Welcome to the 2026 STS Boot Camp!

During the next three days, you will experience an unparalleled educational opportunity designed to provide hands-on instruction and focused practice in fundamental cardiac and thoracic technical skills. In-depth and expert one-on-one instruction from cardiac and thoracic surgery educational leaders is planned, utilizing high- fidelity simulators that enhance the learning experience and replicate real-world cases and emergency scenarios. The low-stress—but focused—sessions for Boot Camp training include a wide array of events specifically designed to augment early learning and to allow a more engaged transition into training. Plenty of time for discussion and social engagement is embedded within the curriculum to heighten the overall experience. The Boot Camp faculty are skilled educators who have committed time to this process, and they look forward to working with you to help you develop new skills that will supplement your current training.

Once again, congratulations on being part of STS Boot Camp. We greatly appreciate the opportunity to be involved in your training and hope you have a wonderful and memorable experience. 

Boot Camp Program Directors

Nahush Mokadam, MD, Chair

Carolyn Jones, MD 
University of Rochester

Yihan Lin, MD, MPH 
University of Washington 

Daniel Oh, MD
City of Hope National Cancer Center

James I. Fann, MD  
Stanford University

Andrei Churyla, MD 
St. Luke’s Medical Center 

Jules Lin, MD 
University of Michigan

 

Agenda

Day 1 - Thursday, Aug. 20
TimeEventLocation
5 – 6:30 p.m.Welcome ReceptionO'Hare Ballroom Foyer


 

Day 2 - Friday, Aug. 21
TimeEventLocation
7 a.m. – 6 p.m.RegistrationRegistration Booth B 
 7 – 8 a.m.BreakfastBallroom A-B
7:15 – 7:35 a.n.Welcome & Overview of Events
Nahush Mokadam, MD, Chair, STS Boot Camp
Grand Ballroom 4 
7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.Exhibit Hours 
8 – 10 a.m.Breakout Sessions I-VI * See Breakout Session Schedule
10 – 10:30 a.m.Morning Break/Visit Exhibits  
10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.Breakout Sessions I-VI *See Breakout Session Schedule
12:30 p.m.Lunch Ballroom A-B
12:45 – 1:30 p.m.Industry Symposium: Navigating the Aortic Arch: Technology, Techniques, and Skill Development
Sponsored by: Gore & Associates 
Grand Ballroom 4
1:30 – 1:45 p.m.STS Presidential Update 
Vinay Badhwar, MD, STS President
 
1:45 – 2 p.m.Visit Exhibits  
1:45 – 2 p.m.Group Photo 
2 – 4 p.m.Breakout Sessions I-VI * See Breakout Session Schedule
4 – 4:30 p.m.Afternoon Break / Visit Exhibits 
4:30 – 6:30 p.m.Breakout Sessions I-VI * See Breakout Session Schedule
6:30 – 7:15 p.m.Dinner  
7:15 – 7:30 p.m.Importance of Performing Ablation 
James Edgerton, MD 
Grand Ballroom 4
7:30 – 9:30 p.m. Wet Lab Training Session: Mitral Valve Surgery 
Sponsored by Medtronic
Chicago Ballroom C-D
Day 3 - Saturday, Aug. 22
TimeEventLocation
7:15 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.Registration / Exhibit HoursGrand Ballroom 4
7 – 8 a.m.Breakfast Symposium: Restoring Recovery: Optimizing Recovery Pathways and Outcomes
Sponsored by J&J MedTech, Heart Recovery
 
8 – 10 a.m.Breakout Sessions I-VI**See Breakout Session Schedule
10 – 10:30 a.m.Morning Break / Visit Exhibits 
10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.Breakout Sessions I-VI**See Breakout Session Schedule
12:30 – 1:45 p.m.Lunch 
12:45 – 1:30 p.m.Industry Symposium: Strategies and Best Practices for Minimally-Invasive Surgical Heart Valve Replacement
Sponsored by Abbott
Grand Ballroom 4
1:45 – 2 p.m.Visit Exhibits 
2 – 4 p.m.Breakout Sessions I-VI**See Breakout Session Schedule
4 – 4:30 p.m.Afternoon Break / Visit Exhibits 
4:30 – 6:30 p.m.Breakout Sessions I-VI**See Breakout Session Schedule
6:30 – 7:30 p.m.Dinner  
7:30 – 9:30 p.m.Wet Lab Training Session: Aortic Valve Surgery
Sponsored by Abbott
Chicago Ballroom C-D


 

Day 4 - Sunday, Aug. 23
TimeEventLocation
6:45 – 7:30 a.m.BreakfastBallroom A-B
7:30 – 9:30 a.m.Breakout Sessions I-VI**See Breakout Session Schedule
9:30 – 9:45 a.m.Morning Break 
9:45 – 11:45 a.m.Breakout Sessions I-VI** 
11:45 a.m. – 12 p.m.Closing Remarks 
Breakout Session Schedule
Image
Boot Camp Breakout Sessions Schedule

* Subject to Change

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of Boot Camp, attendees should be able to:
  • Explain the surgical principles of coronary revascularization and satisfactorily perform proximal and distal coronary anastomoses.
  • Adequately perform wire skills with performance of TAVR procedures.
  • Adequately perform aortic and atrial cannulation along with placing a patient on cardiopulmonary bypass and subsequently weaning of the process and decannulation.
  • Explain the principles of the cardiopulmonary bypass machine as well as common troubleshooting issues that can arise when a patient is on CPB.
  • Recognize the basics of echocardiography and standard normal and pathologic findings with TEE.
  • Describe the fundamental surgical techniques and strategies for performing an open pulmonary lobectomy.
  • Satisfactorily operate the Da Vinci robot and conduct the basic skills necessary to perform a robotic- assisted pulmonary lobectomy.
  • Adequately operate the Endobronchial Ultrasound (EBUS) Scope and perform EBUS-directed biopsy of parabronchial and paratracheal lymph nodes.
  • Adequately perform navigational bronchoscopy
  • Adequately perform robotic bronchoscopy.
  • Adequately perform trans thoracic lung biopsy.
  • Manage insertion of a double lumen endotracheal tube, as well as troubleshoot problems that commonly occur after the tube has been placed.
  • Proficiently place an esophageal and tracheal stent.
  • Proficiently place and use a rigid bronchoscope.
  • Adequately perform a mitral valve repair and replacement.  
  • Adequately perform an aortic valve repair and replacement
  • Understand correct suture needle angles.
  • Understand the pitfalls and potential areas of harm due to improper suture placement.
  • Adequately perform a mitral valve repair.  
  • Adequately perform an aortic valve repair.  

Attendees

Participants

Raza Ahmad, MD 
Emory University School of Medicine, Thoracic Surgery Independent Fellowship

Tayal Alzghari, MD 
Newark Beth Israel Medical Center

Madison Argo, MD 
UT Southwestern Medical Center Thoracic Surgery Fellowship

Yingyot Arora, MD 
Loma Linda University Health Education Consortium Program - Thoracic Surgery

Abigail Bateman, MD 
Oregon Health & Science University

Claire Bensard, MD, PhD 
University of California San Diego

Maria Beyer, MD 
UTHSCSA

Diane Bronikowski, MD 
Albany Medical Center

Sarah Burki, MD 
Temple University Hospital

Elizabeth Calle, MD, PhD 
University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics-Cardiothoracic Fellowship

Seana Corbin, MD 
University of Nebraska Medical Center

Elena Danielson, MD 
University of Iowa Cardiothoracic Surgery

John DePaolo, MD, PhD 
Penn State Hershey Medical Center

Adam Dyas, MD 
University of Colorado Anschutz

Jasmina Ehab, MD 
Tufts Medical Center

Mina Estafanos, MD 
University of Rochester

Ionea Florea, MD 
University of Mississippi Medical Center

Sean Francois, MD 
Corewell Health - Grand Rapids | Michigan State University

Amanda Ghanie, MD 
Montefiore Medical Center

Timothy Harris, MD 
UCSF Thoracic Surgery Residency Program

Bayley Jones, MD 
Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Whitney Kellett, MD, PhD 
Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

Matthew Khouzam, MD 
IU Health Thoracic Surgery Indianapolis - Thoracic Surgery Integrated

Thomas Knapp, MD 
University of Utah

Ezra Koh, MD 
University of Alabama at Birmingham

Alla Kozubenko, MD 
Thoracic Surgery Yale Medicine at Yale New Haven Hospital

Henry Kwon, MD 
VCU School of Medicine

Alexander Lee Chen, DO 
Henry Ford Health

Luke Meredith, MD 
University of Michigan Thoracic Surgery Independent Fellowship

Bryan Miles, MD 
Allegheny General/ AHN

Kriti Mittal Agrawal, MD 
UT MD Anderson Cancer Center

Anne Montal, MD 
Mount Sinai Health System

Antonela Muca, MD 
Mayo Clinic Thoracic Surgery Residency

Pournika Muniyandi, MD 
UC Davis Health

Allison Navarrete-Welton, MD 
Duke University

Anna Niroomand, MD, PhD 
NYU Grossman School of Medicine

Aloys Nsereko, MD 
UConn Thoracic Surgery Fellowship Program

Bernadette Peltier, MD 
Cleveland Clinic Thoracic Surgery - Independent

Julia Riccardi, MD 
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Yasmine Rifai, MD 
Montefiore Einstein Cardiothoracic Surgery

Hunter Row, MD 
Loyola University Medical Center

Devin Russell, MD 
East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine / ECU Health Medical Center

Syed Saif  Rizvi, MD 
UM / JMH Thoracic Surgery Fellowship

Benjamin Seadler, MD 
Medical College of Wisconsin Thoracic Surgery Fellowship

Madigan Stanley, MD 
University of Minnesota

James Stewart II, MD 
University of Florida Thoracic Fellowship

Hailey Theeuwen, MD 
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Shawn Tsutsui, MD 
Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University

Samantha Valentine, DO 
University of Kansas Health System

Hannah Vester, MD 
University of Cincinnati Medical Center

Srineil Vuthaluru, MD 
University of Chicago

Vivian Wang, MD 
Brigham and Women's Hospital

Kevin Wang, MD 
University of Arizona

Hamid Wardak, MD 
UTMB Cardiothoracic Surgery

Hadley Wilson, MD 
Carolinas Medical Center

Amelia Wong, DO 
Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell Thoracic Surgery Fellowship and Thoracic Surgery Residency Integrated

Cynthia Xu, MD 
Johns Hopkins

Michael Xu, MD 
UPMC Medical Education

Lye-Yeng Wong, MD 
Stanford CT Surgery Residency Training Program

Andrew Young, MD 
University of Virginia 

Faculty

Zaid Abdelsattar, MD 
Loyola University Medical Center

Ron Angona 
Strong Memorial Hospital, University of Rochester Medical Center

Marvin Atkins, MD 
Houston Methodist Hospital

Vinay Badhwar, MD 
West Virginia University

Manjit Bains, MD 
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Alejandro Bribriesco, MD 
Cleveland Clinic

Andrew Brownlee, MD 
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Darren Bryan, MD 
University of Chicago

Robert Cameron, MD 
University of California, Los Angeles - UCLA Medical Center

Ryan Campagna, MD 
University of Rochester Department of Surgery

Edward Chan, MD 
MedStar Washington Hospital Center

Ernest Chan, MD 
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Stephen Chiu, MD 
Northwestern Memorial Hospital

Kukbin Choi, MD 
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

Andrei Churyla, MD 
Aurora St. Luke's Medical Center

Kim Costas, MD 
Providence Regional Medical Center

Emmanuel Daon, MD 
The University of Kansas Hospital

Caitlin Demarest, MD, PhD 
Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Desmond D'Souza, MD 
The Ohio State University Medical Center

James Edgerton, MD 
Washington University, St Louis

Mohammed Eldeiry, MD 
University of Colorado

Thomas Fabian, MD 
Albany Medical College

Nick Falter, MPH, CCP 
UCHealth

James Fann, MD 
Stanford University

Gurinder Gill 
Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario

Luis Godoy, MD 
University of California Davis Health

Tyler Grenda, MD 
Thomas Jefferson University

Eugene Grossi, MD 
New York University Medical Center

Robert B. Hawkins II, MD 
University of Michigan

Rian Hasson, MD 
Brigham and Woman's Hospital

Matthew Henn, MD 
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

Mohammed Hussein, MD
University of Rochester

Jeffrey Javidfar, MD 
Emory University

Patpilai Kasinpila, MD 
Stanford University

Amie Kent, MD 
NYU Langone Health - Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Samuel Kim, MD 
Northwestern University

Serge Kobsa, MD, PhD 
USC Cardiac and Vascular Institute

Minyoung Kwak, MD
Rochester Regional Health

Kiran Lagisetty, MD 
University of Michigan

John Lazar, MD 
Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown

Miguel Leiva Juarez, MD 
Tufts Medical Center

Jules Lin, MD 
University of Michigan

Yihan Lin, MD 
University of Washington

Jason Long, MD 
University of North Carolina

Natalie Lui, MD 
Stanford University

Kalvin Lung, MD 
Northwestern University

Frank Manetta, MD 
Northwell Health

Melissa Medina, MD 
Northwestern Memorial Hospital

Nicole Michaud, MS, CCP 
Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Rita Milewski, MD, PhD 
Yale University

Nahush Mokadam, MD

Jonathan Nesbitt, MD 
Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Daniel Oh, MD 
University of Southern California

Miroslav Peev, MD 
University of Chicago

Stevan Pupovac, MD 
Northwell Health

Dave Rabkin, MD 
Loma Linda University Medical Center

Jonathan Rice, MD, PhD 
University of Arizona

T. Brett Reece, MD 
University of Colorado

Scott Reznik, MD 
UT Southwestern Medical Center

Matthew Rochefort, MD 
Brigham and Woman's Hospital

Phillip Rowse, MD 
Mayo Clinic

Manu Sancheti, MD 
Emory University

Chelsey Santino, MD 
Johns Hopkins University

Ahmad Sheikh, MD 
Kaiser Permanente San Francisco

Sara Shumway, MD 
University of Minnesota

Aleem Siddique, MBBS 
University of Nebraska Medical Center

Shelby Stewart, MD 
University of Maryland School of Medicine

Frederick Tibayan, MD 
Oregon Health and Sciences University

Garrett Walsh, MD 
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

James Yun, MD, PhD 
Cleveland Clinic

Anthony Zaki, MD 
Cleveland Clinic

Daniel Ziazadeh, MD 
University of Rochester Medical Center

Resident Cohort Assignments

Attend all Breakout Sessions with your designated cohort.
Alpha A Alpha B Bravo ABravo B Charlie A Charlie BDelta ADelta BEcho A Echo B
Raza AhmadTalal AlzghariMadison ArgoYingyot AroraAbigail BatemanClaire BensardBernadette PeltierJulia RiccardiYasmine RifaiSyed Saif Rizvi
Maria BeyerDiane BronikowskiSarah BurkiElizabeth Calle Alexander ChenSeana DorbinHunter RowDevin RussellBenjamin SeadlerMadigan Stanley
Elena DanielsonJohn DePaoloAdam DyasJasmina EhabMina EstafanosIonea FloreaJames StewartHailey Theeuwen Shawn TsutsuiSamantha Valentine 
Sean FrancoisAmanda Ghanie Timothy HarrisBayley JonesWhitney KellettMatthew KhouzamHannah VesterSrineil VuthaluruVivian WangKevin Wang
Thomas KnappEzra KohAlla KozubenkoHenry KwonLuke MeredithBryan MilesHamid WardakAllison WeltonHadley WilsonAmelia Wong
Kriti Mittal AgrawalAnne Montal Antonela MucaPournika MuniyandiAnna NiroomandAloys NserekoLye Yeng WongCynthia XuMichael XuAndrew Young

Exhibitor Recognition

Medtronic

We lead global healthcare technology, boldly attacking the most challenging problems. Our Mission — to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life — unites a global team of 90,000+ people, and our technologies transform the lives of two people every second, every hour, every day. Expect more from us. Medtronic. Engineering the extraordinary. 

AtriCure, Inc

AtriCure, Inc. provides innovative technologies for the treatment of Afib and related conditions. Afib affects more than 37 million people worldwide. Electrophysiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons around the globe use AtriCure technologies for the treatment of Afib and reduction of Afib related complications. AtriCure’s Isolator® Synergy™ Ablation System is the first medical device to receive FDA approval for the treatment of persistent Afib. AtriCure’s AtriClip® Left Atrial Appendage Exclusion System products are the most widely sold LAA management devices worldwide. 

Abbott

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 122,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

Edwards Lifesciences

Edwards Lifesciences is the leading global structural heart innovation company, driven by a passion to improve patient lives. Through breakthrough technologies, world-class evidence and partnerships with clinicians and healthcare stakeholders, our employees are inspired by our patient-focused culture to deliver life-changing innovations to those who need them most. 

Gore & Associates

Gore engineers medical devices that treat a range of cardiovascular and other health conditions. With more than 50 million medical devices implanted over the course of more than 45 years, Gore builds on its legacy of improving patient outcomes through research, education and quality initiatives.

Hemostasis BioMedical 

Johnson & Johnson MedTech Heart Recovery

Across Johnson & Johnson, we are tackling the world’s most complex and pervasive health challenges. Through a cardiovascular portfolio that provides healthcare professionals with advanced mapping and navigation, miniaturized tech, and precise ablation, we are addressing conditions with significant unmet needs such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, stroke, and atrial fibrillation. We are the global leaders in heart recovery, circulatory restoration and the treatment of heart rhythm disorders, as well as an emerging leader in neurovascular care, committed to taking on two of the leading causes of death worldwide in heart failure and stroke. 

Medistim

Medistim is the market leader in intraoperative ultrasonic guidance and quality assessment. The MiraQ™ platform, now powered by INTUI, offers an enhanced, intuitive interface with streamlined navigation and improved data interpretation. Surgeons benefit from real-time, quantifiable insights with transit time flow measurement (TTFM) and high-frequency ultrasound (HFUS) imaging to optimize outcomes. 

Arthrex, Inc.

Arthrex is advancing cardiothoracic care through purposeful innovation, surgeon collaboration, and education. With over 40 years dedicated to Helping Surgeons Treat Their Patients Better®, our expansion into cardiothoracic surgery reflects a natural evolution of that mission through solutions developed to address clinical needs and support the continued advancement of cardiac and thoracic surgery. 

Johnson & Johnson MedTech

At Johnson & Johnson MedTech, we are working to solve the world’s most pressing healthcare challenges through innovations at the intersection of biology and technology. We harness our deep expertise in surgery, orthopedics, vision, and interventional solutions to design healthcare solutions that are smarter, less invasive, and more personalized. To learn more about how we develop med tech that helps save lives and redefine what it feels like to be a patient, visit  https://thenext.jnjmedtech.com/. 

CORCYM

CORCYM offers a complete portfolio of surgical solutions with a heritage spanning more than 50 years, leveraging a complete and distinctive set of technologies, capabilities and infrastructure. We are dedicated to providing the best solutions to Heart Surgeons and their Patients to fight structural heart disease. 

Fehling Surgical Instruments Inc

Fehling is a traditional family-operated company with more than thirty years of history bringing premium quality products from artisanal German workshops to CV and CT surgeons around the world. Fehling offers durable instrumentation and novel retractors designed for specific surgical procedures. Our endless pursuit of innovation enables us to achieve our ultimate goal of unparalleled performance and value.