Featured physician 

FOLLOW IN OUR FOOTSTEPS & OUR SCRUBCAPS

The foundation routinely highlights a physician who supports ScrubCaps and the mission of encouraging the next generation of women physicians and surgeons.  We are pleased to introduce you to an incredible inspiration, Emily Farkas, MD.   

Dr. Emily A. Farkas is a Cardiothoracic Surgeon from Los Angeles, CA who spends 50% of her time in a US-based practice, with the balance spent providing free heart surgery in developing countries for those patients who would otherwise be unable to receive treatment.  She has operated on over 1,000 children & adults in the U.S. and in countries such as Mongolia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Ghana, Nigeria, Peru, Brazil & Nepal, among others. Through charity organizations, she has directed or participated in over 50 humanitarian missions around the world.

Dr. Farkas is one of only 3% of Cardiothoracic Surgeons in the United States who are women, and holds the distinction of being the first female accepted into the Cardiothoracic Surgery program at Yale University in its 60 year history.  Due to her extensive humanitarian work, she has been honored by a Mayoral Proclamation naming August 3rd "Dr. Emily Farkas Day" in the city of St. Louis, and received the honored designation of "Chief" by Nigerian government officials after performing the first heart surgery in greater than 10 years at the University of Nigeria. She was recently granted honorary citizenship of the Brazilian state Amapa for her surgical volunteerism in the Amazon region of South America.

We asked Dr. Farkas to tell us what her reason is to #tieback2giveback:

“The only thing as meaningful to me as giving back is the potential to empower and inspire other young doctors to do the same. For me, that’s in the DNA of ScrubCaps for a Cause. I’m so grateful for the training I’ve been given and the opportunities I’ve been afforded because they’ve allowed me this incredible privilege of affecting peoples’ lives in a profound way every day. Scrubcaps for a Cause is a beautiful way, literally and philanthropically, to pay it forward to other young women embracing their own career in medicine.”

"I frequently get asked what I think is the key to being successful in a traditionally male-dominated field like Cardiothoracic Surgery.  I've always felt that working hard with diligence and integrity should give little reason for anyone to focus on why you might be different than the doctor standing next to you.  My professional duty is gender-neutral, like my ability to deliver it skillfully.  That responsibility is not to blend in, fly under the radar, or look and act in a way that might be expected or common amongst my respected male colleagues.  Personally, I'm comfortable and confident being a stiletto in a room full of flats."

"I think ScrubCaps for a Cause embodies all of these personal and professional tenets.  A donation of support honors your own unique identity while enabling other young women in medicine to be inspired to do the same.  What a great reason to #tieback2giveback."