Our theme, Teaching for Tomorrow Together, honors STS’s dedication to innovation, training the next generation of cardiothoracic surgeons, and moving the specialty forward through collaboration and community.
Plan to attend this installment of the STS/SCA Webinar Series, Across the Drapes: Multidisciplinary Management in Esophagectomy. Leaders in both surgery and anesthesiology will discuss preoperative and intraoperative management of esophagectomy and its complications, with the goal of optimizing intraoperative management between surgeons and anesthesiologists.
A collaborative series presented by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) and the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists (SCA)
Date
7 p.m. ET
Data & Research
Initiatives and resources to improve quality care for patients
STS National Database
The gold standard for clinical registries and quality improvement
NEW ORLEANS—February 1, 2026— Ascending aortic hemiarch reconstruction offers the same long-term benefits to patients over age 65 with acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) as more complex extended arch reconstruction procedures, according to a study presented today at the 2026 Society of Thoracic Surgeons Annual Meeting.
Renowned surgeon-scientist to lead the specialty with a bold agenda centered on "Excellence, Evidence, and Impact"
NEW ORLEANS —January 31, 2026 —The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) today elected Vinay Badhwar, MD, as its 62nd President during the organization's Annual Meeting in New Orleans. Dr. Badhwar will guide the more than 8,000-member organization through a rapidly evolving health care landscape with a focus on technical excellence, data-driven science, and measurable impact for patients worldwide.
The Society of Thoracic Surgeons today announced Thomas E. MacGillivray, MD, as the recipient of the 2026 Distinguished Service Award in recognition of his extraordinary dedication to the field of cardiothoracic surgery and his longstanding service to STS at the Society’s 62nd Annual Meeting in New Orleans
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Dr. Thomas MacGillivray
Dr. MacGillivray is Physician Executive Director of Cardiac Surgery at MedStar Health and Chairman of Cardiac Surgery at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. He previously held senior leadership roles at Houston Methodist Hospital, including the Jimmy F. Howell, MD, Endowed Chair in Cardiovascular Surgery, Chief of Cardiac Surgery and Thoracic Transplant Surgery, and Associate Medical Director of the Cardiovascular ICU. Earlier, he spent 19 years at Massachusetts General Hospital as Surgical Director of the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program, Co-Director of the Thoracic Aortic Center, and Surgical Director of the Mechanical Circulatory Support Program, while also serving as Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School.
Across each of these leadership roles, Dr. MacGillivray has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to clinical excellence, innovation, and mentorship.
“Dr. Thomas MacGillivray embodies the highest standards of leadership, innovation, and dedication to the field of cardiothoracic surgery,” said STS President Joseph F. Sabik III, MD. “His unwavering commitment to advancing thoracic care and mentoring the next generation of surgeons has left an indelible mark on our Society and the specialty as a whole.”
Dr. MacGillivray is a board-certified cardiac and thoracic surgeon with more than 30 years of experience in both traditional open and minimally invasive techniques. His expertise spans coronary artery bypass, valve repair and replacement, thoracic aortic surgery, maze procedures, septal myectomy, cardiac tumor surgery, and adult congenital heart disease. He is committed to patient-centered care, following patients through their entire surgical journey from the OR to recovery.
His clinical and academic interests include aortic disease, adult congenital heart disease, heart failure, and pulmonary embolism. A strong advocate for quality improvement, he focuses on outcomes research and large clinical databases. He has authored more than 125 peer-reviewed articles and textbook chapters on aortic disease, adult congenital heart disease, mechanical circulatory support, and cardiac tumors.
Dr. MacGillivray earned his medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine after completing undergraduate studies in Classical Studies at Tufts University. He completed his internship and general surgery residency at Massachusetts General Hospital, followed by an extensive and distinguished fellowship training pathway that included a research fellowship in fetal surgery at the University of California, San Francisco; congenital heart surgery training as Chief Resident at Boston Children’s Hospital; and adult cardiothoracic surgery training as Chief Resident at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Through decades of clinical excellence, academic contribution, and service-oriented leadership, Dr. MacGillivray has made a lasting impact on cardiothoracic surgery. The 2026 Distinguished Service Award recognizes not only his remarkable career, but also his enduring commitment to patients, colleagues, and the future of the specialty.
Jan 31, 2026
3 min read
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STS News, the Society’s quarterly magazine for members only, brings you the latest CT surgery news, research, stories, and more to help keep you in the know and connected to your peers.
