Big thanks to @OperationSmile for supporting the WHA78 Side-Event: Operating for Equity! 🌍

Your commitment to strengthening surgical systems is helping us work towards Universal Health Coverage

Join us online on May 19th at
rb.gy/mbjio9

#WHA78 #SurgicalEquity #OperationSmile

Thank you to the @accintouch.bsky.social and conference organizers for the invitation to speak & bring #GlobalCardiacSurgery to #ACC25 agenda.

Six billion people, including over 90% of children born with #CHD, lack access to safe, timely, and quality cardiac surgery when needed.

Time for a change.

"Try and reach out to two people [you connect with online or read their paper] each week .. instead of just posting and reposting." - Dr. John Erwin

#ACC25

Absolutely love that #ACC25 has a dedicated (and incredibly well attended) #HealthEquity Hub @accintouch.bsky.social!

As inaugural Chair of @ccs-scc.bsky.social Trainee Committee's Health Equity Working Group, I'm hopeful for similar effort up in 🇨🇦 in near future.

Plus, #CTSurgery societies next?

Great to be at #ACC25 and see conference halls and rooms packed for all the latest and greatest in 🫀 care!

Excited to talk pediatric #GlobalCardiacSurgery tomorrow morning, and keep moving the needle with colleagues from around the world 🌐

a white cat is laying on its back on the floor and says `` hello . hello ... '' ALT: a white cat is laying on its back on the floor and says `` hello . hello ... ''

We’re on Bluesky! 🌟 STS is here to share news, education, and insights on cardiothoracic surgery—plus updates on events, mentorship, and more.

What do you want to see from us? Let us know! #CTSurgery

At the recent #STS2025, I had the honour of being interviewed by Dr. Emily Farkas on my experiences and advice in the field of #GlobalCardiacSurgery.

The 10-minute interview is now available online at #CTSNet:

www.ctsnet.org/article/meet...

1/ After many years of editing, I'm thrilled to release the 5th edition of the Visual Abstract Primer!

Notably, its a lot short (11 pages, down from 56!) Full download here: surgeryredesign.com/resources

Summary below... #VisualAbstract

Students in a lecture

"Medical students shouldn't be faced with decisions about whether to disrupt their course, or abandon their medical career entirely, because they cannot afford to live while at university."

@georgeawebster.bsky.social on why medical students need more financial support
www.bmj.com/content/388/...

🫀 Today is Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day!

Heart valve disease can be debilitating & even deadly—but with early detection, lives can be saved. #ValveDiseaseDay is dedicated to recognizing the risks/symptoms, improving detection & ensuring more people get the care they need.

#HeartMonth

Today is #CHDAwareness Day—a day to recognize those born with heart defects and the continuous advancements in research and care that help them thrive. 🫀

Let’s raise awareness and show support for the CHD community today and every day!

#HeartMonth #HeartHealth

The NIH’s drastic cut to indirect cost rates is a critical threat to U.S. research infrastructure The drastic reduction in indirect costs is not a path to innovation or cost savings — it’s a threat to U.S.’s position as global leader in medical research.

Massive NIH cuts to research infrastructure threaten the foundation of U.S. research—putting our future at risk. We need innovation in funding, not dismantling our research engine. My take in @statnews: www.statnews.com/2025/02/08/n...

Gender disparities remain prevalent in #CTSurgery and academic surgery.

From research support to career promotion, efforts are necessary to reduce barriers for women in academic 🫀🫁 surgery.

Read in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery: www.annalsthoracicsurgery.org/article/S000...

#CardioSky #SurgSky

Great start to the 12th annual Canadian Thoracic Aortic Collaborative (#CTAC) meeting!

Opening words by Dr. Mark Peterson, case 🗣 from 🇨🇦🇺🇸, & a first keynote address by Dr. Hans-Joachim Schäfers on his 30-year experience with aortic valve repair in patients with bicuspid valves.

#SurgSky #CardioSky

Opinion | The World’s Richest Men Take On the World’s Poorest Children I’ve seen U.S.A.I.D. operate around the world, and it’s not woke — it’s lifesaving.

The world's richest man is taking food and medicine from the world's poorest children
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/05/o...

If you had to read one book on global health... If there is 1 book that you would like all global health students to read, it would be.....? Here is an impressive list of over 430 books generated by this question on Twitter!

Pleased to share an updated list of great books in global health!

New books include titles by @seyeabimbola.bsky.social @adamratnermd.bsky.social ky.social, @johngreensbluesky.bsky.social sky.bsky.social & @drannastewart.bsky.social & others

communities.springernature.com/posts/if-you...

This week we celebrate the launch of the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation's new campaign, #CarryTheFire 🎉🔥

This is a message of hope for a world free from the fear of cancer. We invite all Canadians to join us in an effort to transform cancer outcomes.

Read more:
www.uhn.ca/corporate/ne...

STS Experts Tackle Need For Women-Only Trials in Surgery STS Experts Tackle Need For Women-Only Trials in Surgery sciprian@crf.org Wed, 01/29/2025 - 13:55 Yael L. Maxwell Greater inclusion of women in surgical trials and reporting of sex-based treatment effects are warranted, they say.

STS Experts Tackle Need For Women-Only Trials in Surgery

Ontario’s doctors welcome today’s $1.8B investment in primary care but stress the need for immediate action. With 2.5M Ontarians without a family doctor (set to rise to 4.4M), we must modernize funding and connect patients to care now. ow.ly/Cy8T50UNWlO #ONHealth #ONPoli

Get inspired by 🌎 leaders in CV medicine at #ACC25! 🎬 Explore, learn, & gain insights from keynote speakers 👇 recognized for their exceptional contributions to the field. bit.ly/3E9yT29

#CardioSky #MedSky

I ran @USAID health programs for the last 3 years. Trump’s 90 day Stop Work Order on foreign assistance does serious damage to the world and the US. Examples:🧵

Grateful to the Society of Thoracic Surgeons to put #GlobalCardiacSurgery on the #STS2025 agenda and to be invited to give the session's opening talk.

>100 countries & territories still lack a single cardiac surgeon locally.

Multidisciplinary and multisectoral efforts are needed to make a change.

Three Tom’s at the #STS2025! @tomvarghesejr.bsky.social

"STS is the first cardiothoracic surgery organization in the world to be led by a female CEO and a female President."

Fantastic Presidential Address by Dr. Jennifer Romano, the 61st President of the STS, on granting grace, to ourselves and others, at #STS2025.

#CardioSky #SurgSky

Text reads: Stand with refugees and people forced from home. Stand with people demanding access to safe abortion care. Stand with people whose health is impacted by climate change. Stand with people facing health inequities due to racism and discrimination. Stand with vulnerable people everywhere.

Hi Bluesky community! We're excited to be here to share important humanitarian stories.

Would you let your network know where to find us? This is just a snapshot of what we stand for as an emergency medical organization:

Kicking off #STS2025 with a thoughtful session on vulnerability, often forgotten but no less (if not more) important in medicine & surgery.

Make your way to 411 Theatre for "Vulnerability Makes Us Whole" 👇

Getting ready to start posting about all the great talks at #STS2025?

Take a look at our do's & don't's for conference posting @jaccjournals.bsky.social to help you hit the ground running: www.jacc.org/doi/abs/10.1...

#CardioSky #SurgSky

Opinion: Lessons from Canada’s Nobel Prize win, and why capping graduate students will harm our economy The University of Toronto’s Geoffrey Hinton’s 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics holds important implications for Canada’s prosperity

Lessons from Canada’s #NobelPrize win, and why capping graduate students will harm our economy, by Meric Gertler, president of the University of Toronto www.theglobeandmail.com/business/com... via @theglobeandmail.com

Cost-Effectiveness of a Polypill for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention This economic evaluation investigates the cost-effectiveness of a cardiovascular polypill (single pill containing a statin and 3 half-standard dose antihypertensives) vs usual care in a majority Black...

First of these on Bluesky! 🚀

Excited to share our cost-effectiveness analysis of the cardiovascular polypill, published in JAMA Cardiology: jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Co-authored with @kbibbinsdomingo.bsky.social and many talented but Blueskyless colleagues.

#CardioSky
#EpiSky
#HealthEcon

Just a day away from the start of #STS2025!

Looking forward to reconnecting with friends, mentors, and mentees in #CTSurgery 🫀 here in sunny Los Angeles during the next few days ☀️

#GlobalCardiacSurgery #CardioSky