Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship

"Cardiothoracic surgery is a complex evolving field, which can create difficulties in finding a well-rounded and current training program. The University of Minnesota is a training program that has risen to this challenge. As a fellow, you will garner expansive skills by rotating through a VA, university, and private hospital setting. These rotations provide broad-based and specialized learning opportunities in working with very diverse patient populations.

The cardiothoracic team at the University of Minnesota is very dedicated to teaching and is open to tailoring your fellowship experience to your career interest. I have an interest in minimally invasive and endovascular procedures and was afforded the opportunity to spend time with our vascular and cardiology services. The University of Minnesota provides a solid knowledge base to their fellows while keeping pace with changes in the field, making it the optimal place to be trained in cardiothoracic surgery."

Elan C. Burton, MD
Thoracic Surgery Fellow

"I believe that general thoracic surgery makes great strides in improving the lives of patients who are devastated by these diseases. General thoracic surgery has unbounded potential for expansion and evolution in the future. In order to be on the cutting edge of the field, I felt that training in a high-volume focused academic center that has a multifaceted thoracic oncology experience, a functional foregut surgery experience, an extensive lung transplant experience and an outstanding cardiac experience would provide the environment needed to enable me to realize this vision.

After interviewing I felt that the University of Minnesota had such a program. There is ample thoracic oncology and functional surgery experience in both the open approaches as well as minimally invasive techniques.

Additionally, there is a long-standing cardiac and lung transplant program that fellows are able to participate in. The option of elective rotation time was especially appealing in that skills could be refined or expanded to obviate the need for a super-fellowship that comes with many 2-year programs. The holistic approach to disease management where less traditional, but highly marketable, skills such as endoscopic/endobronchial ultrasound, stent and catheter-based therapies, and esophageal physiology are taught was icing on the cake."

Bryan A. Whitson, MD, PhD
Thoracic Surgery Fellow

"The University of Minnesota is simply a top tier program to train the next generation of cardiothoracic surgeons in the 21st century. It caters to individuals who have a strong desire to become independent surgeons right out of training. The program is designed to teach you necessary surgical skills but also develop clinical skills to lead the ideal ‘Heart Team.’ The wide complexity of cases will give you an edge to operate in any settng beyond fellowship. In the third year, fellows have ample autonomy inside and outside the operating room; similar to a practicing junior attending. Our mentors are kind, encouraging but also challenge you to push yourself to maximum efficiency. The program takes pride in training world class cardiothoracic surgeons that will provide only the best care to their patients."

Azmath Mohammed, MD

Thoracic Surgery Fellow