John Elefteriades, MD

Dr. John Elefteriades is the William W.L. Glenn Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery and former Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Yale University and Yale New-Haven Hospital. He has been among the most clinically active academic surgeons in the country.

Dr. Elefteriades graduated magna cum laude with a triple concentration in Physics, French and Psychology from Yale University. He received his MD degree from the Yale University School of Medicine. He trained at Yale in both general surgery and cardiothoracic surgery. After completing his training, he joined the faculty at the Yale University School of Medicine.

He has performed all aspects of adult cardiac and thoracic surgery. He is a recognized authority in interventions for the failing left ventricle, including coronary artery bypass grafting, left ventricular aneurysmectomy, and artificial heart implantation. Dr. Elefteriades directs the Aortic Institute at Yale, one of the nation's largest facilities for treatment of the dilated thoracic aorta. He conducts laboratory research in new techniques of heart transplantation. Among his research projects, he is working to identify the genetic mutations responsible for thoracic aortic aneurysms.

Dr. Elefteriades serves on multiple scientific advisory and editorial boards. He is a past President of the Connecticut Chapter of the American College of Cardiology and member of the national Board of Governors of the College. Dr. Elefteriades is also past President of the International College of Angiology. He serves on the editorial board of the American Journal of Cardiology, the Journal of Cardiac Surgery, Cardiology, and the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery as well as being Editor-in-Chief of the journal AORTA. He has been a member of the Thoracic Surgery Director's Association and has been named consistently in The Best Doctors in America. He is a frequently requested international lecturer, visiting professor and guest surgeon. He is the author of over 400 scientific publications on a wide range of cardiac and thoracic topics. He was selected as one of the ten best doctors in America by Men’s Health magazine. He has been featured in many dozens of print, radio, and television presentations. He has received the Walter Bleifeld Memorial Award for Distinguished Contribution in Clinical Research in Cardiology and the John B. Chang Research Achievement Award. In 2005 he was selected to lecture at the Leadership in Biomedicine Series at the Yale University School of Medicine. In 2006, he received the Socrates Award from the Thoracic Residents Association, Thoracic Surgery Directors' Association, and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, recognizing exceptional achievement in teaching and mentorship of residents.

Dr. Elefteriades was named the William W.L. Glenn Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery in 2006. This endowed chair honors the memory of Dr. Elefteriades’ mentor, Dr. Glenn. Dr. Elefteriades is the author of the books House Officer Guide to ICU Care (1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd Editions), Advanced Treatment Options for the Failling Left Ventricle, Your Heart: The Owner's Guide, Acute Aortic Disease, Extraordinary Hearts: A Journey of Cardiac Medicine and the Human Spirit, The Woman's Heart: An Owner's Guide, and the medical ethics thriller Transplant.

In 2017, Dr. Elefteriades was awarded an Honorary Phd degree from the University of Liege (Belgium) in recognition of his work in diagnosis and treatment of aortic diseases.

In 2020, Dr. Elefteriades was recognized by expertscape as the top aortic specialist in the world.