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Cardiothoracic surgery: A specialty divided or as one

Why are we together? Have we perpetuated our marriage beyond its usefulness, and maybe after the love is gone? Is the link of cardiac and thoracic surgery in the United States an anachronism compared with the progressiveness seen in the rest of the world? Would our respective specialties be better served by clearer distinction of training and practice, and would this attract new students and residents to our specialties? Should we accept our differences and be more progressive as a “specialty divided”? Or are there still compelling reasons for us to stay together, to remain a specialty “as one”?

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Resources

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The Multimedia Manual of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery is the premier online video manual of cardiovascular and thoracic surgery tutorials.