Park Slope's Methodist Names New Chief Of Cardiac Surgery

PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN — Dr. Sandhya K. Balaram has been named the new Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, the hospital announced last week.

Balaram will be leading an expansion of cardiovascular care at the Park Slope hospital, notably in surgical coronary revascularization, valve repair and replacement, and aortic surgery, the hospital said in an announcement.

“We are excited to welcome Dr. Balaram to NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital,” said Robert Guimento, president of NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. “Dr. Balaram is an accomplished physician and surgeon dedicated to increasing access to high-quality, compassionate care for patients, and her leadership will be a tremendous asset to our team and the community.”

“I’m thrilled to be joining NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital and Weill Cornell Medicine and look forward to the opportunity to further grow the cardiothoracic surgery program in Brooklyn,” said Balaram. “I am excited to be working with this talented team to provide excellent clinical outcomes and personalized care to patients in need in Brooklyn and beyond.”

Balaram spent 19 years as a cardiac surgeon and associate professor at Mount Sinai Morningside, where she held the positions of chief of the division and more recently, as the director of clinical quality and performance, according to hospital officials.

She earned her medical degree at the University of Missouri - Kansas City, and completed her general surgery residency and doctorate at Creighton University, followed by a cardiothoracic residency at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a fellowship at Mount Sinai Morningside.

In addition to her work on the hearts of New Yorkers, Balaram has also traveled internationally on medical missions to areas lacking access to medical care and is also developing a cardiac surgical team for the humanitarian group, Operation International.