Robert Dowling, MD, PhD (hon) is the surgical director for The Christ Hospital Heart Transplant Program and the Chris and Trey Heekin Family Endowed Chair for Cardiac Transplantation. Having performed more than 6,000 open heart procedures, Dr. Dowling brings extensive experience in heart transplantation, mechanical circulatory support, and advanced heart failure to Greater Cincinnati.
“The Christ Hospital has the right combination of heart failure programs, a perfect research environment, and specialized heart failure surgeons and cardiologists,” Dr. Dowling said. “What we are delivering here will help many people in the region—and will continue to do so long after any of us are still practicing.”
A pioneering innovator, Dr. Dowling’s interests extend to mechanical and biomechanical designs. He has been a central figure for innovation and development of these technologies and continues to research cardiac assist devices for severe heart failure.
“I enjoy innovating heart surgery and advancing the field,” Dr. Dowling said. “If some of these heart pump innovations our teams are working on live up to their promise, they may improve the outcomes for patients locally, regionally, nationally, and even internationally. Existing heart failure devices are light-years from where we started, but there are innovations on the horizon that may make a huge difference in terms of a patient’s quality of life."
Dr. Dowling graduated summa cum laude from Allegheny College with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. He completed medical school at the University of Pittsburgh. He then completed his general surgery internship and residency and cardiothoracic surgery fellowship with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Dr. Dowling is board certified in cardiothoracic surgery. He is a fellow with the American College of Cardiology and a member of the American Association of Thoracic Surgery, Society of Thoracic Surgeons, the American Heart Association, American Society for Artificial Internal Organs, International Society of Heart / Lung Transplantation, and International Society of Mechanical Circulatory Support.
Dr. Dowling holds multiple patents for medical devices, and his clinical research has been published in a wide range of respected medical journals including the Journal of Vascular Surgery, Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, Chest, Circulation, Transplantation and the New England Journal of Medicine.
He has also appeared in national media to share his experience in heart and lung transplants and post-operative pain control, including NBC’s “The Today Show,” CBS Early Show, CNN, NPR, Reader’s Digest, and Wall Street Journal.
Outside of medicine, Dr. Dowling enjoys exercise, music, reading, and sports.