Cardiothoracic Surgery PA — 13+ Years in the OR

The system behind
4 years of zero APP turnover.

I help cardiac surgery programs reduce preventable APP turnover, standardize onboarding, and build teams surgeons can trust — using systems shaped by 13+ years in the OR and four consecutive years of zero APP turnover.

13+ Years in Cardiac Surgery
100% APP Team Growth Under My Leadership
4 Years Zero Team Turnover
MBA Business Analytics, UNC Pembroke

I came into cardiac surgery with almost no surgical background.

Three months out of PA school, I started in a cardiac surgery OR with no roadmap and no formal onboarding system. I learned the hard way — then eventually became the person responsible for building the systems I never had.

As APP Supervisor at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, I helped grow our team from 7 to 14, trained five of our eight OR APPs, and built a culture that held at zero turnover for four consecutive years.

Now I help cardiac surgery leaders build clearer onboarding, stronger development systems, and more durable teams — without relying on luck, personality, or informal tribal knowledge.

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Current Roles

  • Cardiothoracic Surgery PA — Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist
  • Locum CT Surgery PA — Corewell Health (Royal Oak, MI)
  • Clinical Data Analyst — STS Database

Clinical Scope

  • First-assist: CABG, AVR, MVR, LVAD, Transplant, TAVR
  • Endoscopic & open conduit harvesting (GSV, Radial, IMA)
  • Maquet Hemopro 2 • Terumo Virtuosaph • Saphena Venapax

The Zero Turnover Framework™

A practical system for cardiac surgery leaders who need better onboarding, clearer APP development, and fewer preventable retention problems. Built around three phases: Gap Analysis, 90-Day Playbook, and Retention Architecture.

Tier 1 — Phase 1

$2,500

Gap Analysis

A structured two-hour intake followed by a written Gap Analysis Report: where your onboarding and retention system is breaking down, what that friction is costing you, and the 90-day priorities to fix first.

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Tier 3

$2,000/mo

Fractional APP Leadership Partner

For programs in growth, transition, or cleanup mode. I stay close as a strategic partner for calls, document reviews, leadership problem-solving, and proactive guidance as your team evolves.

Get Started

Not sure where the real bottleneck is? Start with a free 30-minute discovery call and we’ll map the pressure points together.

Book Discovery Call

Learn what no one taught you in PA school.

Structured, clinical, built from 13+ years in the OR — not theory.

Leadership

APP Leadership Academy

Everything you need to lead a high-performing APP team — hiring, onboarding, retention, culture, and metrics. Built for experienced PAs stepping into leadership.

From $249

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Clinical Skills

First-Assist Fundamentals for Cardiac Surgery APPs

The clinical foundation for APPs new to cardiac surgery — OR navigation, conduit harvesting, first-assist mechanics, and how to earn surgeon trust.

From $399

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The APP Retention Risk Audit

A practical scorecard for APP leaders to spot hidden turnover risk across role clarity, onboarding structure, feedback, sustainability, and team integration — before good hires quietly disengage.

View the Free Audit

Let's talk about your program.

If you’re trying to improve onboarding, shorten ramp time, or reduce preventable APP turnover, use the form below or book directly on Calendly. I respond within one business day.

Prefer to talk directly?

Book a 30-Min Call