A Visionary Surgeon Transforming Heart and Vascular Care

As one of the global leaders in minimally invasive valve surgery, Dr. Nguyen and his team focuses on the least invasive approach to address complex valve problems. This includes Minimally Invasive Valve Surgery, TAVR, and MitraClip. Patients with minimally invasive procedures have decreased need for blood transfusions, shortened hospital stay, and ultimately a faster recovery.

Meet the Chief, Dr. Tom C. Nguyen

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About Tom C. Nguyen, M.D.

Dr. Nguyen is an internationally recognized minimally invasive heart surgeon and believes that small incisions make a big difference. He is the director of minimally invasive valve surgery, chief medical executive of Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute, Barry T. Katzen Medical Director Endowed Chair, and a professor of surgery at Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. In his role as the Chief Medical Executive, he leads cardiac surgery, cardiology, vascular surgery, and interventional radiology for the 12-hospital health system.

His outcomes score in the top 98.7% in the national Society of Thoracic Surgeons’ (STS) database. Dr. Nguyen recently came from the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), where he was the chief of cardiothoracic surgery and Charles Schwab Distinguished Professor. During his tenure at UCSF, Dr. Nguyen helped transform cardiothoracic surgery, while establishing benchmark figures in quality, outcomes and research.

Dr. Nguyen graduated from Rice University and then worked in Switzerland at the World Health Organization. Although he was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship, he decided to pursue medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He says that there’s much poetry and music written about the heart, but that when he witnessed the panache of a heartbeat, he was hooked; therefore, he has dedicated the past 30 years to becoming the best heart doctor he can be. Dr. Nguyen completed his surgery training at Stanford, where he received the Outstanding ICU award and the Intern of the Year Award. He then completed a fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery at Columbia University as well as a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) fellowship at Emory.

Thanks to his passion for teaching and mentorship, Dr. Nguyen received the Benjy Brooks Outstanding Clinical Faculty Award, as well as teaching awards from the Arnold P. Gold Foundation and the American College of Surgeons. He has volunteered as a surgeon across the globe and lived in Africa (Asmara, Eritrea) to share experiences with others

Dr. Nguyen is active in research at a regional, national, and international level. He has published nearly 300 peer-reviewed articles, serves on the editorial boards of four academic journals and is the editor of several textbooks. Before turning 40, he received the Houston Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Award. Dr. Nguyen leads research trials on treatments for valve disease. He has been principal investigator on landmark trials exploring transcatheter technologies. He recently served as president of the 21st Century Cardiothoracic Surgery Society and is a director of the American Board of Thoracic Surgery (ABTS). He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS), the Thoracic Surgery Foundation (TSF), CTSNet, and the International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery (ISMICS).

As an immigrant growing up in America, Dr. Nguyen learned more than English by watching Saturday morning cartoons. He learned about dreams, mentorship, and serendipity. He appreciates that healthcare revolves not around models and formulas, but around people. He also appreciates that his success is not his own, but reflections from countless mentors and fortuitous events. Recognizing his good fortune, he vows to pay it forward. He strives every day to deserve the privilege of practicing medicine and is committed to treating patients like family.

Dr. Nguyen is married to Dr. Gina Landinez, an interventional radiologist, and is the proud dad of two beautiful daughters.

Education

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Maryland) Medical School, 2002

Residences

New York Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia Campus Residency Program, Surgery, Thoracic, 2012

Stanford University Medical Center (California) Residency Program, Surgery, General, 2010

Fellowships

Columbia University, Cardiothoracic Surgery

Emory University, Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)

Board of Certifications

Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery American Board of Thoracic Surgery, 2014

Dr. Nguyen's Accolades

Pioneering Cardiovascular Care for a Healthier Tomorrow

I strive every day to deserve the privilege of practicing and leading medicine. My philosophy is treating patients like family and making sure they have the best care possible with the fastest recovery. I look forward to working with others to revolutionize healthcare in South Florida and beyond.”

Big Vision, Tiny Incisions, Powerful Impact

For select patients that qualify, the aortic or mitral valve can be replaced through small incisions in the groin or upper chest without having to open up the breast bone. These options include TAVR, MitraClip and Minimally Invasive Valve Surgery.

296

Minimally-Invasive Pump Surgeries Per Year

2,489+

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Implants

Top 98.6%

Outcomes Score in the National STS Database

296

Published Peer-Reviewed Articles

Our Team

High-quality heart and vascular care requires a multidisciplinary approach to treatment. We're proud to have a team of experts from all areas of cardiac care who closely work together to ensure your best outcomes.

Meet out team and find the provider that's right for you.

Meet Our Team

Trust your Heart to Baptist Health

Baptist Health is proud to provide the most advanced heart and vascular care in the region. From prevention and early detection, to minimally invasive treatments, rehabilitation and support, we can help keep your heart healthy now and for the moments to come.

First-Of-Its-Kind-Care

Our institutes are one of the first to treat the cardiovascular system as a whole. This unique approach brings together experts from all areas of cardiology to deliver the best care for every patient.

Specialty Services

From state-of-the-art screenings to advanced surgery, we provide personalized care for all heart and vascular conditions. Our physicians work with you to help prevent or treat any concerns before they become serious.

Explore Services

Breakthrough Research

We have more than 50 clinical trials underway at any given time. These leading-edge studies give our patients access to new lifesaving and less-invasive therapies years before they're widely available.

Learn More

Innovative Technology

For years, our team has been a test site for Philips, a world leader in healthcare technologies. As their partner in innovation, we provide valuable clinical insights that lead to safer, faster and more effective solutions for our patients.

You guys are very blessed at Baptist because now you are state of the art as far as heart surgery. You now have the finest facility there is, you have the best surgeons, the best nurses and the best staff,” he proclaims. “I feel tremendously blessed to have had this surgery there and to be an example of what Baptist can do.

News & Podcasts

News

New Surgeon Leader for Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute Plans Major Expansion March 4, 2024

From its humble beginnings in 1987 in two small rooms tucked behind the Baptist Hospital Emergency Center to developing technologies and treatments that have changed the course of cardiovascular...

Meet the Chief: Tom C. Nguyen, M.D., Leads Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute February 29, 2024

Tom C. Nguyen, M.D., an internationally renowned minimally invasive heart surgeon, credits two figures – his father and, yes, a cartoon character – for instilling the qualities that have gotten him...

Cayman Islands Man Back at Work Weeks After Heart Surgery in Miami February 29, 2024

When Shane Foster of the Cayman Islands needed highly complex heart surgery late last year to replace a leaky aortic valve, the 59-year-old immediately turned to Baptist Health in Miami. For decades,...

Podcasts

AI and the Future of Heart Care February 26, 2024
Dementia: The Journey of Forgetting March 21, 2024
Understanding Multiple Sclerosis The Battle Within March 26, 2024

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