thymic epithelial tumors. The Chamberlain Paper examines racial disparities in patients awaiting lung transplant, and the Clark Paper pinpoints how urgent paraesophageal hernia repair in elderly patients is associated with worse outcomes. Perioperative, Critical Care Topics Bring Results into Practice  An array of offerings in perioperative and critical care includes controversies in perioperative blood management, building an ERAS cardiac program without added cost, contemporary approaches to pain management, phenotypes and unique characteristics of cardiogenic and postcardiotomy shock, and new regulatory standards for resuscitation. A hands-on course covers the V3 exam—volume status, venous access, ventricular function—for CT surgery.   The Clark Paper, “The Price of Delay: RV Failure and Biventricular Support” utilizes relevant findings from the Intermacs database, and the Chamberlain Paper demonstrates that the COVID-19 pandemic is associated with increased mortality, failure to rescue, and cost across all socioeconomic statuses.   Equity Is Paramount in Wellness, Education, Quality  Surgeon wellness and career advancement take center stage at STS 2023. A “Surgical Families” session explores unique situations including adoptive parents, parents of children with special needs, surgical trainees and parents, two-surgeon households, and single-parent surgeons. A session on ergonomics helps surgeons avoid injuries that can curtail a career, and Annals Academy provides tips on publishing impactful research.   In the quality and education realms are sessions on the preoperative assessment of frailty beyond the “eyeball test” and making sense of hospital star ratings, while intriguing abstracts investigate how communication patterns in the OR are affected by task difficulty, how male versus female candidates regard diversity in selecting jobs and training programs, and harnessing natural language processing to evaluate gender bias in letters of recommendation for cardiothoracic surgery applicants. “The plenary session invited speakers will offer a unique opportunity for attendees to self-reflect both personally and professionally,” added Dr. Husain. The Vivien T. Thomas Lecture will be delivered by Francisco G. Cigarroa, MD, who directs the transplant center at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio. Bestselling author Max Lucado will present the Thomas B. Ferguson Lecture, and Peter K. Smith, MD, principal investigator for the Duke University site in the Cardiothoracic Surgery Clinical Trials Network, is this year’s C. Walton Lillehei Lecturer.   The Presidents Reception—at a bayfront restaurant and cocktail venue featuring a floating reception hall and a skyline lounge—will celebrate not only the term of current STS President John H. Calhoon, MD, but also the legacies of Past Presidents Sean C. Grondin, MD, MPH, FRCSC and Joseph A. Dearani, MD, who oversaw the Society’s governance with innovation and grace during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Space is limited for the reception, and attendees must add it to their cart during registration.   “We have lost several admired colleagues in recent times, Dr. Tweddell and Dr. Grondin in particular,” said Dr. Husain. “We will value our ability to celebrate their contributions to our subspecialty as well as to acknowledge the loss of other cherished members within our Society.”  STS 2023 also heralds the return of live product demonstrations, with 150 exhibitors showcasing the latest tools and technologies for surgical practice. Industry symposia—both offsite and at the convention center this year—afford rare opportunities to practice new techniques, and product theaters let attendees experience devices and software hands-on.  For those who can’t travel to San Diego—or for those who want to do more with their in-person registration—a new option, Plenary Livestream-Plus, will allow registrants to livestream the President’s Address and named lectures from anywhere onsite or across the globe.   STS Members enjoy significant discounts on STS 2023 registration, and Resident/Fellow and Medical Student Members register for free. There’s still time to register at sts.org/annualmeeting.

STS News, Fall 2022 — Thoracic surgeon Taryne Imai, MD, is the recipient of the 2022 STS/ACS Health Policy Scholarship, an award that enables a member surgeon to attend the intensive course “Leadership Program in Health Policy Management” at Brandeis University’s Heller School in Waltham, Massachusetts. With the award, sponsored jointly by STS and the American College of Surgeons, Dr. Imai took the next step in realizing her vision to elevate thoracic oncology care in her native Hawaii and the entire Pacific Basin. "The learning experience was extraordinary and exactly what I needed to prepare me for my new leadership position," said Dr. Imai. "Setting an intention-to not just react, but to make a change, in one of the most disparate regions of the world-really resonated with me and drives my vision for Hawaii and the Pacific." Hawaii currently ranks “at the bottom” for detection of early lung cancer, Dr. Imai said, and has one of the longest delays—8 to 10 weeks—from detection to treatment. In addition, exposures unique to the region, including radiation exposure from bomb testing and the effects of volcanic ash, leave Hawaiian residents at particular cancer risk. Dr. Imai, from the Queen's Health System in Honolulu, Hawaii, aims to tackle these challenges with the help of the skills she gained at the leadership course. As director of the thoracic surgery program encompassing the state of Hawaii and the 14 countries in the Pacific Island Countries Network, Dr. Imai said that she feels confident in her clinical, education, and leadership experience, but that she perceived a gap in her foundational understanding of health policy. This is where the Health Policy Scholarship and the leadership course will prepare her for her colossal undertaking. Dr. Imai is the director of the thoracic surgery program for the Queen's Health System in Honolulu, Hawaii.  "In order to maximize impact, reaching as many patients as possible, our programs need to extend beyond the walls of the hospital institution," said Dr. Imai. "Partnering with our community non-profit groups, the Department of Health, and the State legislature to develop outreach programs will enable us to increase awareness and bring lung cancer care to everyone in the region." The Pacific Basin needs screening and outreach programs that not only align with the cultural values of the region, but that also have a far reach, given its vast geography, said Dr. Imai. She also wants to expand the availability of robotic navigational bronchoscopy, which will increase access to biopsy. She envisions a system that, rather than requiring patients to fly multiple times to Honolulu for their lung cancer workups, allows them to undergo biopsy for suspicious nodules, mediastinal staging, and robotic resection under one round of anesthesia. "Strategic thinking in developing programs within the challenging landscape of the Pacific is a skill that I needed to apply immediately," said Dr. Imai. "I am grateful for the scholarship and the opportunity to attend the course." As a scholarship recipient, Dr. Imai will be appointed to serve a 3-year term on the STS Workforce on Health Policy, Reform, and Advocacy, starting in January 2023. Applications for the 2023 scholarship will be accepted early next year. Applicants must be members of both STS and ACS and between the ages of 30 and 55. The Thoracic Surgery Foundation (TSF) also offers the Alley-Sheridan Scholarship, which partially covers the cost of attending the health policy course; these applications will open in early 2023 as well. For more information, visit sts.org/healthpolicyscholarship. To learn about the Alley-Sheridan and other TSF scholarships, visit thoracicsurgeryfoundation.org/awards.

STS News, Fall 2022 — Whether they were called to the specialty by heritage or by destiny, these parent-child duos represent the evolving arena of cardiothoracic surgery in real time. Surender Reddy Neravetla, MD, and Soumya Reddy Neravetla, MD  At Springfield Regional Medical Center in Ohio, Surender Reddy Neravetla, MD, has earned accolades for his more than 10,000 valve repairs, beating-heart surgeries, and minimally invasive lung resections, as well as a most distinctive trophy: King of Dad Jokes. Dr. Surender Neravetla’s daughter, Dr. Soumya Neravetla, shares her father’s passion for preventative education and community outreach. Despite Dr. Neravetla encouraging his daughter, Soumya Reddy Neravetla, MD, to try out different career paths, Soumya found herself gravitating time and again toward cardiothoracic surgery. And when veteran surgeon Lofton N. Misick, MD, left the Springfield center for a position in Texas in 2016, Soumya stepped in to take on some of the workload. The plan was to stay “for a little while.” She’s still there. “I’ve been busy!” she said. “Launched a TAVR program and a lung screening program in Springfield. Met with the governor of Ohio about lung cancer. Served in multiple board positions with the Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), Association of Telugu Medical Graduates of USA.” She served as president of AAPI’s physician’s section from 2021–2022, and she is currently the chair of the hospital’s Cancer Committee and Department of Surgery. The Drs. Neravetla may be the first father-daughter cardiothoracic surgeon pair to have operated as a team. Soumya referred to heart transplant pioneers, the late Norman E. Shumway, MD, PhD, and his daughter Sara J. Shumway, MD, who now serves as professor and vice chief of cardiothoracic surgery at the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis. “It’s my understanding that the Shumways never worked together, but I believe she’s the first daughter to follow her young father in this path. Dr. (Vinod) Thourani once pointed out to me that we may be the first father-daughter duo to actually work together,” Soumya said. Clearly, a passion for preventative medicine and public health also runs in the family. The senior Dr. Neravetla is a longtime champion of bringing health education to underserved communities. He’s the author of the 2012 book Salt Kills and its 2014 follow-up, Salt: Black America’s Silent Killer, and he maintains a public blog on prevention issues, explaining current medical literature in plain language. Dr. Soumya Neravetla says that she and her father are both calm but fun to work with in the OR. “My father, however, is the king of dad jokes—he has a trophy to prove it—resulting in my appropriate eye rolls.” A grassroots advocate for the American Heart Association’s positions on disease prevention, Dr. Surender Neravetla works with local health fairs and culture festivals, churches and social clubs, schools and city halls, lecturing and initiating vital conversations with the community. “Cardiac surgery is going through a tough transition, largely due to the rapid growth of technology,” the senior Dr. Neravetla said. “The patients under our care are at a later stage in the disease process; the surgeries and post-op care are increasingly complex. All the while, cardiac surgeons are facing increasing scrutiny. This poses significant difficulty for the younger surgeons—especially women—to get established and be respected in their field.” Dr. Soumya Neravetla says that she was surprised at just how deep the disparities run. “Even though you know about it, it’s still surprising to see how dramatic the difference is for female surgeons in the real world.” She’s also startled by the lack of awareness surrounding lung cancer, despite it being the number one cancer killer in men and women. While she and her dad are both relatively quick-handed, “my father is one of the fastest surgeons you’ll ever see,” said Soumya. “On the other hand, I’m known for my small incisions, and though we both do a broad range of open and robotic surgeries, the endovascular space is my playground.” As she monitors technologies in cardiac, vascular, and thoracic applications, Dr. Soumya Neravetla spearheads lung cancer screening and awareness in Dayton, serving on the Ohio Partners for Cancer Control lung committee. Her team also is preparing to launch another TAVR program at Kettering Health Dayton in Ohio. “It’s always exciting to develop a program from infancy and watch it mature,” she said.  Undoubtedly, her dad feels that, to a superb degree, about his daughter. Richard M. Engelman, MD, and Daniel T. Engelman, MD In 1968, when Richard M. Engelman, MD, was a resident at New York University, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) was in its infancy. Patients remained intubated for at least a day, were on mandatory bedrest for a minimum of 48 hours, and didn’t begin rehabilitation—which involved only limited ambulation—until 72 hours later. The senior Dr. Engelman (right) pioneered “Fast-Track” recovery after surgery, and his son Daniel continued to advance perioperative care through the ERAS Cardiac Society. “Discharge was routinely 1 to 2 weeks after surgery, and patients were encouraged to remain sedentary for the next 4 to 6 weeks,” Dr. Engelman said. “These practices remained the standard for cardiac surgical perioperative care for decades, and morbidity following surgery was not inconsequential.” With increased evidence supporting the success of mindful perioperative care, Dr. Engelman formed a team to introduce the “Fast-Track” approach to cardiac recovery in the early 1990s. This method involved a coordinator-led multidisciplinary team, who paid close attention to intravenous fluid intake, controlling atrial arrythmias, normalizing gut function, and getting patients quickly up and walking. Fast-Track dramatically reduced extubation times, ICU stays, and overall time in the hospital, all with improved outcomes for the patient. Richard’s son, Daniel T. Engelman, MD, picked up the torch in 1999, when he became a Board-certified surgeon after graduating from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. “As my career progressed, I noticed waning interest in the Fast-Track protocols popularized by my father, coincident with increasing provider concern about patient-reported outcomes and the costs associated with care,” the younger Dr. Engelman said. Since stepping down from his role as head of cardiac surgery, the elder Dr. Engelman continues to serve as chief of cardiac surgical research—and as his son’s colleague—at Baystate. Changes in cardiac and surgical training and practice patterns—as well as improvements in percutaneous techniques—led to increased emphasis on reducing delays between patient evaluation and surgical procedures, explained Dr. Daniel Engelman. “Perioperative optimization was at odds with this new urgency.” Enter enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS). After examining the successful outcomes surgeons and patients were enjoying in other specialties, Dr. Engelman put it to use within cardiac surgery. In 2017, he and a group of likeminded surgeons founded the nonprofit ERAS Cardiac Society. “The national and international interest was tremendous,” he said. “A few early studies were simultaneously being conducted outlining enhanced recovery protocols demonstrating improved outcomes within our specialty. What was old was new again.” Both Drs. Engelman served as authors of the 2019 Guidelines for Perioperative Care in Cardiac Surgery, which are the first of their kind. They’ve been downloaded more than 260,000 times. “The field continues to evolve throughout the years in ways we couldn’t even imagine when I started my career, and I’m thrilled to be able to witness it through Dan’s achievements,” said the elder Dr. Engelman. Meanwhile, although he’s retired from operating, he continues to work each day at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts, as chief of cardiac surgical research. “I also continue to enjoy time with my wife, Jane, of 62 years, and spend time on the golf course with kids and grandkids!”   If you know of a unique member experience that should be featured in STS News, contact stsnews@sts.org.

Lui Promoted at Stanford Natalie S. Lui, MD, recently was appointed associate medical director for surgical services as part of the cancer destination service line (DSL) at Stanford Health Care in California. She will work collaboratively with cancer DSL leadership and key stakeholders throughout Stanford Medicine to ensure consistent representation of surgical oncology. Dr. Lui also is an assistant professor of cardiothoracic surgery at Stanford University. She has been an STS member since 2014. Thompson Is President at Nebraska Heart Richard B. Thompson, MD, MBA, took over as president of CHI Health Nebraska Heart in Lincoln. In addition to this new leadership role, he will serve as cardiothoracic surgeon, specializing in complex coronary revascularization, advanced surgical therapy for heart failure, and robotic lung surgery. Previously, Dr. Thompson worked at Bryan Heart in Lincoln, Nebraska. He has been an STS member since 2010. Kaneko Leads Cardiac Surgery at WashUMed Tsuyoshi Kaneko, MD, has been named the Shoenberg Professor and chief of cardiac surgery at Washington University School of Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Hospital, both in St. Louis, Missouri. He previously worked as surgical director of the Structural Heart Program at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and associate professor in surgery at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts. An STS member since 2014, Dr. Kaneko chairs the STS/ACC TVT Research and Publications Subcommittee and is vice chair of the STS Workforce on Technology and Innovation. Argote-Greene Begins Position in Florida Luis M. Argote-Greene, MD, is the new regional director of thoracic and esophageal surgery at the Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital in Vero Beach, Florida. Most recently, he was a thoracic surgeon with University Hospitals and clinical assistant professor at Case Western Reserve University, both in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Argote-Greene has been an STS member since 2011. Steliga Is Named Endowed Chair Matthew A. Steliga, MD, has been named the Kent Westbrook Distinguished Chair in Surgical Oncology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS)-Rockefeller Cancer Institute in Little Rock. Dr. Steliga—the division chief of thoracic surgery at the University of Arkansas and professor of surgery—led the development of the UAMS lung cancer screening and integrated tobacco cessation programs, and he is involved in the development of the UAMS mobile lung screening program. Dr. Steliga also will continue to serve as associate program director for the UAMS Surgery Residency Program. He has been an STS member since 2010. Han Honored for Exceptional Patient Care Jason J. Han, MD, received the Don Liu Humanism Hero in Surgery Award from Penn Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This award recognizes a member of the Penn surgical staff who exhibits compassion and sensitivity in the care of the surgical patient in a collegial, collaborative, selfless, and ethical manner. Dr. Han was selected by the chairman and vice chair of education based on peer and faculty nominations. He has been an STS member since 2018. Hoff Moves to Miami Steven J. Hoff, MD, has joined the Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute in Florida. Previously, he served as chief of cardiothoracic surgery at Orlando Regional Medical Center and associate professor of surgery at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine in Orlando. Dr. Hoff also was part of the team at the Orlando Health Heart & Vascular Institute. He has been an STS member since 2000.