Lessons in Surgery & Leadership with Dr. David Latter

Welcome to Legends of the Heart. In this episode, Dr. Subodh Verma and Shubh Patel sit down with Dr. David Latter — cardiac surgeon, educator, mentor, and longtime leader in Canadian cardiovascular medicine. A graduate of McGill University, Dr. Latter completed his surgical training at McGill, followed by a thoracic transplantation fellowship at Stanford University. He later served at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, where he directed heart and lung transplantation and performed more than 200 transplants, before joining St. Michael’s Hospital and the University of Toronto, where he went on to hold major leadership roles in cardiac surgery, surgical education, and medical admissions. In this conversation, we explore the life and legacy behind the career: the defining moments, the surgical milestones, the lessons from leadership, and the wisdom Dr. Latter has passed on to generations of trainees, fellows, and future surgeons. From transplantation and adult cardiac surgery to mitral valve repair, education, and mentorship, this episode reflects on a career that has helped shape both the practice and the culture of modern cardiovascular medicine. Dr. David Latter specializes in adult cardiac surgery with a particular interest in mitral valve repair. His academic work has included clinical trials and research in valve surgery, aortic surgery, and broader cardiac surgical questions, alongside a longstanding commitment to surgical training and fellowship education at the University of Toronto. This is what Legends of the Heart is about: the voices behind the breakthroughs, the defining moments behind the careers, and the wisdom behind the legacy. Subscribe for more in-depth conversations with the pioneers, innovators, educators, and mentors who shaped cardiovascular medicine. #LegendsOfTheHeart #DavidLatter #CardiacSurgery #Cardiology #CardiovascularMedicine #MedicalEducation #SurgicalLeadership #UniversityOfToronto #StMichaelsHospital #Medicine