The three-year graduate program in cardiothoracic surgery is fully approved by the Residency Review Committee for Thoracic Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery. The program prepares residents in fundamentals and provides the necessary experience in operative surgery and perioperative care for them to become broadly educated cardiothoracic surgeons.
The Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine is concerned with congenital and acquired diseases of the heart, lung, pleura, mediastinum, diaphragm, and esophagus. Residents receive a graded experience in all facets of the specialty. Operating room experience is emphasized as well as performance and interpretation of the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures important to the specialty, such as cardiac catheterization, pulmonary function studies, ventilatory support, endoscopy, and chest radiology.
Residents rotate on dedicated services for adult cardiac surgery and for general thoracic surgery at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Experience in congenital heart surgery is provided at Children's Memorial Hospital. Residents serve as chief resident on the various services and are assisted by general surgery residents, nurse clinicians, and physician assistants.
In addition to the more routine cardiothoracic procedures, experience is gained in minimally invasive approaches to both cardiac and general thoracic operations. Participation in complex treatments for advanced heart failure, including arrhythmias, ventricular assist devices, and transplants, are a significant part of the program.
At each hospital participating in the program, the surgery staff conducts weekly meetings devoted to chest x-ray interpretation, cardiac catheterization findings in selected patients, mortality and morbidity, and clinical pathologic correlation. In addition, the attending and resident staffs make presentations on other pertinent topics
Residents are expected to participate in some form of clinical investigation. Opportunities for lengthy laboratory projects are usually not available during the program, but if desired by the resident, additional experience as a research fellow is an option.
One appointee is selected each year through the Resident Matching Program in Thoracic Surgery, so that at any time three cardiothoracic residents are on the service.
Each candidate must have satisfactorily completed an ACGME-accredited general surgery residency and be eligible for examination by the American Board of Surgery.
Patrick M. McCarthy, MD
Professor of Surgery
Alberto de Hoyos, MD
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Patrick M. McCarthy, MD
Chief, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery
Co-Director, Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute
Matthew G. Blum, MD
Head, Section of General Thoracic Surgery
For more information, contact Residency Coordinator Brandi Carr, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, 201 East Huron Street, Suite 11-140, Chicago, Illinois 60611-2968, 312/695-1832; fax 312/695-0178 or visit the Department of Surgery Web site.
E-mail: bcarr@nmh.org
