Description

The Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, a part of the Wisconsin Department of Surgery, is seeking an exceptional, fellowship-trained, Pediatric Congenital Cardiac Surgeon. The candidate should be eligible for congenital cardiac surgery certification by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery or its equivalent. The ideal candidate, at the time of appointment, would have completed an ACGME fellowship in congenital heart surgery, have great technical skills, and a proven record of functioning in an integrated multi-disciplinary team. New graduates are encouraged to apply, but candidates who are in independent clinical practice for up to 5 years after graduation and would fit well with our team and our programmatic goals will also be strongly considered. Clear plan and aspirations for a successful academic pediatric cardiothoracic surgery career will be a plus and proven track record of academic accomplishments will enhance the application of the successful candidate.

The successful candidate will be a critical team member and partner within 2 board certified pediatric cardiothoracic surgeons at the Section of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery within the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery. The section has strong track record of mentorship and faculty development, outstanding regional reputation and has experienced steady growth in volume and complexity.  Close collaboration with the Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Pediatric Anesthesiology and Cardiac Critical Care in our Integrated multidisciplinary Congenital Heart Program is expected. 

The primary ambulatory and hospital practice site is American Family Children's Hospital (AFCH) in Madison, Wisconsin as part of UW Health Kids. AFCH is a world-class children's healthcare center with a full spectrum of medical and surgical resources including neonatal and pediatric intensive care, as well as advanced trauma care, perinatal care, fetal diagnosis and treatment, and a children's cancer center.

Additionally, the Congenital Heart Program at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and University of Wisconsin Health Kids has entered a 10 year relationship with Children’s Wisconsin with the goal of developing a single collaborative regional program across two campuses to provide outstanding clinical outcomes, perform innovative research and train the next generation of health care providers. The successful candidate will be part of the team that will execute on this vision. The candidate is expected to be based in Madison for the majority of his/her practice but also occasionally provide services in the Milwaukee campus and take advantage of the clinical and academic infrastructure in two of the leading academic institutions in the upper Midwest.  

Applicants for this position will be considered for the following titles: Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor on the Clinical Health Science (CHS) track. The title is determined by the experience and qualifications of the finalist. 

Key Job Responsibilities:

Clinical

• Responsible for advancing a dynamic pediatric cardiothoracic program with a strong focus on patient care.
• The Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Team currently has one day a week in clinic with 4 OR days a week with anticipated increase in the block time to one OR room a day in the near future.

Service and Teaching

• Teach medical students, residents and fellows.
• Participate in administrative and committee work to support the clinical and scholarly missions of UW Health and the School of Medicine and Public Health. An essential part of these duties will be working in a collegial relationship with other faculty members.

Research

• Support for research and/or programmatic participation/development will also be considered

The Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of Wisconsin includes 11 full-time academic faculty who provide a unique multidisciplinary approach to the study, evaluation, and treatment of acquired and congenital cardiovascular and thoracic diseases, including heart and lung transplantation as well as benign and malignant disorders of the thorax. The Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery has robust support from 22 APP, 14 certified perfusionists, 3 full-time data managers and a physician-scientist.

The Division proudly provides excellent clinical care across the spectrum of adult and pediatric, cardiovascular and thoracic disease. The three sections of the Division include Adult Cardiac Surgery, Congenital Heart Surgery, which treats patients of all ages, and General Thoracic Surgery.

Education within the Division includes a commitment to medical students and General Surgery residents and an ACGME-approved traditional three-year Cardiothoracic residency. The Division also offers a non-accredited fellowship in Thoracic Transplantation and Mechanical Circulatory Support.

The Wisconsin Department of Surgery is one of the leading surgical programs in the nation, excelling in patient care, surgical education, and surgical research. We are composed of more than 130 full-time faculty across 10 divisions and nearly 200 additional staff who support our mission. Our surgeons perform almost 20,000 operations per year for pediatric and adult patients. Training the next generation of surgeons and clinician-scientists is integral in our department, with more than 100 residents and fellows trained each year. The department is consistently among the top surgery programs with extramural research funding, ranking seventh nationally in NIH funding over the last 10 years.

Required Qualifications:

• Board certification or board eligibility from the American Board of Thoracic Surgery is required by the appointment start date.
  Candidate is required to have a Wisconsin medical license by the appointment start date.
  
• MD, DO, or Equivalent is required

Preferred Qualifications:

• For an appointment at Associate Professor or Professor rank on CHS Track, candidates will meet criteria established by the department and as outlined in the School of Medicine and Public Health guidelines for promotion or appointment to Associate or Professor on the CHS Track.
  Education:

To Apply: 

To apply for this position, please view the full description here and click Apply Now. You will be prompted to submit a current CV and a cover letter that covers each of the following prompts:

1. Your interest in joining the University of Wisconsin's Department of Surgery as a Pediatric Congenital Cardiac Surgeon.
2. Your experience and areas of interest within Pediatric Congenital Cardiac Surgery
3. Your area(s) of research/academic  interest, if any.

Please note, a complete application is required to ensure consideration. Your application must include both a CV and Cover Letter.

The deadline for assuring full consideration is December 5, 2025; however, the position will remain open and applications may be considered until the position is filled. 

The department will not be able to support a request for a J-1 waiver. If you choose to pursue a waiver and apply for our position, neither the UW nor UWMF will reimburse you for your legal or waiver fees.

Contact Information:
KJ Ellis, Faculty Recruiter, kj.ellis@wisc.edu

Requirements