Sharon Beth Larson, DO Cardiothoracic Surgeryin Fort Worth, TX

Dr. Sharon Beth Larson knew at an early age that she wanted to be a heart surgeon and is now encouraging other women to join the field. She has served in clinical, teaching and leadership roles in cardiothoracic (CT) surgery since 2016. She is a fellowship-trained and board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon with additional fellowship training in cardiopulmonary transplant and mechanical circulatory support surgery.

Dr. Larson began her career as a cardiothoracic surgeon at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, where she was the first female CT surgeon. Her extensive experience includes performing advanced techniques such as transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), valvular repair and replacement surgery, atrial fibrillation surgery (MAZE), extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), complex coronary revascularization, thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection surgery, and both temporary and durable mechanical circulatory support surgery.

Dr. Larson earned her medical degree from Touro University California College of Osteopathic Medicine in Vallejo. She completed her general surgery residency at New York University Langone Hospital in Brooklyn. She completed her CT fellowship training at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. With the institution's history in the development of the original heart-lung machine and its commitment to advancing cardiac surgical technology, Dr. Larson developed a keen interest in mechanical circulatory support, heart and lung transplantation, and ECMO. She went on to complete her cardiopulmonary transplant and mechanical circulatory support surgery fellowship at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina.

Dr. Larson has served on numerous committees and has participated in related research as a champion of cardiothoracic surgical care. She is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons. She also serves on the Board of Governors of the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons and the Board of Directors for the Women in Heart Transplantation and Mechanical Circulatory Support organization. Dr. Larson is a member of Women in Thoracic Surgery, the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization, the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation, and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, among other organizations.