Physicians & Staff: Cardiothoracic Surgery

Cardiothoracic Surgery faculty members have diverse areas of specialization, ranging from transplantation to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Below is a list of current faculty members.

Vincent R. Conti, M.D.

Dr. Conti is Professor and Chief of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery at UTMB. He earned his medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts and completed his General Surgery residency at University of California, Los Angeles, California. He completed his cardiovascular residency at University of Alabama, Birmingham under the world-renown physician Dr. John Kirklin.

He has been named a Texas Super Doctor by Texas Monthly magazine and identified as a Best Doctor in America in a national survey of specialists asked to identify the most skilled in their fields and most qualified for reviewing and treating complex medical conditions. His interest and expertise has been in coronary artery bypass grafting, surgery for valvular heart disease including mitral valve repair, ablation procedure for atrial fibrillation, adult congenital heart disease.

Professor; Chief, Cardiothoracic Surgery

Medical School: Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts

Residency Program: University of California, Los Angeles, California; University of Alabama Medical Center, Birmingham, Alabama (Cardiovascular Surgery)

Special Interest: Surgery of acquired heart disease

Research Projects: Myocardial preservation for cardiac surgery; physiology of cardiopulmonary bypass

E-mail: vconti@utmb.edu 
301 University Boulevard, Galveston, Texas 77555-0528
Telephone: (409) 772-1203
Fax: (409) 772-1421

 

Daniel L. Beckles, M.D., Ph.D., FACS, FACC, FCCP

Dr. Beckles is an Assistant Professor of Surgery, Director of Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery and Co-Director of Lung Transplant Surgery.

Dr. Beckles received his M.D degree in 1997 from the State University of New York (SUNY), Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York and stayed on to complete his general surgery residency at the same institution. In 2004, Dr. Beckles received his Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Biology from SUNY, Downstate. He then completed a cardiothoracic residency at the University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center/Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, Texas. He completed an additional year of fellowship training in minimally invasive thoracic surgery at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital-Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts and stayed on as an Associate Surgeon.

He is Board Certified by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery.

Before joining UTMB, Dr. Beckles was a faculty member at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. Dr. Beckles was recruited post IKE to assist rebuilding the cardiothoracic surgery program. Dr. Beckles’s clinical specialties include: off-pump coronary revascularization, MID-CAB, valve disease, VATS lobectomy, minimally invasive esophagectomy, heart and lung transplant, mesothelioma, hyperhidrosis, pectus repair, tracheal resection, mediastinal tumors, endobronchial stenting and palliative procedures for malignant pleural effusions.

Assistant Professor, Director of Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery

Medical School: State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York

Residency Programs: General Surgery, State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York and Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas

Fellowship: Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital-Harvard Medical School, Boston Massachusetts

Board Certification: American Board of Surgery and American Board of Thoracic Surgery

Special Interests: VATS lobectomy, minimally invasive esophagectomy, heart and lung transplant, off-pump coronary revascularization, mesothelioma, hyperhidrosis, pectus repair, tracheal resection, mediastinal tumors, surgical education and patient safety

E-mail: dlbeckle@utmb.edu 
301 University Boulevard, Galveston, Texas 77555-0528
Telephone: (409) 772-1203
Fax: (409) 772-1421

 

Scott D. Lick, M.D.

Dr. Lick is Professor of Surgery and Director of Thoracic Organ Transplantation at the University of Texas Medical Branch. He graduated with his MD degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School in 1987 and completed his internship and general surgery residency at the University of Arizona. He completed his Cardiothoracic Surgery residency at the University of Arizona before joining UTMB in 1994.

A fellow in the American College of Surgeons, he has been named one of the “Best Doctors in America” every year since 1999, and to Texas Monthly’s “Texas Super Doctors” list in 2004 and 2010. His interest includes artificial lung development, and heart and lung transplant research. He has published over 90 peer-reviewed scientific articles and abstracts in the field of heart and lung surgery.

Professor; Director, Thoracic Organ Transplantation

Medical School: The University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota

Residency Program: The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona

Special Interest: Thoracic organ transplantation and assisted circulation; artificial lung development

Research Projects: Arterial venous CO2 removal; artificial lung

E-mail: slick@utmb.edu
301 University Boulevard, Galveston, Texas 77555-0528
Telephone: (409) 772-3340
Fax: (409) 772-1421