University of Virginia

University of Virginia

Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 
University of Virginia Medical Center
PO Box 800769
Charlottesville, VA 22908
 

John Kern, MD
Chief of the Division of TCV Surgery
Program Director

Gorav Ailawadi, MD
Chief of Cardiac Division

Chris Lau, MD
Chief of Thoracic Division

Jay Gangemi, MD
Chief of Congenital Division

Irv Kron, MD
Chair of the Department of Surgery

Caryl Bryant 
Program Coordinator

Curt Tribble, MD & Chris Lau, MD
Associate Program Directors

Program Information

• Traditional and integrated (I-6) training options available
• Three residents finish per year (two cardiac, one thoracic)

Resident Details

We finish 3 residents a year. We accept one Integrated resident per year. Therefore, there are 1-2 other positions to fill via the Match each year, depending on the presence of a 4-3 resident. 

Curriculum Information

The vast majority of time is spent at UVA. For the Integrated and 4-3 residents, one month a year is spent at one of our affiliated hospitals. We have an extremely busy congenital program (250-300 cases per year) as well as a very busy valve service (including a minimally invasive valve program), and an LVAD / transplant program. Nearly 30% of our adult cardiac surgery volume is re-operative surgery, allowing our finishing residents to become experts in re-operative surgery. Our thoracic surgery residents learn traditional, minimally invasive, thoracoscopic, and robotic approaches to pulmonary and esophageal surgery.

Unique Program Components

We have a superb collaborative working relationship with our Divisions of Cardiology and Vascular Surgery, which allow in depth experience in every aspect of trans-catheter therapy for valvular disease and aortic pathology. For example, residents in our program can expect to gain experience with complex aortic disease, including arch and thoracoabdominal operations and TEVAR. They also will perform thoracoscopic atrial fibrillation procedures, advanced mitral valve repairs, MitraClip procedures, and TAVR. Our lung transplant program has recently started an ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) program to allow testing and resuscitation of donor lungs.

The UVA TCV faculty members are dedicated to resident education and include many who have been recognized both locally and nationally for their commitment to surgical education.