Congenital heart specialist named first female president of Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Jennifer C. Romano, MD, MS, a congenital heart surgeon with Mott Children’s Hospital and a professor with the University of Michigan (UM) Medical School, has been elected president of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS). Romano is the first woman to hold that title in the 60-year history of STS.
The news was announced Monday, Jan. 29, at STS 2024, the organization’s annual meeting.
“I'm honored and excited to be selected by the board as the new president of STS,” Romano said in a prepared statement. “I’m ready to lead our members into this next chapter and increase our impact on the specialty and patient care.”
Romano emphasized the importance of mental health for all healthcare providers, noting that feelings of burnout, stress or anxiety can have a negative impact on surgeons both at work and at home.
“STS is the voice of our profession and our patients,” she said. “So how can we become better advocates for each other and the patients we serve? We must be more dynamic and flexible and find ways to improve work-life balance. Because when people are happy in all areas of life—career, family, and personal hobbies—they are better surgeons and better leaders.”
Romano also praised her mentors and colleagues at UM. After graduating Harvard Medical School and seeking a residency program, she said many institutions seemed inexperienced when it came to training women. At UM, however, she was immediately surrounded by other strong women and the program offered her nothing but support.
“It wasn’t like I had to pave the way at Michigan,” Romano said. “They were already used to having women who were amazing.”
STS also announced that Joseph Sabik III, MD, was elected first vice president of the group. Vinay Badhwar, MD, was named second vice president.
Click here for more information about STS 2024, the group's 60th annual meeting.
Michael has more than 18 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.