Patrick M McCarthy

Patrick M McCarthy, MD serves as Executive Director of the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute and Heller-Sacks Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. He maintains active clinical practice at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and affiliated facilities including Central DuPage Hospital and Lake Forest Hospital.

Education:

• MD: Stritch School of Medicine/Loyola University (1980)
• Residency: Mayo Clinic-Rochester, General Surgery (1985)
• Fellowship: Mayo Clinic-Rochester (1988)
• Fellowship: Stanford University Hospital (1989)

Dr. McCarthy specializes in complex cardiac surgical interventions with primary research focus on valve repair/replacement (particularly mitral valves), atrial fibrillation surgery including Maze procedures, aortic aneurysm repair, and minimally invasive techniques. His clinical innovations target improved outcomes in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy myectomy and coronary bypass surgery through surgical precision and technological integration.

Recent 2025 publications demonstrate concentrated research on atrial fibrillation ablation during concomitant valve/aortic procedures and left atrial appendage exclusion strategies. His work consistently bridges surgical technique refinement with cardiovascular outcomes research, particularly in stroke prevention and arrhythmia management.

Awards and Honors:

• Kaufman Center Awardee for Heart Failure Innovations (2014)
• Northwestern Excellence in Teaching Award (2013)
• Chicago Magazine Best Doctors (2012)
• Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society (2008)
• Socrates Award from Thoracic Surgery Residents Association (2008)
• NMFF Clinical Leadership Award (2007)

Dr. McCarthy maintains significant industry collaborations including board membership at Cardiac Valve Innovations, LLC and consulting relationships with Edwards Lifesciences, Medtronic, and Atricure for surgical device development. As Executive Director, he leads Northwestern's integrated Heart Institutes encompassing the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute and Feinberg Cardiovascular Research Institute, driving translational research through multidisciplinary teams focused on clinical innovation.