About the Program

Our goal is to be the one of the top academic cardiothoracic surgical training programs in the region and among the top programs in the nation. In order to accomplish this goal, we have assembled a highly skilled and committed faculty to support the three key areas of the educational mission at The Ohio State University — patient care, education and research.

Dr. John Bozinovski leads the traditional residency program. In partnership with the outstanding faculty at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, including Dr. Mark Galantowicz, Chairman of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital, this program is positioned to take a leadership role in cardiothoracic surgical education of the future.

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Why Columbus?

Through its open-minded approach to life, business and ideas, the Columbus region has cultivated an environment of unique communities, companies, institutions and entertainment. Columbus is one of the fastest-growing major metropolitan areas in the U.S., and as an up-and-coming tech city, it’s attracting the brightest minds from around the world.

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Program Specifics

The program accepts two residents each year in categorical positions for a two-year traditional residency program – one Cardiac Track and one Thoracic Track. Both tracks cover the spectrum of cardiothoracic surgery, including adult and congenital heart surgery, and general thoracic surgery, but vary in the time dedicated to the specific field of interest and is tailed to respective career paths. The two tracks follow different dedicated minimum case requirements by the American Board of Surgery for the respective track. Each track within the program has its own match number and applicants can apply for either track, or both if undecided.

During the second year, each resident will serve as a leader of the cardiothoracic surgery service and be responsible for directing the service and delegating responsibilities for patient care and operative coverage. This includes the responsibility for directing multi-disciplinary rounds with physician assistants, nurse practitioners, surgical associates, residents, and medical students.

At the completion of the second year it is our expectation that residents will be competent to perform both routine and complex surgical procedures including adult coronary revascularization, routine and complex valve procedures, complex aortic reconstruction, open and minimally invasive thoracic lung resections, esophageal surgery for benign and malignant disease, chest wall resections and reconstruction and have exposure to minimally invasive percutaneous valve procedures, mechanical circulatory support and heart transplantation.

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Dr. Rachel Kim discusses how she prepared for the Cardiothoracic Surgery Traditional Residency program.

Goals and Objectives

The goal of this training program is to prepare physicians to function as well-qualified, independent specialists in cardiothoracic (CT) surgery. The faculty is committed to the education of the CT resident in basic science and clinical surgery as it relates to cardiothoracic surgery. We hope to instill in our trainees with the essential elements of success for a career in cardiothoracic surgery including honesty and integrity, objectivity, self-motivation, curiosity, timeliness and a sense of responsibility.

The cardiothoracic surgery traditional residency encompasses adult and pediatric cardiothoracic surgery. Objectives of this surgical specialty include the mastery of cardiac and thoracic procedures such as bronchoscopy, thoracotomy, pulmonary resection, pericardiocentesis, coronary bypass, valve repair and replacement, thoracic transplantation and pediatric cardiac surgery. The resident is expected to demonstrate competent surgical skills to the faculty. Through graded progression over the course of training, the CT resident will assume more responsibility for critical portions of operative procedures. He or she will be exposed to diagnostic tests appropriate to each condition and will develop an appreciation for the interpretation of these tests including echocardiography, nuclear scans and pulmonary function tests.

Through repetitive exposure to the decision-making process regarding critical care and operative therapy versus medical therapy, it is expected that the CT resident will develop an understanding of clinical situations to create therapeutic plans and management strategies for his or her own patients. He or she should display a facility in oral and written communication, and will be responsible for maintaining a smoothly functioning service with attendings, general surgery residents, nursing staff and secretarial staff. 

Goals and objectives for each year and rotation

The training program will follow the Society of Thoracic Surgeons core curriculum guidelines and didactic education will occur on a scheduled weekly basis. The specific year objectives to implement the curriculum goals for the adult cardiac surgery rotation, the adult thoracic surgery rotation and the pediatric cardiothoracic surgery rotation are described in the sections below.

Adult Cardiac Surgery Rotation

Traditional residents rotate on the adult cardiac service during both years of training. During year two the residents serve as chief residents of the service.

The chief resident is responsible for organizing the resident component of teaching conference as well as creating the on-call schedule. He or she is also responsible for leading rounds both in the morning and evening and assigning residents for the operating room, outpatient clinics and coverage for transplantation.

All residents participate in twice-daily rounds on the service. They will coordinate the care of the patient from admission to discharge with the attending physician, consulting physicians, physician assistants and nurses.

Competency-based performance objectives:

Adult Thoracic Surgery Rotation

Traditional residents rotate on the general thoracic surgery service during both years of training. During year two, the residents function as chief residents on the service and have full responsibility for postoperative care and consultative services. The residents participates in preoperative evaluation with the attending faculty and are involved with operative planning.

The structure of the rotations includes participation in the outpatient setting as well as the operating room.

Competency-based performance objectives:

OSU Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery: Children’s Hospital Rotation

During the two-month rotation at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the CT surgery resident is the senior house officer involved in the multidisciplinary approach to patient management. There are two weekly management conferences: a two-hour surgical conference on Wednesdays and a two-hour catheterization conference held on Fridays. Attendance is mandatory.

Both the CT surgery resident and cardiology resident will have a more significant level of responsibility for patient management under supervision from the attending CT surgeons and cardiac intensivists.

Competency-based performance objectives:

More about Cardiac Surgery traditional residents

Application Process

The Ohio State Cardiothoracic Surgery training program accepts online applications through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) of the Association for American Medical Colleges (AAMC). When applying online, please include our 10-digit program code for FREIDA: 460-38-21-077.

For standard application forms, contact:

National Resident Matching Program
2450 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20037-1127
Phone: 202-828-0566
Fax: 202-828-4797

Interview Dates: February 7 and March 7, 2025

Resident Candidate Interview Information

Please utilize ERAS o apply for the program year beginning August 2026.

Questions?

Contact: CTSurgeryEducation@osumc.edu