Developing Surgical Leaders – A Cleveland Clinic Honoring Our Mentors Program
Developing Surgical Leaders – A Cleveland Clinic Honoring Our Mentors Program supports cardiothoracic trainees with mentorship and career development to ease the transition into academic practice.
Funder: American Association for Thoracic Surgery Foundation
Due Dates: September 1, 2026 (Applications open) | December 1, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: Complimentary AATS Annual Meeting registration and travel support, plus a Cleveland Clinic travel and hotel stipend
Summary: Education, mentorship, and career development help cardiothoracic surgery trainees transition from residency to academic practice.
Key Information: Formal eligibility requires U.S. cardiothoracic surgery residents or fellows in their penultimate training year, with permission to attend.
Description
The AATS Foundation’s Developing Surgical Leaders program, subtitled “From Residency to Practice,” prepares cardiothoracic surgery trainees to secure their first full-time position, develop areas of expertise, and launch careers in academic cardiothoracic surgery. It combines educational experiences, mentorship, career planning, and professional development to support the transition from training to practice.
Participants attend the AATS Annual Meeting and the AATS Foundation Resident Leadership Luncheon, access virtual career-development webinars, and join an enhanced in-person program at Cleveland Clinic. The Cleveland Clinic experience includes interactive learning, case-based discussions, mentorship, and career planning. The program honors Delos M. Cosgrove, MD, Floyd D. Loop, MD, and Bruce W. Lytle, MD, former Cleveland Clinic staff members who also served as AATS Presidents.
