Francis Robicsek, MD, Ph.D., FACS
Chairman, Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery; Medical Director, Carolinas Heart & Vascular Institute (CHVI); Clinical Professor of Surgery, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Dr. Robicsek attended Pazmany Peter University Medical School in Budapest, where he completed his residency and general and thoracic surgical training. He continued thoracic surgery training at Carolinas Medical Center. He has served in numerous principal positions and appointments throughout his years of service and is recognized internationally as a leader and visionary in his field. Several procedures, patents and operating suites bear his name. Dr. Robicsek is the recipient of many special and distinguished honors from medical universities worldwide. He is the author of seven books, has published more than 500 medical/scientific articles, given more than 450 presentations and served on editorial boards of three journals and reviewer of more than 12 journals. He actively participates with the residents to promote their clinical and theoretical education. Dr. Robicsek is certified by the American Board of Surgery and by both the American and European Boards of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.

Christopher W. Baird, MD
Christopher W. Baird, MD, completed medical school at Univ of NC, Chapel Hill. He graduated from University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine with his general surgery and cardiothoracic residency training and continued his congenital cardiothoracic surgical training at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and Boston Children's Hospital. He is certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery.

Kevin Lobdell, MD
Associate Program Director
Director, Adult and Pediatric Cardiac Surgical Care, Carolinas Heart & Vascular Institute (CHVI)
Dr. Lobdell is from Detroit, MI. He graduated from the University of Michigan and Wayne State University School of Medicine, and his general surgery training was at the University of Minnesota. He was the Winchester Fellow in cardiothoracic surgery research at Yale University, where he completed his residency in cardiothoracic surgery. While at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, Dr. Lobdell completed a congenital cardiac surgery fellowship. His surgical critical care training was at the Children's Hospital of Michigan/Wayne State University. He is certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery and has special qualification and surgical critical care by the American Board of Surgery.

Jeko M. Madjarov, MD
Dr. Madjarov was born in Sofia Bulgaria, served in the military and completed general surgery training in Bulgaria. He moved to the United State and re-entered Yale Medical Center, CT and Baystate Medical Center, MA to earn is US accredited general surgery training. Jeko completed both his accredited vascular surgery and cardiothoracic residency programs at Carolinas Medical Center, in 2007. He is a board certified vascular surgeon.

Mark K. Reames Sr., MD, FACS
Chief, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Carolinas Medical Center
Physician Course Director, Pulmonary and Multidisciplinary Lung Tumor Conferences
Dr. Reames was born in Bishopville, SC and graduated from the Citadel and completed medical school at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, SC. He completed his general surgery residency at the University of Kentucky Medical Center. He completed his thoracic residency at Carolinas Medical Center, where he joined the faculty in 1995. Dr. Reames' main interests lie in non-cardiac thoracic surgery. He directs the thoracic core curriculum for general thoracic surgery and oncology portions and is a member of the Quality Assurance Committee. Dr. Reames is certified by the American Board of Surgery, and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery.

Eric R. Skipper, MD, FACS
Vice Chief Thoracic Surgery, Surgical Director, Clinical Research; Surgical Director, Cardiac Transplantation; Surgical Director, Ventricular Assist
Dr. Skipper was born in Tryon, NC and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and completed medical school at Bowman Gray School of Medicine. Dr. Skipper continued his postgraduate training at East Carolina University School of Medicine. He completed his vascular and thoracic residency programs at Carolinas Medical Center, where he joined the faculty in 1995. Dr. Skipper serves as Fourth Year Course Director of Cardiovascular Surgery Elective at UNC School of Medicine. Dr. Skipper is credited for bringing the novel technological methods introduced in our department and has been working extensively on our cardiac robot. As head of our transplantation service, he is tireless in procuring donor hearts, often escorting the med evac services during transportation. He is also active in the thoracic curriculum lectures. Dr. Skipper is certified by the American Board of Surgery, the American Board of Thoracic Surgery and the Vascular Board of Surgery.

R. Mark Stiegel, MD, FACS
Chief, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Carolinas Heart and Vascular Institute
Dr. Stiegel is from Jacksonville, FL and attended the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, where he also completed his general surgery residency. He completed his thoracic surgery residency at Carolinas Medical Center and followed with a fellowship at Emory University Hospital in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery. He joined the teaching staff at Carolinas Medical Center in 1987. Dr. Stiegel is certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery.

Larry T. Watts, MD, FACS
Director, Clinical Instructor, Pediatric Cardiac Surgery
Dr. Watts was born in Winston-Salem, NC and attended medical school at Bowman Gray School of Medicine. He completed his general surgery residency at the University of Tennessee. He continued his cardiothoracic fellowship, residency and instructor-fellow at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL. He also completed a clinical fellowship in pediatric cardiovascular surgery at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario through the University of Birmingham. Dr. Watts brings extraordinary expertise in congenital cardiac surgery to the program in both complex cases and procedures. He joined the faculty at Carolinas Medical System in 1997 and received the 2004 "Best Teacher of the Year Award." Dr. Watts is certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery.