The American Association for Thoracic Surgery established the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003. The Award serves to recognize individuals for their significant contributions to cardiothoracic surgery in the areas of patient care, teaching, research, or community service. Honorees receive a plaque for Lifetime Achievement from the Association presented by the president at the Annual Meeting and the honoree's name and biography is printed in the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.

Pedro J. del Nido
Boston Children's Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts
2024
Valerie W. Rusch
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, New York
2023

Michael J. Mack
Baylor Scott and White Health
Plano, Texas
2022

Hartzell V. Schaff
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, Minnesota
2021

Tirone E. David
University of Toronto
Toronto, ON, Canada
2020

Randall B. Griepp
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, New York
2019

Aldo Castaneda
Unicar-Fundaci
Guatemala City, Guatemala
2018

Denton A. Cooley
Texas Heart Institute
Houston, TX
2016

Timothy J. Gardner
Christiana Care Health System
Newark, DE
2015

Fred A. Crawford, Jr.
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, SC
2014

Eugene Braunwald
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, MA
2013

Thomas B. Ferguson
2009

Frank C. Spencer
2007

F. Griffith Pearson
Toronto General Hospital
Toronto, ON, Canada
2004