James Davies, M.D.James Davies, M.D., has been named the new director of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Davies, an associate professor in the Department of Surgery in the UAB School of Medicine, recently served as interim division director.
He earned his medical degree and completed his residency at UAB before completing fellowships in thoracic aortic surgery and cardiothoracic surgery at the University of Pennsylvania and The Mayo Clinic, respectively.
“Dr. Davies has distinguished himself as a gifted cardiothoracic surgeon and program builder,” said Herbert Chen, M.D., chair of the UAB Department of Surgery. “The Division has been at the forefront of innovation, and will continue to flourish under his leadership.”
His major clinical and surgical interests include minimally invasive, as well as open, surgical techniques, including those for complex thoracic aortic, adult congenital and ischemic heart disease. Davies has a focus clinically in valvular heart disease and aortic disease. He specializes is surgical procedures that include both open surgical and transcatheter valve procedures, having performed more than 500 TAVR procedures to date.
Davies is the section chief of Adult Cardiac Surgery and surgical director of the Cardiothoracic Operating Room, and is a fellow in the American College of Surgeons. He is also a member of the American Medical Association, Medical Association of Alabama, Society of Thoracic Surgeons, Southern Thoracic Surgical Association and American Heart Association.
The Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery at UAB has a rich history of clinical, educational and surgical excellence as well as innovative research. UAB has a reputation of providing excellent clinical care in the field of cardiac surgery.
“I’m honored to accept the role of division director for Cardiothoracic Surgery at UAB, and I am excited about the current and future opportunities within the division,” Davies said. “Two areas that will make an immediate impact are faculty recruitment, including a minimally invasive cardiothoracic surgeon and transplant surgeon, and increased participation in national clinical trials. Both of these efforts will immediately translate into benefits for our patients.”