Emile A. Bacha, MD, was named the 106th President of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) during the group's Annual Meeting in Seattle.
A world-renowned congenital heart surgeon, Dr. Bacha is a Professor of Surgery at Columbia University and Chief of the Division of Cardiac, Thoracic, and Vascular Surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center (NYP/CUIMC). He also serves as co-director of the Congenital Heart Center at NYP. He previously held the positions of Senior Associate in Cardiac Surgery at Boston Children's Hospital and Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School.
"I cannot think of a better person to lead that storied organization than Dr. Bacha," said Craig Smith, MD, Chair of the Department of Surgery at Columbia and former President of AATS. "His leadership is matched only by his dedication to his craft."
Dr. Bacha was born in Beirut, Lebanon, and earned his medical degree from Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, Germany. After completing his surgical residency at Emory University, he was awarded a research fellowship at Hôpital Marie-Lannelongue of Paris-Sud University. He then completed his cardiothoracic surgery fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital and Boston Children's Hospital.
A recognized leader in pediatric and adult congenital cardiac surgery, Dr. Bacha pioneered procedures, guidelines, and technologies that have advanced the field. His areas of research include improving safety and reducing invasiveness in pediatric cardiac surgery.
During his inauguration, Dr. Bacha outlined his priorities for his new role: "My focus will be on the importance of leadership, character, and innovation in cardiothoracic surgery," said Dr. Bacha. "Our specialty has continuously advanced through bold innovation and dedicated leadership—both clinically and academically—resulting in tremendous benefits for patients. These achievements deserve to be highlighted and celebrated."
Dr. Bacha is the fourth Columbia University faculty member to serve as AATS President, following Dr. Smith, Dr. Keith Reemtsma, and Dr. James Malm. He directly succeeds David R. Jones, MD, and is joined on the Executive Committee by Joseph Woo, MD, the AATS President-Elect in line to become the Association's 107th President.