Working with Friedrich Mohr: The International Fellows' View

Friedrich Mohr — or as he is better known in the international community, Fred — has a legacy in cardiac surgery that is already well established and will continue for many decades, perhaps indefinitely. Prof. Mohr developed and studied new operations and devices and spearheaded important clinical studies in the areas of minimally invasive valve surgery, coronary bypass, transcatheter valve interventions, and robotic surgery, to name a few. His broad impact on the practice of modern cardiac surgery, along with his fearless and honest embrace of innovation, will be discussed for years to come. He has arguably affected the practice of cardiac surgery in Germany and abroad more than any other person in the last decade. How he was able to achieve this feat in a center that was founded less than 25 years ago is a testament to his incredible vision and commitment.

The method by which Prof. Mohr achieved his widespread impact on the practice of cardiac surgery is multipronged, but his ability to develop and motivate successful and academically productive cardiac surgeons in Germany played an outsized role in this enormous achievement. Similarly, he greatly affected a large number of international cardiac surgeons who came to Leipzig to learn from him and his large team of expert clinicians. The current article looks at the effect that he had on those of us who came to Leipzig from the international cardiac surgery community.