Same Surgeon, Different Light: Dr. Doug Mathisen

In this episode, Dr. Tom Varghese interviews Dr. Doug Mathisen, STS Historian and Past President. Listeners will discover fascinating personal details about this surgeon leader, including how playing sports helped him learn important teamwork and leadership skills that later translated into his career as a surgeon. Dr. Mathisen compares the surgical locker room to an athletic locker room, saying that it has the “same sort of camaraderie” and everyone works hard to not let down their “teammates.” He also shares that one of the greatest thrills of his life was meeting professional boxer Muhammad Ali, who has always been his favorite athlete. “Same Surgeon, Different Light” is a program from the Society designed to demystify cardiothoracic surgery, revealing the men and women behind their surgical masks.

Learn more about STS diversity and inclusion efforts at sts.org/diversity.

Patients can learn more about cardiothoracic diseases and their treatments at ctsurgerypatients.org.