What is your hometown?

Jamesville, New York, in upstate New York.

How/when did you become interested in science and medicine?

I wanted to be a physician since I was 4 years old, and a surgeon as soon as I started medical school. Besides, my father didn't think I was smart enough to work in the foundry that he had.

What interested you to pursue a career in cardiothoracic surgery?

I love the pulmonary and cardiac physiology, the complexity of the technical specialty, and the diversity of the disease associated with thoracic surgery.

Is there a teacher or mentor who helped shape your career?

Mark Orringer from the University of Michigan shaped my surgical and academic career. And not to blame them, but my parents shaped my personality and outlook on life.

When did you come to the University of Iowa as a faculty member? How or why did you choose the UI?

I came to the University of Iowa in January 2004. I came to pursue an opportunity to be involved with developing a new department at the Carver College of Medicine and University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and to be involved with a dynamic and cutting-edge staff that is interested in developing and training next-generation surgeons. More importantly, this afforded me the opportunity to be involved intimately with resident education from the viewpoint of a program director and run a thoracic residency program. Thoracic education has always been one of my passions, and this was an opportunity to pursue both an educational opportunity as well as an administrative role.

What kinds of professional opportunities or advantages does being a faculty member at Iowa provide? What about challenges?

Being a departmental executive officer allows me the ability to utilize the skills I acquired in business school and apply them to developing both a solid financial and professional group, as well as allowing us to develop academically and pursue the goals of patient care and resident education.

Challenges are those that face all of us here at the institution with respect to delivering high-quality and cutting-edge patient care, while dealing with the financial constraints imposed upon us from the shrinking health care dollar and economics of medicine.

Please describe your professional interests.

I am interested in all aspects of general thoracic surgery. However, I have a special clinical interest in esophageal surgery for benign and malignant disease, as well as end-stage pulmonary disease.

My research interests include development of a totally implantable artificial lung, as well as robotics.

I am interested in developing a new curriculum for resident education and changing the training paradigm that we currently use for pursuing a career and thoracic surgery.

What are some of your outside interests?

One of my biggest interests is spending time with my family and my dogs. I enjoy waterskiing, wind surfing, and snowboarding.

Do you have an insight or philosophy that guides you in your professional work?

I have three:

1) Do what you love, and love what you do, and you will never work a day in your life.

2) Listen to all, trust a few, do wrong to none – this is my father's philosophy and this seemed to work well for him for many years.

And most importantly:

3) Never take yourself too seriously.

What is the biggest change you've experienced in your field since you were a medical student?

Having to worry more about medical economics.

What one piece of advice you would give to today's medical students?

Probably equally look at number three and number one above.

What do you see as "the future" of cardiothoracic surgery and what role will technology – advancements in the design/function of pacemakers or ventricular assist devices, for example – have in how your team performs surgeries?

I see the future cardiothoracic surgeon being more involved with catheter based/interventional procedures of a percutaneous nature. It is important for the next generation of cardiothoracic surgeons to be intimately involved with not only the procedural based specialty, but also with the diagnostic and therapeutic interventions associated with these procedures. Since ultimately they will be responsible for the end-stage treatment of these patients, it is important for them to be involved at the onset of the decision-making process, but also to have the skills to deal with these interventions.

President Skorton has named academic year 2005-2006 as the "Year of Public Engagement." Please describe any ways in which you are engaged with the greater Iowa public.

Our group is involved with many aspects of cardiovascular disease education for the public, with frequent talks on heart disease, smoking cessation, and the risks of cancer and heart disease associated with smoking at the public school level, as well as frequent talks given at the Senior Center here in Iowa City.