The STS Podcast Channel

STS podcasts feature conversations with member surgeons and expert influencers that shine a light on the most pressing issues and opportunities in CT surgery, leadership, and surgeon wellness. Discover new ideas. Hear different perspectives. Find connections.

Listen to The Resilient Surgeon; Same Surgeon, Different Light; and Thinking Thoracic here or subscribe to STS podcast channels on your favorite podcast app.

The Resilient Surgeon

Hosted by Dr. Michael Maddaus, the Resilient Surgeon offers captivating and sincere conversations with some of the most influential and insightful experts in personal wellness and organizational leadership. Find practical strategies and scientifically proven practices to help you perform at your very best in and out of the OR. Listen here or subscribe to The Resilient Surgeon podcast channel on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or other popular listening platforms.

Podcast
#174, S4 Becoming A High-Performing Surgeon Leader

Laurie Baedke, executive coach, founder and CEO of Growth Edge Holdings, and best-selling author, talks with Dr. Michael Maddaus about “stepping outside your comfort zone” to grow professionally and personally in this episode of The Resilient Surgeon. They address the challenges of promoting high performers into leadership roles without equipping them with critical skills like communication, accountability, and influence. Listen today.

1 hr

Podcast
#173, S4 Stop Procrastinating

Do you ever say to yourself, “I don’t feel like doing this today?” On this episode, Tim Pychyl, PhD, procrastination researcher and author of Solving the Procrastination Puzzle, talks about procrastination and how to avoid it. Pychyl reveals the latest research on why people get stuck and offers strategies to "break free from self-destructive ideas and habits" and start living an inspired life. Listen today.

1 hr

Podcast
#172, S4 Activating the Soul, Mind and Heart of Leadership

Host Dr. Michael Maddaus talks with Jonathan Clark, leadership scholar at UTSA and co-author of Leading Through: Activating the Soul, Heart, and Mind of Leadership, about prioritizing people, purpose and real productivity to transform an organization. Hear compelling stories that show how "the legacy model of leadership can be destructive," resulting in what he calls "organizational darkness." Learn about a positive model focused on caring for people and helping them thrive.

1 hr

Same Surgeon, Different Light

Same Surgeon, Different Light demystifies CT surgery by revealing the men and women behind their surgical masks. New hosts Dr. Cherie Erkmen and Dr. Sara Pereira uncover the backstories of cardiothoracic surgeons from different backgrounds and career stages. It's a fascinating look at the powerful and personal stories about their career journeys. Listen here or subscribe to the Same Surgeon, Different Light podcast channel on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or other popular platforms.

Podcast
170; S5: Same Surgeon, Different Light w/ 'You Belong’ Scholarship Recipients

In the latest episode of Same Surgeon, Different Light, host Dr. Sara Pereira welcomes three recent “You Belong” Scholarship recipients — medical student Manuel De La Garza, Dr. Sanjhai Ramdeen, and Dr. Humberto Rodriguez-Quintero — to discuss the career paths they are forging as future leaders in medicine.

48 minutes

Podcast
169; S5: Same Surgeon, Different Light w/ Dr. Emily Farkas

Host Dr. Cherie Erkmen welcomes Dr. Emily Farkas, a cardiothoracic surgeon at the Indiana University School of Medicine, to discuss her unconventional path to becoming a trailblazer in global medicine. Dr. Farkas shares how she balances a clinical career in academic medicine with surgical missions around the world, and she reflects on her hope of serving as a model for the next generation of surgeons committed to giving back. As she puts it, “You can craft a career that’s a bit different from the rigid way we traditionally view cardiac surgery.”

52 minutes

Podcast
168; S5: Same Surgeon, Different Light w/ Dr. Brittany Zwischenberger

Host Dr. Sara Pereira sits down with Dr. Brittany Zwischenberger, a cardiothoracic surgeon at Duke University, to explore her remarkable career journey. Dr. Zwischenberger shares how she briefly considered majoring in Italian Studies before deciding to follow in the footsteps of her surgeon father and mentor. She also opens up about personal challenges—including divorce and single motherhood—and how support from her surgical partners helped her become a respected clinician, accomplished researcher, and the first female associate professor of cardiac surgery at Duke.

45 minutes

Thinking Thoracic

Hosted by Drs. Jeff Yang, Erin Gillaspie, Hari Keshava, and Jane Yanagawa, Thinking Thoracic offers candid conversations about the latest advancements and challenges in the field. Dive into critical topics, such as lung cancer screening advocacy, cutting-edge clinical trials, and debunking common medical myths. Listen here or subscribe to the Thinking Thoracic podcast channel on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or other popular listening platforms.

This podcast is generously supported by AstraZeneca.

Podcast
#14, S1 Insights Into the Landmark CheckMate 816 Trial

This latest episode of Thinking Thoracic, an STS podcast, features host Erin Gillaspie, MD, in conversation with Jonathan Spicer, MD, a leading thoracic oncologist and clinical trial investigator. The two dive into the landmark CheckMate 816 trial, which helped usher in a new era for immunotherapy in lung cancer treatment. Dr. Spicer shares insights on trial design, clinical outcomes, and what these findings mean for the future of thoracic surgery and oncology. Listen today.

1 hr

Podcast
#13 S1 Does Matterhorn Matter & More

Don’t miss the latest Thinking Thoracic episode as host Erin Gillaspie, MD, is joined by Stephanie Worrell, MD, associate professor, University of Arizona, and thoracic surgeon, Banner Health, for a lively and insightful post-ASCO discussion. Together, they unpack the significance of the CheckMate 577 and Matterhorn trials, and explore what these groundbreaking studies mean for the future of esophageal and gastroesophageal junction cancer care.

Tune in to hear their take on:

45 min.

Podcast
#12, S1 Cutting Edge: Robotic 1st Rib Resection

In this episode of Thinking Thoracic, Dr. Elliot Servais, Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, joins host Dr. Erin Gillaspie to share how he developed a robotic 1st rib resection program. Initially trained in the traditional transaxillary open approach, Dr. Servais was candid about his early reluctance to take on these technically challenging cases. That changed when he saw the potential of a minimally invasive, robotic technique that aligned with his existing surgical skill set. Recognizing an unmet need at his institution, he seized the opportunity to build a dedicated program.

1 hr