Featured Profile

Loretta Erhunmwunsee, MD

“Being a thoracic surgeon increases my happiness factor. I love the connection that I have with my patients, the ability I have to work with amazing people and the problem-solving opportunities that arise in my research as well as clinically. This career is helping shape the best version of me and it mandates that she shows up daily.”

Dr. Erhunmwunsee is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Thoracic Surgery at City of Hope Cancer Center in Duarte, California. Her list of accomplishments is a long one! She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Emory University in Atlanta and received her medical doctorate from Harvard Medical School in Boston, graduating magna cum laude. She continued her postgraduate training at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, completing a general surgery internship, followed by a residency in general surgery, after which she served as chief resident. This was followed by a residency in cardiothoracic surgery, also at Duke. Board-certified in general and thoracic surgery, Dr. Erhunmwunsee has been the recipient of numerous honors and awards including the World Congress on Lung Cancer Young Investigator’s Award in 2009. She was chosen as an NIH/NMA Academic Career in Medicine Fellow in 2015, and was chosen as a Feagin Leadership Scholar from Duke University in 2014. Dr. Erhunmwunsee is also the recipient of the Peter C. Pairolero Scholarship Award which she received in 2015 from the General Thoracic Surgical Club.

 

Dr. Erhunmwunsee is a beloved member of the WTS, a supportive colleague and trusted professional. As highlighted in her nomination:

“Loretta is just a great person. She’s so passionate about work, her research, her family, her religion, that’s just her approach to life!”

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