Biography

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Michael Wait, M.D., is a board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon who has been on staff at UT Southwestern for more than three decades.

Dr. Wait graduated magna cum laude with a degree in biology from Baylor University, and then received his medical degree from UT Southwestern, where he graduated sixth in his class. He completed residencies in internal medicine, general surgery, and thoracic and cardiovascular surgery at UT Southwestern-affiliated hospitals.

Dr. Wait is an active member of several committees at UT Southwestern, including the Heart and Lung Transplant Selection Committees, the Parkland Surgical Chiefs Committee, Promotion and Tenure Committee, Parkland OR Committee, Parkland Medical Executive Committee, and St. Paul Credentialing Committee.

He has authored numerous book chapters, and dozens of articles on cardiothoracic care. He is a member of the American Medical Association, Dallas County Medical Society, Texas Medical Association, Parkland Surgical Society, American College of Surgeons, American College of Cardiology, Southwestern Surgical Congress, the American College of Chest Physicians, International Heart/Lung Transplant Society, and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.

Dr. Wait was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Colorado. He enjoys mountain climbing and spending time with his fiancé Jill  Ann  Scott, their children and extended families.  He also loves reading C. S. Lewis, Eric Metaxis,  John Grisham novels, working in his church, bicycling, landscaping, and tending to his farm animals. 

Education

Medical School
UT Southwestern Medical School (1983)
Residency
UT Southwestern Medical Center (1985), Internal Medicine
Residency
UT Southwestern Medical Center (1990), General Surgery
Residency
Parkland Memorial Hospital (1992), Thoracic Surgery

Research Interest

  • Feasibility Study: A phase 3, Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Parallel-Group, Placebo-Controlled Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of Intercostal Nerve Block with the Study Drug in Subjects Undergoing Posterolateral Thoracotomy
  • Randomized Evaluation of CABG On vs. Off Pump (RECOOP)
  • Randomized Trial of Variable Anticoagulation with On-X Valve
  • Randomized, Multicenter, Double-Blind, Group Sequential Study to Evaluate the Efficacy, Immunogenicity, and Safety of a Single Dose of Merck 0657nI Staphylococcus aureus Vaccine (V710) in Adult Patients Scheduled for Cardiothoracic Surgery.

Publications

Featured Publications LegendFeatured Publications

Endotherapy for a 5-cm mid-esophageal perforation with tandem stenting above the lower esophageal sphincter (with videos).
Tang SJ, Singh S, Wait MA, Mullican MA, Scott DJ Surg Endosc 2009 May
Iatrogenic esophageal submucosal dissection after attempted diagnostic gastroscopy (with videos).
Tang SJ, Tang L, Jazrawi SF, Meyer D, Wait MA, Myers LL Laryngoscope 2009 Jan 119 1 36-8
Perfusion preservation versus static preservation for cardiac transplantation: effects on myocardial function and metabolism.
Rosenbaum DH, Peltz M, DiMaio JM, Meyer DM, Wait MA, Merritt ME, Ring WS, Jessen ME J. Heart Lung Transplant. 2008 Jan 27 1 93-9
The Cardiovascular System, Chapter 15 in The Physiologic Basis of Surgery 4th edition
Beckles D, Wait MA in The Physiologic Basis of Surgery, 4th ed October 2007 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Thoracoscopic management of empyema thoracis.
Wait MA, Beckles DL, Paul M, Hotze M, Dimaio MJ J Minim Access Surg 2007 Oct 3 4 141-8
Differentiating true versus pseudo left ventricular aneurysm: a case report and review of diagnostic strategies.
Cho MN, Mehta SK, Matulevicius S, Weinstein D, Wait MA, McGuire DK Cardiol Rev 2006 Nov-Dec 14 6 e27-30
Hypothermic circulatory arrest for repair of injuries of the thoracic aorta and great vessels.
Peltz M, Douglass DS, Meyer DM, Wait MA, DiMaio JM, Ring WS, Jessen ME Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg 2006 Oct 5 5 560-5

Books

Featured Books Legend Featured Books

Honors & Awards

  • President's Leaders in Clinical Excellence Award in Program Development
    (2019-2019)
  • Castle Connolly Top Doctors
    "Best In American Medicine" (2008-2013)
  • Texas Super Docs
    "Best Doctors in Texas" featured in Texas Monthly and D Magazine (2006-2012)
  • President's Research Council Award
    UTSouthwestern (1993)
  • Alpha Omega Alpha
    (1983)
  • Alpha Epsilon Delta
    Premedical Honor Society (1979)
  • Phi Beta Kappa
    (1979)

Professional Associations/Affiliations

  • American College of Chest Physicians (1994)
  • Dallas County Medical Society (2019)
  • International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (2019)
  • Society of Thoracic Surgeons (1996)
  • Southern Thoracic Surgical Association (1999-2008)
  • Texas Medical Association (2019)