Dr. Maral Ouzounian is no stranger to breaking new ground. In 2022, the cardiac surgeon at UHN’s Peter Munk Cardiac Centre became the first woman appointed Head of the Division of Cardiovascular Surgery at UHN. Now, she is the first woman to be appointed President of the Canadian Society of Cardiac Surgeons.
Dr. Ouzounian reflects on her career up to this point — from studying classical piano to what it’s like to save someone’s life and how she tries to achieve balance in professional and family life. She also discusses her priorities in the new role, including expanding educational opportunities for aspiring cardiac surgeons and fostering excellence in cardiac surgery.
What inspired you to become a heart surgeon?
I was originally training to be a classical pianist before I went to medical school.
My background in music gave me a passion for technical precision and mastering technique, which I now deeply appreciate in cardiac surgery.
Above all, I was drawn to the immediate and profound impact on patients’ lives. We take an extremely stressful and daunting moment — facing open-heart surgery — to reassuring and guiding patients and their loved ones through it safely, aiming for the best possible outcomes.
That type of relationship between a surgeon and our patients is really, I think, quite special and magnified in cardiac surgery.
Does your passion for music contribute to your skills as a heart surgeon?
Yes, there are a lot of examples of surgeons who are also musicians or high-level athletes.
And, I think some of that is discipline, perseverance and failing, and then facing repeated failures with resilience. And likely, some of the same characteristics, some of those innate demands and tendencies that are in top performing musicians and athletes are also present in surgeons.
What does it feel like to save somebody’s life?
This is a very powerful moment: when we encounter patients — many of whom are often young — who present with something catastrophic, for example, when they’ve torn their entire aorta, the main blood vessel that supplies all of our vital organs. This is called acute aortic dissection. And, this condition is uniformly fatal without an immediate operation.
So, when we meet these patients in the Emergency room, they are literally staring death in the face, because without an immediate operation, they will undoubtedly die. It’s a very powerful feeling to have that conversation with them, have them entrust their lives to you in that moment, and then get them through a very complicated operation.
Nothing is more rewarding than getting them through to the other side — reassuring their family that they’re in expert hands then seeing them get home and get back to normal everyday life after a very traumatic, catastrophic event. We are extremely privileged to have these moments with patients at their most vulnerable.
I have hundreds of patients who will send me emails or cards on their anniversary of their surgery. Some patients even choose to give a gift to support our research as a show of gratitude. I keep all these emails in an electronic folder, and physical cards and mementos in a box in my office to show my kids, once they’re older, that this is partly why your mom missed some family dinners and birthdays. We’re saving lives in the meantime.
What is the proudest moment of your career?
Well, almost two years ago, I assumed the head of the Division of Cardiovascular Surgery at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre at UHN. And no doubt that has been to date the proudest moment of my career. I feel very fortunate to be leading the best division in the country — a division of exceptional talent.
In my new role as President of the Canadian Society of Cardiac Surgeons, my responsibilities have expanded beyond our division to encompass surgeons across the country. I am excited to showcase the incredible talent and innovation not only at our centre but nationwide.
In this video from 2019, Dr. Maral Ouzounian of UHN’s Peter Munk Cardiac Centre takes viewers through a typical day in her life as both a mother of two boys and a heart surgeon. (Video: UHN)
What are your priorities as you embark on this new role?
We are a small community compared to the U.S. — less than 150 practising cardiac surgeons in the country, but we do very high-quality work across every type of cardiac disease and provide top care for patients across Canada. We have a very talented and innovative group of surgeons, and we punch above our weight academically as well. I’m very excited to take on the presidency.
In my role, I will be in charge of developing the educational programming for the Canadian cardiac surgical community. This includes two large annual meetings: the CSCS Spring meeting and the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress, which cover the spectrum of cardiovascular health from research to patient care.
In addition, we have several programs for trainees: a national bootcamp for new residents, an exam prep course for graduating residents, and a virtual grand rounds and journal club program that are national and available to anyone who is interested. My priority in the next two years is to bring the community together across the country and focus on developing and prioritizing our residents and trainees.
As a mother of two, how do you find a work-life balance?
Women, surgeons and trainees always ask me this question. Straight answer, there’s no balance. Balance is difficult. I definitely do not achieve balance every single day.
I try to achieve balance on a broader scale, week-to-week or month-to-month. There are some days where we’re constantly running from very early in the morning and we may be in the operating room until very late. The patient always has priority.
But I do try to carve out as much time as possible for the most important people in my life, who are my husband and my two boys. I try to make sure that the time that we do have together is quality and that my complete attention is on them.
Who was your role model growing up?
My parents were my main inspiration.
They escaped civil war in the early ’80s in Beirut and came to Toronto with essentially nothing. They raised three successful daughters and sacrificed a lot to ensure we had excellent education and were always incredibly supportive of everything we wanted to do. And, they never set limits on what we were trying to achieve.
What is your advice for someone who aspires to be like you one day?
I would say start by doing what you’re passionate about, the rest will follow.
Operating can be innumerable hours. And frankly, it doesn’t feel like I’m at work because when I wake up, I’m excited for the day, I’m energized by the patients that I’m going to look after. I love the division — each person brings something unique to the table and I am excited to see it grow and to keep innovating.
And, so even though it’s extremely busy, it’s work that’s very fulfilling, and time goes by in a different manner when you’re excited for the day. I do think it’s quite possible to be successful and still have a family and do those other things if that’s what you want. And, I think you do need to build a supportive community around you to be able to do that.
I would encourage young female surgeons considering this field to go for it. The number of women in cardiac surgery is steeply rising, as is the number of female trainees, but women in leadership roles remain underrepresented and are progressing more slowly.
I’m aware of the impact that the leadership positions I’ve been fortunate to hold can have on inspiring others to pursue their goals. These roles can influence younger faculty, surgeons, medical students and residents who are contemplating a career in cardiac surgery. I hope these examples can show younger faculty, surgeons, medical students, and residents who are contemplating a career in cardiac surgery, that they, too, can follow their dreams.
