Dr. Carpenter earned her PhD in Physiology from Penn State University in 1981 and her medical degree from George Washington University in 1989. She is Board Certified in Surgery and Thoracic Surgery. She was a member of the US Air Force and was the Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Wilford Hall Medical Center until joining the UT Health Science Center faculty in 2002. Dr. Carpenter is predominantly an adult cardiac surgeon; her interests include aortic root and arch reconstruction, Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR), and advances in technology for the future of Thoracic Surgery. Currently the Program Director for the Thoracic Surgery Residency, she is a national leader in curriculum development for the 6-year Integrated Thoracic Surgery residency. Dr. Carpenter serves on the ACGME Thoracic Surgery Milestones committee and is committed to the development of competency based medical education.
Board Certifications
American Board of Surgery
American Board of Thoracic Surgery
Education
MD, George Washington University, Washington, DC, 1989
PhD in Physiology, Pennsylvania State University, 1981
MS in Physical Education, University of Utah, 1977
BS in Physical Education, Appalachian State University, 1974
Postgraduate training
Residency in Thoracic Surgery, University of California Davis MC, Sacramento, CA 1997
Research Fellowship in Thoracic Surgery, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 1995
Residency in Gen. Surgery, David Grant USAF MC, Travis AFB, CA, 1994
Research interests
Clinical development of therapies for valvular heart disease including transcatheter valve implants and repair techniques.
Basic science research investigating role of inflammatory mediators (IL-18) in heart failure in collaboration with Bysani Chandrasekar, PhD at Tulane University.
Clinical interests
Current interests include minimally invasive valve repairs, homograft root reconstruction, the Ross procedure, and advances in technology for the future of Thoracic Surgery.
Publications
Atkins BZ, Danielson DS, Fitzpatrick CM, Dixon P, Petersen RP, Carpenter AJ. Modified ultrafiltration attenuates pulmonary-derived inflammatory mediators in response to cardiopulmonary bypass. Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg 2010 Aug
Reed CE, Vaporciyan AA, Erikson C, Dill MJ, Carpenter AJ, Guleserian KJ, Merrill WH. Factors dominating choice of surgical specialty . J Am Coll Surg 2010 Mar;210(3):319-324.
Rosenberg Y, Myatt JP, Feldman M, Carpenter AJ, Bauch T, Restrepo CS, Panday M. Down to the Wire: Tricuspid Stenosis in the Setting of Multiple Pacing Leads. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol 2010 Jan
Fann JI, Calhoon JH, Carpenter AJ, Merrill WH, Brown JW, Poston RS, Kalani M, Murray GF, Hicks GL, Feins RH. Simulation in coronary artery anastomosis early in cardiothoracic surgical residency training: the Boot Camp experience. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2010 May;139(5):1275-1281
Vaporciyan AA, Reed CE, Erikson C, Dill MJ, Carpenter AJ, Guleserian KJ, Merrill W. Factors affecting interest in cardiothoracic surgery: survey of North American general surgery residents. Ann Thorac Surg 2009 May;87(5):1351-1359
Carpenter AJ. Diagnostic techniques in thoracic trauma. Semin Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2008 Jan;20(1):2-5
Dearmond D, Carpenter AJ, Calhoon JH. Critical primary survey injuries. Semin Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2008 Jan;20(1):6-7
Angel LF, Levine DJ, Restrepo MI, Johnson S, Sako E, Carpenter AJ, Calhoon J, Cornell JE, Adams SG, Chisholm GB, Nespral J, Roberson A, Levine SM. Impact of a lung transplantation donor-management protocol on lung donation and recipient outcomes. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Vol.174, 2006.
Allen, PF, Kelley, TC, Taylor, TL, Abouchahine, S, Leininger, BE, Mueller DL, Khandhar, SJ, Sako EY, Carpenter AJ. Bronchial Transection: Diagnosis and Management. Clinical Pulmonary Medicine 2006 May;13(3):203-208
Carpenter AJ, Follette DM, Sheppard B, Yoshikawa R, Sam J. Simultaneous antegrade and retrograde reperfusion after cardioplegic arrest for coronary artery bypass. J Card Surg 1999 Sep;14(5):354-358
Awards
Employee of 1st Quarter 2005: Award received from University Health System, San Antonio TX, 2005
Meritorious Service Medal: For service as Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland AFB, Texas, 2002
Dare To Soar: Air Force award for excellence in patient care, 2002
Cardiothoracic Surgery Subspecialty Chair: Cardiothoracic Surgery Section 49th Annual Symposium Society of Air Force Clinical Surgeons, 2002
Alley-Sheridan Scholar: The Thoracic Surgery Foundation for Research and Education, 1999
Cardiothoracic Surgery Subspecialty Chair: Cardiothoracic Surgery Section 46th Annual Symposium Society of Air Force Clinical Surgeons, San Antonio, TX, 1999
Professional societies
American Association of Thoracic Surgeons: Editorial Board
American College of Surgeons
San Antonio Cardiovascular Society
Society of Thoracic Surgeons: National Database Workforce
Southern Thoracic Surgical Association: Vice President
Women in Thoracic Surgery: Past President