Dr. Ranjit John Named Division Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery
We are delighted to announce that Ranjit John, MD, has been appointed the Division Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery. Dr. John will assume his new role effective Friday, July 1, 2022.
Dr. John has been with the Department of Surgery since 2004, when he was recruited from Columbia University to lead and build our advanced heart failure and mechanical circulatory device program.
We would like to thank Rosemary Kelly, MD, for her years of service as the leader of the Cardiothoracic Division. She thoughtfully promoted and fostered development with succession planning in mind during her tenure. A separate announcement will be forthcoming to congratulate Dr. Kelly on her new role as Executive Vice-Chair for Cardiothoracic and Vascular Services.
"I am thrilled that Dr. John will be the next chief of our division," said Dr. Kelly. "As an outstanding surgeon and leader, I am confident he will develop our growing division into a national powerhouse for cardiothoracic surgery."
Dr. John has served as Director of Clinical Operations for our department's Cardiac Division and Mechanical Circulatory Support and Heart Transplantation. In 2021, he received the Clinical Care Award from the M Health Fairview, University of Minnesota Medical Center. He has also previously been named a top doctor by U.S. News and World Report.
He has co-authored over 200 peer-reviewed publications in the field of heart failure and regularly presents to national and international audiences. He is an internationally recognized leader in ventricular assist devices, heart transplantation, and interventions for advanced heart failure. As a surgical innovator, Dr. John has strong knowledge of advancing medical support devices and was the director of the National Training Site for the HeartMate II and CentriMag Ventricular Assist Devices. He played a pivotal role in the national trials to establish the safety and efficacy of the HeartMate II and HeartMate III ventricular assist devices as therapies for advanced heart failure. His recent induction into the American Surgical Association reflects his high national regard.
Dr. John has been instrumental in the growth of the Cardiothoracic Division, which includes nine surgeons and 16 advanced practice providers who perform over 1600 open-heart procedures a year across five sites, including Hennepin Healthcare and the Minneapolis VA Medical Center. Dr. John has helped create a team that provides complex clinical care by encouraging the leadership of all providers and supporting an inclusive, collaborative culture. It has resulted in delivering complex surgical expertise with excellent quality to all our patients.
Please join me in congratulating Dr. John as our newly appointed Division leader!
Sincerely,
Sayeed Ikramuddin, MD, MHA
Chair, Department of Surgery
Jay Phillips Professor
