A True Pioneer: Dr. Thomas J. Fogarty

While he needs no introduction, it’s always an honor to list Dr. Tom Fogarty’s many accomplishments over his nearly eight-decade career as one of the medical device industry’s most prolific inventors. Dr. Fogarty has had a profound and lasting impact on patients, on healthcare, on innovation on our industry and many of its leaders.

As an internationally-recognized cardiovascular surgeon, inventor, entrepreneur and vintner, he has dedicated his entire career to improving patient care and is named on over 200 medical device patents, including the “industry standard” Fogarty balloon catheter, which nearly 60 years later is still being used to save the lives and limbs of more than 16 million patients.

Andrew Cleeland had the pleasure of sitting down with his mentor, Dr. Fogarty, to explore several themes: resilience and perseverance, a sense of curiosity and the importance of mentoring.