Thoracic Surgery Residents Association (TSRA) in partnership with The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) is excited to offer the Global Outreach Fellowship in Cardiothoracic Surgery to be awarded annually. This 1-2 week Fellowship will expand training beyond U.S. borders while cultivating international relationships between faculty members and trainees. Through immersive mentorship, the fellow will gain invaluable experience in global surgery planning, implementation, and practice. Awardees will receive up to $5,000 to help offset expenses including travel, housing, and any additional ancillary costs.

Applicants will be required to pre-select a trip location and specialty (cardiac, thoracic, or congenital), and explain their interest for that specific location and the merits of the particular trip. Trip host faculty are required to be an STS member and support the fellowship applicant. Applicants must submit a curriculum vitae, a letter of support from their program director, and a letter of support from the host faculty. The applicant must also submit a personal statement explaining how he/she would use the fellowship to his/her educational betterment.

Travel must occur within the recipient’s CT surgery training period and completed before the recipient’s last day of CT surgery training at the residency program which they were enrolled at the time of application. Exclusions may apply for extenuating circumstances and require a formal letter of request, a letter of approval and support from the host surgeon/institution, and approval of TSRA and TSDA leadership.

Eligibility:

1. Must be a TSRA member (i.e., U.S. cardiothoracic surgery resident enrolled at an ACGME-accredited program).
2. Must be an STS Resident/Fellow Member.
3. Must be a surgical mission led by an STS member who supports the applicant’s participation on the mission. A letter of support from the trip faculty member is required, and must outline the expectations and role of the resident on the trip.
4. Must have program director approval for resident/fellow availability. A letter of support from the resident’s program director is required.
5. Participant must be from a different program from the trip attending(s).

Awardees will be selected by the TSRA Executive Committee from a pool of finalists based on:

1. interest and commitment to global outreach efforts as evidenced by their personal statement and curriculum vitae;
2. letters of support from the trip faculty member and residency program director;
3. a thoughtful training plan for the resident with a valid educational role on the trip as outlined in the letter of support from the trip faculty member; and
4. overall academic merit.

Application Deadline:
11:59 p.m. ET, November 17, 2025

Application Submission and Award Announcement:
To submit an application, or for more information, please email Chi Chi Do-Nguyen, TSRA VP (tsrasurgery@gmail.com) no later than November 17, 2025. Awardees will be notified by December 21, 2025 and announced at the STS Annual Meeting in January 2026. Awardees will be expected to attend the meeting for the presentation of the award.

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2025 TSRA/STS Global Outreach Fellowship
Recipient: Gregory Boyajian, MD, Baylor
Host Organization: Nook-Marash Medical Center (Armenia)
Mentor: TBD

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2024 TSRA/STS Global Outreach Fellowship
–No award made–

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2023 TSRA/STS Global Outreach Fellowship
Recipient: Anna Olds, MD, University of Southern California
Host Organization: Miller Children’s Hospital, Long Beach Memorial Hospital (Fiji)
Mentor: Shaun Setty, MD

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2022 TSRA/STS Global Outreach Fellowship
Recipient: Benjamin Smood, MD, University of Pennsylvania
Host Organization: Heartcare International (Peru)
Mentor: Robert Dabal, MD

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2021 TSRA/STS Global Outreach Fellowship
Recipient: Sophia Alexis, MD, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Host Organization: VOOM Foundation (Nigeria)
Mentor: Adanna Akujuo, MD

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2020 TSRA/STS Global Outreach Fellowship
Recipient: Clauden Louis, MD, University of Rochester
Host Organization: Cardiostart International (United Kingdom & United Arab Emirates)
Mentor: Aubyn Marath, MD
Photo Credit: The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

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2019 TSRA/STS Global Outreach Fellowship
Recipient: Meghan Halub, MD, Johns Hopkins Hospital
Host Organization: Novick Cardiac Alliance (Libya & Ukraine)
Mentor: William Novick, MS, MD
Photo Credit: The Society of Thoracic Surgeons