Stony Brook University Department of Anesthesiology
Residency Program

Division of Cardiothoracic Anesthesia




Bharathi H. Scott, MD
Chief of Cardiac Anesthesia

The division of cardiothoracic anesthesiology comprises five full time board certified and fellowship trained faculty members whose clinical practice focuses on cardiothoracic anesthesiology. Our mission is to provide high quality, safe and professional clinical care, educate residents, medical students and participate in basic and clinical research.

Stony Brook university Medical center serves as a tertiary care referral center and is the only hospital in Suffolk County providing cardiac surgery services. We perform approximately 600 cardiothoracic procedures per year; many of these are on critically ill patients. We provide care to wide variety of cardiac and thoracic surgery patients which includes:

  • On and off pump and Robotic surgery for patients with ischemic heart disease
  • Aortic, mitral and tricuspid valve surgery including minimally invasive procedures
  • Aortic surgery, pulmonary and esophageal resections

Division Members

Bharathi Scott, MD is Chief of the Division. Her research interests include blood transfusion during cardiac surgery, morbidity and mortality in octogenarians undergoing bypass surgery and gender differences in resource utilization in cardiac surgery.

Christopher Gallagher, MD is the Director of the Residency Training Program. He has written several highly acclaimed books on Board exam preparation. He is active in teaching using simulators and is organizing a Maintenance of Certification in Anesthesa (MOCA) session at the Simulation Center. Dr. Gallagher received the 2008 IARS award for Achievement in Education.

 Cardiac Team photo

Igor Izrailtyan, MD is an expert in cardiac physiology. He organizes and presents seminars to the residents on the use of TEE in the operating room. He is a co-investigator on PET/MRI studies of placental blood flow.

Slawomir Peter Oleszak, MD is Director of the Resident Airway rotation. He has active research protocols concerned with new approaches for the placement of double lumen endotracheal tubes and other new airway devices.

Syed Shah, MD is the Associate Director of the Operating Room and is involved in operating room administrative activities.

Residency Training

Residents are exposed to a variety of complex cardiovascular and cardiothoracic procedures during this rotation. They become proficient in placement of invasive monitoring lines, double lumen endotracheal tubes, and bronchial blockers and learn to perform and interpret Trans-Esophageal Echocardiography.

  • CA-2: two month rotation for all Residents
  • CA-3: block rotations for Residents interested in additional experience

Recent Division Activity



Former resident Dr. James Bell presenting a poster at the NYSSA meeting, December 2008. Dr. Izrailtyan (not shown) directed this project.


Dr Gallagher is one of two individuals worldwide to receive the 2008 Teaching Recognition Award for Achievement in Education from the International Anesthesia Research Society.

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