Jennifer L. Ellis, MD

My father was a psychiatrist, and I saw firsthand how he made a difference in people’s lives. I decided I wanted to help people as well, but I became especially interested in cardiac surgery when I discovered that heart problems—unlike brain problems—are essentially mechanical. A faulty valve or inadequate blood supply, for instance, can be diagnosed and precisely addressed so that a patient can go on to have a relatively normal life.

I manage a variety of cardiac conditions, such as aortic and mitral valve disorders, coronary artery disease, ischemia, tricuspid valve disease, and ascending aortic aneurysm and dissection.

I perform coronary artery bypass graft surgery and repair and replace heart valves and the ascending aorta, which carries blood from the heart to the body. I collaborate with cardiologists, anesthesiologists, critical care doctors, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants to ensure comprehensive and high-quality care.

My goal is to help patients achieve the best possible outcomes. I present treatment options and explain the risks and benefits. I encourage patients to make the right choice for them. One of the most rewarding highlights of my job is seeing a patient, a few weeks after surgery, run up a flight of stairs without becoming short of breath.

When I became board-certified in thoracic surgery in 2000, I was the 100th woman in the United States to do so. Today, only several hundred women are board-certified thoracic surgeons, and just a few are Black women.

I train residents in cultural competence to improve their interactions with people from different backgrounds. I am also developing a program that would allow college students from underserved communities to observe cardiac surgeons in the summer. My goal is to help people who might never have believed that a career as a surgeon was possible for them see the steps they can take to make it a reality.