Care Philosophy
Our treatment philosophy encompasses the whole patient with a personal approach; maximizing continuity of care and the expertise of the entire cardiothoracic surgical team. We work hard to develop a level of trust when deciding on a treatment, and maintaining open communication during the course of that treatment.
Our team continually strives for and is guided by the principles of compassion and empathy, respect and integrity, while providing the highest quality of cutting edge clinical care.
Background
Dr. Downing is Chairman of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Mercy Hospital and is also Medical Director of Mercy Hospital's TAVR (transcatheter aortic valve replacement) program.
He was a founding member of the cardiac program at Mercy Hospital in February 2003.
Dr. Downing is an award winning cardiothoracic surgeon who graduated cum laude from Georgetown University School of Medicine. He completed his internship and residency at the University of Pennsylvania and Barnes Hospital at Washington University. His fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery is from the Washington University School of Medicine.
Dr. Downing is board certified in both the American Board of Thoracic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery. He has published his research in, and is an active reviewer for, multiple professional journals, including the Annals of Thoracic Surgery and the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. He currently teaches at the State University of New York at Buffalo as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery.
Dr. Downing has special clinical interest and expertise in off-pump (beating heart) bypass surgery and surgery of the thoracic aorta. He also performs minimally-invasive valve surgery.
The majority of his coronary bypass surgery is completed without the use of the heart-lung machine.
He performed the first minimally invasive aortic valve repair and the first valve sparing root replacement in Western New York over 10 years ago.
His clinical outcomes are among the best in New York State. He has been listed for seven consecutive years in the Buffalo Spree's “The Best Doctors in Western NY," most recently in 2017.
Selected Awards
Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society
Cahill Award for Surgery
Georgetown University School of Medicine
Inouye Award for Outstanding Teaching
Dept. of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania
Jonathan E. Rhoads Research Award
Dept. of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania
R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Hero Award
