The lung cancer treatment program at Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) has added renowned expert thoracic surgeon Matthew Schuchert, MD, who recently joined Northeast Georgia Physicians Group (NGPG) Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery to see patients in Gainesville.
Dr. Schuchert joins NGPG after a distinguished career in academic and clinical practice at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he served as a tenured Associate Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery and as Program Director of the Cardiothoracic Surgery residency and fellowship program. A native of Pittsburgh, he completed his own extensive training at UPMC, including residency and research fellowship in General Surgery, a fellowship in Minimally Invasive Thoracic and Foregut Surgery, and a residency in Cardiothoracic Surgery. He earned his medical degree from Johns Hopkins University and received his bachelor’s degree in Biology from Yale University.
“The incidence and mortality associated with lung cancer in Georgia are well above national averages,” said Dr. Schuchert. “This highlights the importance of ongoing efforts in screening, diagnosis and therapy. I’m really excited about applying my time and energy to save lives and improve people’s quality of life in this area.”
Dr. Schuchert completed his surgical training during a time of innovation in minimally invasive chest surgery. He specializes in thoracoscopic and laparoscopic approaches, which use “keyhole” incisions that heal more quickly and with less pain than traditional surgery. He has published hundreds of articles, abstracts, reviews, and book chapters about lung and esophageal cancer. He has also been the Principal Investigator in numerous research projects and clinical trials investigating lung cancer immunology and surgical outcomes following surgical resection of early-stage lung cancer.
The NGHS lung cancer surgery program recently achieved top ratings in a survey conducted by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, placing it among an elite tier of thoracic surgery centers in the U.S. Dr. Schuchert hopes to build on the reputation of excellence established under the leadership of fellow NGPG surgeon Karen Gersch, MD, whom he mentored during her training at UPMC.
