By Josh Shepherd
Beginning with the 2026 academic year, the University of Kentucky Department of Surgery is pleased to announce the establishment of the division of thoracic surgery under the direction of its new division chief, Shari Meyerson, MD, MEd.
Research and advances in robotic surgical technology have resulted in an explosion of new treatments for pulmonary and thoracic disease, particularly in lung cancer screening and transplantation. These advances have fueled an increasing demand for board-certified thoracic specialists.
Dr. Shari Meyerson joined the UK Department of Surgery faculty in January 2019 as section chief of thoracic surgery in the division of Cardiothoracic Surgery. As a recognized leader in surgical education, she has served for the last seven years as director of the six-year residency program in cardiac and thoracic surgery as well as the thoracic surgery fellowship program.
Prior to joining UK HealthCare, Dr. Meyerson was on faculty at Northwestern University in Chicago, where she served as director of a traditional fellowship program and its six-year residency program in cardiothoracic surgery.
Dr. Meyerson earned her medical degree from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, completed general surgery residency at University of Chicago hospitals, and finished a thoracic surgery fellowship at Duke University. Her interest in surgical education led Dr. Meyerson to a Master of Education degree from the University of Cincinnati.
"The creation of a new division with a focus on thoracic surgical diseases highlights the institutional commitment to meeting the needs of Kentucky’s patients along the entire spectrum of lung health," Dr. Meyerson commented.
In addition to patient care, the thoracic surgery division will continue to offer its two-year fellowship training program and the six-year residency program in collaboration with the division of cardiac surgery, noted Dr. Meyerson, who will continue to serve as director for both programs.
In addition to Dr. Meyerson, the thoracic surgery division faculty includes Dr. Mansi Shah-Jadeja, Dr. Matthias Loebe, Dr. Jordan Miller, Dr. Clinton Morgan, Dr. Tim Mullett, Dr. Naureen Narula, Dr. Sibu Saha, Dr. Jay Zwischenberger, and will also welcome new faculty member Dr. Edward Cantu, Director of the UK Healthcare Lung Transplantation program.
"The new thoracic surgery division under Dr. Meyerson's visionary leadership will enable UK HealthCare to better address patient care needs for thoracic and pulmonary diseases," commented William B. Inabnet III, MD, Johnston-Wright Endowed Professor and Chair of Surgery.