May 31, 2018 — Tomas Martin, M.D., who previously served on our faculty from 1989 – 1990 and 1993 – 2015, returned to the department of surgery at the UF College of Medicine. Dr. Martin rejoined the division of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery and leads an interprofessional team in the development of a new, multi-department UF Health Aortic Disease Center.

Board-certified in thoracic surgery, Martin’s clinical interests span the field of surgical heart and vascular care, with a specific focus on aortic aneurysms and dissections, valve surgery and complex adult cardiac surgery. In a collaborative effort among the dean’s office, the UF Health Shands CEO’s office and the faculty and staff in the divisions of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery and vascular and endovascular surgery, Martin will establish a premier multidisciplinary program that will transform our delivery of care to patients with aortic and connective tissue diseases, said Micheal L. Good, M.D., dean of the UF College of Medicine.

“By taking advantage of Dr. Martin’s surgical skill and his passion for patient care, we will build a team of specialists in cardiology, cardiac surgery, vascular surgery, cardiothoracic anesthesia, cardiovascular imaging, genetics, pediatric cardiac surgery, ophthalmology and orthopaedic surgery that will be on par with the top aortic centers in the country,” Good said.

Martin earned his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical School at Houston. He completed general surgery and vascular surgery residencies at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, followed by a thoracic and cardiovascular surgery residency at UF. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American College of Cardiology, and holds membership in numerous professional organizations, including the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and the Florida Society of Thoracic Cardiovascular Surgery.

“With the opening of our brand new Heart & Vascular Hospital, it became apparent that Dr. Martin’s fingerprints were all over that building,” said Gilbert R. Upchurch, M.D., chair for the department of surgery. “It seemed appropriate, with our outstanding team-based commitment to patients with complex aortic disease, that we should bring Dr. Martin back to the University of Florida to lead our world class aortic center.”