Thoracic Surgery Fellowship

Carolinas Medical Center’s Thoracic Surgery Fellowship is an accredited 2-year program, dedicated to producing exceptional clinicians both in and out of the operating room as well as educating the next generation of leaders in the field.

Our adult cardiac surgery has earned several prestigious three-star ratings from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS), placing our program within the top 10-15% in the United States and Canada. 

Our program offers state-of-the-art facilities at the forefront of worldwide heart care such as Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center and Atrium Health Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute, which is the region’s most comprehensive and experienced cardiovascular institute, a national leader in robotic surgery, and top 10 in heart transplants.  Our other locations include Atrium Health Cabarrus and Atrium Health Pineville, named among IBM Watson’s Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospitals for 4 years in a row.

Message from our Program Director

Faculty/Meet the Faculty

	Kevin W. Lobdell, MD Director and Professor, Regional Cardiovascular and Thoracic Quality, Education, and Research for Atrium Health Director, Thoracic Surgery Fellowship Education Wayne State University Residency, Surgery, University of Minnesota School of Medicine Residency, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine Fellowship, Congenital Cardiac Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia  Accolades/Certifications  American Board of Surgery American Board of Surgery - Surgical Critical Care American Board of Thoracic Surgery Previous Chair of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Research Committee Member for the Thoracic Surgery Foundation Section Editor of SESATS for the American Board of Thoracic Surgery
	John R. Frederick, MD Co-director of the Center for Aortic Disease at Atrium Health’s Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute Associate Director, Thoracic Surgery Fellowship Education University of Texas Residency, General Surgery, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine Residency, Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine Fellowship, Surgical Research, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine Fellowship, Thoracic Aortic Surgery, University of Pennsylvania Accolades/Certifications  American Board of Surgery American Board of Thoracic Surgery Finalist, Vivian Thomas Young Investigator Award by the American Heart Association
	Jeffrey Hagen, MD Director of Thoracic Surgery Oncology Chief, Division of Thoracic Surgery, Sanger Heart and Vascular Institute Associate Director, Thoracic Surgery Fellowship Education Creighton University School of Medicine Residency, General Surgery, Creighton University School of Medicine Fellowship, Foregut Surgery, University of Southern California Medical Center-LAC Fellowship, Thoracic Surgery, Barnes Hospital at Washington University in St. Louis Accolades/Certifications  American Board of Thoracic Surgery
	Shuddhadeb Ray, MD Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery Associate Director, Thoracic Surgery Fellowship Education University of Kansas School of Medicine Residency, General Surgery, Barnes Hospital at Washington University in St. Louis Fellowship, Thoracic Surgery, Barnes Hospital at Washington University in St. Louis Accolades/Certifications  American Board of Surgery American Board of Thoracic Surgery
	Thomas S. Maxey, MD Interim Chairman of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Atrium Health Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute Education East Virginia Medical School Residency, General Surgery, University of South Florida Fellowship Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine Fellowship Cardiothoracic Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine Accolades/Certifications American Board of Surgery American Board of Thoracic Surgery Atrium Health Physician of the Quarter Named a Top Doctor by Charlotte Magazine
	Michael Roach, MD Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery Education East Tennessee State University Residency, General Surgery, Tripler Army Medical Center Fellowship, Thoracic Surgery, University of Utah Health Fellowship, Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery, Duke University Hospital Accolades/Certifications American Board of Surgery American Board of Thoracic Surgery
	Larry Watts, MD Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery Education Wake Forest University Residency, General Surgery, University of Tennessee Fellowship, Cardiothoracic Surgery, The University of Alabama Fellowship, Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Toronto Accolades/Certifications American Board of Surgery American Board of Thoracic Surgery
	Christopher Cicci, MD Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery, Vascular Surgery Education State University of New York Residency, General Surgery, Carolinas Medical Center Fellowship, Thoracic Surgery, Ochsner Clinic Foundation Fellowship, Vascular Surgery, University of Tennessee Accolades/Certifications American Board of Thoracic Surgery American Board of Surgery American Board of Surgery, Vascular Surgery
	Robert P. Davis, MD Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery Education Michigan State University Residency, General Surgery, Duke University Hospital Residency, Thoracic Surgery, Duke University Hospital Fellowship, Thoracic Surgery, Duke University Hospital
	Bradley LeNoir, MD Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery Education Ohio State University at Columbus Residency, Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina Accolades/Certifications American Board of Thoracic Surgery
	David R. Hobson, MD Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery, General Surgery Education Wake Forest University Residency, General Surgery, Carolinas Medical Center Fellowship, Thoracic Surgery, Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center Accolades/Certifications American Board of Surgery American Board of Thoracic Surgery
	Eric Skipper, MD Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery Education Wake Forest University Residency, General Surgery, East Carolina University Fellowship, Thoracic Surgery, Carolina Medical Center Fellowship, Vascular Surgery, Carolina Medical Center Accolades/Certifications American Board of Surgery American Board of Thoracic Surgery
	Sabin Joseph Bozso, MD Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery  Education University of Alberta Residency, Cardiac Surgery, University of Alberta Fellowship, Advanced Aortic and Endovascular Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital

Program Curriculum

The program will have one resident per year with rotations through all three clinical disciplines in the first year of training to include general thoracic, adult cardiac, and congenital cardiac surgery.    The curriculum is divided into three possible tracks; Cardiothoracic, Cardiac, and General Thoracic. The curricula will provide weighted experiences towards the specialty of the applicant’s choice.

Clinical 

Residents will be exposed to the full breath of cardiac and thoracic procedures at their highest complexity and will be intimately involved in all aspects of patient care. This includes pre-operative, interoperative, and the post-operative settings. Under the supervision of faculty members, residents will have responsibility for the total care of the patient, including pre-operative evaluations and timing of interventions.

Clinical Exposure (including but not limited to)

• Complex congenital cardiac surgery
• Complex aortic surgery
• Acute aortic dissection interventions
• Heart transplantation
• ECMO
• Ventricular assist device implantation
• Minimally invasive valve and coronary artery bypass grafting procedures
• Investigational and commercially approved transcatheter aortic valve replacement procedures
• Catheter-based mitral interventions 
• Arrhythmia surgery 
• Robotic assisted thoracic and foregut procedures
• Advanced bronchoscopy and foregut endoscopy

*Heart transplant and video*

Collaboration

Residents will collaborate with other clinicals teams describing patient presentation and procedure in detail to include any complications and the projected postoperative course. Residents will participate in morning rounds with the attending surgeon and ICU team allowing continuous assessment and feedback. As residents become more experienced, they will be given more autonomy in this group setting.

• Monthly patient-based learning conference (M&M)
• Heart team
• Tavr conference
• Congenital cardiac cath conference
• Thoracic tumor board 
• Mitral and aortic structural conferences
• Weekly protected didactic sessions
  
   

Application Requirements

The Thoracic Surgery fellowship is a two-year program with the admission of 1 fellow per year.

All applicants must have completed a general surgery program approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Applications are only accepted through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). Our program participates in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).

Application Materials

• Completed at least three years of an ACGME (AOA, RCPSC, or CFPC) accredited residency program by start date
• Completed application through ERAS
• Three letters of recommendation, including one from the Residency Training Director
• USMLE and/or COMLEX transcripts/scores
• Official ECFMG Status Reports for all international medical graduates
• USA Citizenship, Permanent Resident Status, or J1
• Medical school transcripts
• Medical school Dean's letter
• Curriculum Vitae
• Personal Statement

Unique Educational Opportunities 

The Pearl – IRCAD & Wake Forest School of Medicine Charlotte 

 

IRCAD North America is one of only nine state-of-the-art international hubs for world-class surgical training and research, with its home and partnership located with Atrium Health Charlotte. Wake Forest School of Medicine Charlotte offers academic resources and exposure to both our fellows and faculty.

The Future

This Is Charlotte (PDF)