About Me

Dr. Nicholas J. Shea is the Chief of Cardiac Surgery and Co-Director of the Heart and Vascular Institute at Stamford Health. He is an assistant professor of surgery at Columbia University and a member of the faculty at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in the division of cardiac, thoracic, and vascular surgery.

He earned his undergraduate degree from Columbia University, where he graduated cum laude with a degree in mathematics and economics. He received both his medical doctorate and a Master of Science in biomedical engineering from Columbia University. Dr. Shea trained in cardiothoracic surgery at Columbia University Medical Center at New York- Presbyterian Hospital.

He performs procedures in all areas of adult cardiac surgery. He has expertise in mitral valve repair, complex aortic arch and root disease, multi-arterial coronary bypass surgery, and the use of mechanical support for high-risk procedures.

Dr. Shea’s approach to clinical practice emphasizes each patient’s unique story, needs, and clinical situation. He believes in the value of personalized care and attention, from a patient’s first office visit through their entire hospital stay and follow up. He focuses on ensuring patients have a full understanding of their disease while offering solutions that utilize state-of-the-art techniques.

He has published extensively on surgical management of aortic disease, heart failure, surgical innovation, and structural valve disease. Dr. Shea is board certified by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery and is a member of the American College of Surgeons, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, the American Heart Association, the American Association of Thoracic Surgeons, the American Medical Association, and the New York Society of Thoracic Surgeons. He is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology.