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Dr. Wayne Isom
The Cardiac Cowboy Comes Home Again
Some might think a small family farm in Idalou, Texas, is quite a long way from New York City. But, in actuality, it is not very far if your “heart” is in the journey.
O. Wayne Isom was born In Lubbock, Texas, and grew up just “a few miles down the road” in Idalou. He attended Texas Tech University and soon impressed one of his professors so greatly that she recommended Dr. Isom for a position in Methodist Hospital’s lab department. Throughout college, Dr. Isom continued to excel scholastically while working the night-shift at Methodist from 10 pm until 7 am, earning both room and board in the hospital. Dr. Isom has said that this experience taught him to “humanize” others— patients, students, fellow physicians, and technicians. He continued his studies in Dallas at Southwestern Medical School.
 Today, Dr. Isom heads one of the most highly regarded heart surgery programs in the nation. His team performs over 1,500 operations every year, 300 of which he performs himself. Under his supervision, the Cardiothoracic surgeons at New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center have performed over 20,000 open-heart procedures, boasting one of the highest success rates in the nation.
His excellence continues through every physician he educates and every patient he heals. Some of his most famous patients include Larry King, Walter Cronkite, Jack Parr, Charlie Rose, Issac Stern, David Letterman, and Bob McNair.
As a noted professor and speaker, Dr. Isom has authored over 100 journal articles and over twenty book chapters dealing with cardiac and thoracic surgery.
When asked how he is so outstanding in the operating room, Dr. Isom credits his success to his “great team” and staff. Still a West-Texan at heart, Dr. Isom lives in New York with his wife Pat and children Jack and Catherine. He returns home to Idalou often to visit family and friends.
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