Joseph E. Bavaria, MD

I perform very complex cardiac and aortic reconstructive procedures. My philosophy regarding my patients is to complete these operations with the utmost skill, perfection and result as possible. Just as importantly, I spend time with my patients and their families to explain in great detail their condition and how we are going to treat it. This includes all the potential options available. My primary goal is to allow my patients some choice but, more importantly, to make sure they completely understand their disease process. My focus for many years has been a "disease management process" that fosters a long-term commitment to my patients revolving around the specifics of aortic and valvular heart disease.

Initially, I wanted to be a political scientist; however, a number of life experiences changed that. My grandfather had Lou Gehrig’s disease and lived with us when I was growing up. This daily experience had a profound effect during formative years in high school. Interestingly, our next-door neighbor was a general/vascular surgeon, and I came to know him quite well. He was my initial mentor in this field. I initially studied engineering but was fascinated with cardiac physiology and this translated into medicine and cardiac surgery specifically. However, the passion and commitment to treat patients and their suffering was first embedded in my psyche secondary to witnessing, in all domains, my grandfather's demise from Lou Gehrig’s disease.

President, The Thoracic Surgery Foundation, impacting the global community by delivering quality thoracic care to lower- and middle-income countries across the world.

I enjoy traveling the world, Philadelphia professional sports, golfing and coaching baseball.