Welcome to the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of Iowa. 

Our department is the leader in tertiary-level Cardiothoracic Surgery care in the state and the surrounding region. Our patient population is diverse and presents with a variety of cases from routine surgical cases to highly complex surgical cases including mechanical circulatory support, heart and lung transplants, ECMO and complex cardiac and thoracic surgeries. We provide a multidisciplinary approach to the care of all our patients. Our clinical services range from outpatient to inpatient at both the University of Iowa and the Iowa City Veterans Affairs Medical Center. We enjoy strong collaborations with the cardiology (adult and pediatric), pulmonology, oncology, and gastrointestinal services, as well as radiation oncology and thoracic radiology.

We are proud to be a part of the financially strong University of Iowa Hospital and the academically strong Carver College of Medicine. The department is fortunate to have faculty members who care passionately about the education of our residents, fellows, as well as our medical students, and colleagues (through continuing medical education.)

Our department takes pride in its rich history, while continuing to advance our vision of the future for academic health care, innovation and medical education. 

Kalpaj R. Parekh, portrait

Kalpaj R. Parekh, MBBS
Nicholas P. Rossi Professor and Department Executive Officer