Dr. Marc Ruel received his MD cum laude from the University of Ottawa in 1994 and his Royal College certification in cardiac surgery in 2000. He pursued a scholarship in minimally invasive surgery and lab research at Harvard, where he also obtained a Master’s in Public Health. Dr. Ruel is a Professor in the Departments of Surgery and Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the University of Ottawa.
Dr. Ruel co-pioneered multiarterial minimally invasive coronary artery bypass surgery worldwide, as well as other cardiac surgical techniques. His career is dedicated to making heart surgery less invasive, leading to better patient outcomes, and being more evidence-based.
Throughout Dr. Ruel’s extended 11-year tenure as Cardiac Surgery Chair in Ottawa (two 5-year terms being the maximum allowed), the Ottawa program massively grew in volumes, scope, and outreach (including a new partnership with Newfoundland and Labrador), quality, research and innovation, advanced education, as well as in outside referrals, international reputation, global recruitment, and overall impact.
Dr. Ruel is the author of more than 500 scientific publications and chapters, including 6 books, and has delivered over 300 invited lectures, most of them internationally. He leads key international trials in cardiac surgery (including the MIST and ODIN randomized controlled trials), is a recipient of numerous academic and community awards. The laboratory research program founded by Dr. Ruel at the start of his career (www.beatsresearch.com) has also achieved high translational impact.
Dr. Ruel is the immediate Past-President of the Canadian Cardiovascular Society, which he led to receive its first-ever federal funding, embark on new public advocacy initiatives in COVID, myocarditis, and heart failure, and launch the Canadian Alliance of Cardiovascular Centres. Dr. Ruel serves as Surgery Editor for the journal Circulation, Canadian Director for the STS, and North American Director for the ISMICS.
Dr. Catherine Wagner is a PGY-5 integrated cardiothoracic surgery resident at the University of Michigan. She is interested in cardiac surgery quality, sex outcomes disparities, and childbearing during training. Dr. Wagner is interested in pursuing a career in academic cardiac surgery.