Patricia Nicolato, DO has been named chief of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery within the Department of Surgery at the VCU School of Medicine.

Nicolato has served as interim chief of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery since August of 2023. Dr. Nicolato has proven to be an effective leader focused on high-quality patient care, recruitment, and building collaborations across the health system. Her appointment to the permanent role follows a national search and reflects her exceptional leadership, clinical acumen and commitment to advancing cardiothoracic medicine.

“Dr. Nicolato is an incredible leader who is focused on continuous improvements in the quality and safety of patient care,” said Vigneshwar Kasirajan, MD, chair of the Department of Surgery and Stuart McGuire Professor of Surgery at the VCU School of Medicine. “Her collaboration with colleagues in nursing, cardiology, anesthesiology, vascular surgery and others to develop programs that offer the highest level of care to our patients will continue to elevate the Pauley Heart Center.”

“Being appointed chief of cardiothoracic surgery at VCU Health is the highest achievement of my career," Nicolato said. "I’m honored to lead this outstanding team and the division’s work to provide our patients with the best cardiothoracic surgical care in Virginia, in service to the Pauley Heart Center’s mission to improve cardiovascular care for all.”

Nicolato joined the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery as a fellow in 2004 and was appointed to the faculty in 2006. During her tenure, she has made indelible impacts on VCU’s cardiothoracic surgery practice and on medical education. She established and still leads the Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) program at VCU Medical Center. Since assuming the role of director of ECMO in 2016, Nicolato has led the program to national recognition: under her stewardship, the ECMO program has earned the prestigious Gold Award from the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) multiple times. Her vision and meticulous oversight have translated into standardized protocols, rigorous quality assurance measures, and consistent clinical excellence in one of the most demanding domains of critical care.

She has established herself as a respected contributor to clinical research. Her scholarly output spans topics from ECMO and mechanical circulatory support to surgical complications and systems-based practice improvements. She is a co-author on several high-impact publications and currently serves as principal investigator on multiple ongoing multicenter trials. Her efforts have not only enhanced institutional prestige but also advanced clinical understanding in areas critical to cardiothoracic surgery.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Nicolato on her well-earned promotion and continued leadership at the VCU Health Pauley Heart Center.