Faisal G. Bakaeen MD

Faisal Bakaeen, MD, is Professor of Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine and the Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Distinguished Chair in the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery in the Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart & Vascular Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. He also serves as the Surgical Director of the Coronary Revascularization Center and the Director of Quality and Process Improvement at the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. Cleveland Clinic has been ranked the #1 hospital for cardiology and heart surgery by U.S. News & World Report since 1994.

Prior to that, Dr. Bakaeen was the Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center and Professor of Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. He received the distinguished Service Award for his clinical and academic contribution to Baylor College of Medicine. In the VA system, Dr. Bakaeen served in multiple leadership positions including Chairing the Surgical Quality Data Use Group (SQDUG), and serving on the National Surgical Advisory Group.

Specialty interests: Coronary artery bypass surgery, arterial revascularization, valve and aortic surgery, minimally invasive heart valve surgery, and cardiac reoperations. Dr. Bakaeen has performed more than 5000 heart and valve surgeries. He is board-certified in surgery and cardiac and thoracic surgery.

Education and Training: Dr. Bakaeen earned his degree in medicine and surgery with honors from the University of Cambridge School of Medicine, Cambridge, UK, and completed his postgraduate training at the University of Cambridge School of Medicine Teaching Hospitals. He served a residency in general surgery at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., followed by a cardiothoracic surgery fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston.

Publications and Speaking: Dr. Bakaeen has been published extensively in medical journals, authoring or co-authoring more than 290 papers related to his research in cardiac and valvular disease in addition to numerous book chapters. He has presented his research findings at more than 100 medical meetings, including the American Association for Thoracic Surgery, American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, and is frequently invited to serve as a discussion moderator at major medical meetings across the United States and abroad.

Clinical Trials: Dr. Bakaeen has been the National PI and local PI for multiple national and international cardiovascular trials that are funded by government and industry. He also serves in leadership positions in those trials including the REGROUP, ROOBY, and ROMA trials in which he is a member of the Steering Committee.

Service and Teaching: Dr. Bakaeen has received the Distinguished Service Award and The Fulbright Jaworski Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award from Baylor College of Medicine. He has mentored dozens of residents and medical students throughout his career.

National Professional Associations: Dr. Bakaeen belongs to many professional societies and holds (or has held) leadership positions including: Co-Chair of the AATS Clinical Practice and Standards Committee, President and Treasurer, Association of VA Surgeons, Chair, Society of Thoracic Surgeons Workforce on Evidence Based Surgery, Councilor, The Southern Thoracic Surgical association, Chair, Publications Committee, Association for Academic Surgery (AAS).