Dr Doug Johnston developed an early interest in the intersection of science and technical skill. Prior to medical school, Doug practiced the art of hand forged ironwork, recreating ornamental and practical designs with coal fired forge and anvil. He went on to study Anthropology andClassics at Dartmouth College, and subsequently obtained his MD from Harvard Medical School. He completed general surgery training at the Massachusetts General Hospital, and cardiothoracic surgery training at the Cleveland Clinic.

Doug now serves as Vice Chairman of the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at Cleveland Clinic, the nation’s largest and highest acuity open heart surgery program. In his time there he has focused on developing two ends of the spectrum of heart surgery: minimally invasive surgery for low risk patients, and successful outcomes for complex operations in high risk patients with no other options.

As Program Director for Thoracic Surgery, Doug is actively involved in training the next generation of surgeons. His passion is to leverage the expertise of high performers outside of medicine to define the future paradigm of surgical training, in which all members of the surgical team are challenged to perform beyond traditional expectations.