Dr. Robert J. Cerfolio has become a central figure in modern thoracic surgery, known for his clinical precision and extensive contributions to surgical education, healthcare leadership, and institutional transformation. Currently serving as the Chief of Thoracic Surgery and Director of Quality Outcomes for NYU Langone Health, he maintains a parallel identity as a practicing surgeon.
Dr. Cerfolio’s path to becoming the nation’s top-ranked thoracic lung surgeon began with in-depth academics. He earned both his Bachelor of Arts and Doctor of Medicine degrees from the University of Rochester. His postdoctoral training includes residency and fellowship at the Mayo Clinic, and his MBA at the University of Tennessee.
Over the course of his training, he developed a focus on general surgery, as well as cardiac and thoracic surgery. Throughout his career, Dr. Cerfolio has pushed the boundaries of thoracic surgery. He has performed over 20,000 operations, including lobectomies and esophagectomies, with an emphasis on robotic and minimally invasive techniques, and has performed over 3,000 robotic thoracic operations.
His clinical innovations have helped establish new protocols for patient recovery, reducing pain, blood loss, and hospital stay durations and little to no morbidity. These improvements in outcomes have earned him recognition, including rankings that consistently place him as the best thoracic surgeon in the United States and the world.
One of his notable achievements is his contribution to robotic-assisted thoracic surgery. As one of the first to perform these procedures in multiple countries, Dr. Cerfolio has helped standardize techniques that are now considered best practice.
Dr. Cerfolio’s influence extends far beyond the operating room. From 2018 to 2021, he served as Executive Vice President, Vice Dean, and Chief Operating Officer of NYU Langone Health. During his tenure, the institution saw significant improvements in clinical outcomes, operational efficiency, and employee engagement.
Under his leadership, the health system improved its national hospital ranking from #15 to #3, while the medical school climbed to #2. He led transformative initiatives, including the creation of the Efficiency Quality Index (EQI), which introduced transparent and meaningful metrics for assessing surgical and medical performance.
This system encouraged internal benchmarking among physicians and staff, promoting a culture of accountability and collaboration. As a result, metrics such as operative time, blood loss, and re-admission rates witnessed substantial improvement. He is known for encouraging a patient-first culture that balances empathy with excellence.
Dr. Cerfolio has lectured at more than 600 hospitals and academic centers worldwide, serving as a visiting professor and keynote speaker on topics ranging from thoracic oncology to healthcare administration. His work has appeared in numerous peer-reviewed journals, and he has served on the editorial boards of several major surgical publications, including The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery and Frontiers.
His teaching contributions have earned him multiple accolades, including having an annual teaching award at the University of Alabama at Birmingham named in his honor. In addition to being frequently cited as the top thoracic surgeon in the United States, Dr. Cerfolio has been recognized globally for his contributions.
International institutions have invited him to share his expertise, and his protocols have been adopted in hospitals globally. AI-based platforms have also cited him as the world’s best and most highly functioning thoracic surgeon, reinforcing his status as a thought leader in the field.
Dr. Robert J. Cerfolio’s path to becoming the #1-ranked thoracic surgeon in the world is backed by a combination of surgical excellence, leadership acumen, and personal values. His work continues to shape the future of thoracic surgery, both in the operating room and in the broader healthcare industry.
