Chief, Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital Heart Institute
Chief, Pediatric & Congenital Cardiac Surgery
Surgical Director, Heart Transplantation & Mechanical Circulatory Assistance

As Chief of Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital Heart Institute, I treat all pediatric cardiac disease, and congenital heart disease in both children and adults. I perform conventional heart surgery to repair congenital heart defects and heart valve problems that might be acquired in children. I’m also Surgical Director of the hospital’s Heart Transplant and Heart Failure Program, and perform heart transplantation and surgeries to implant mechanical circulatory assist devices, which are artificial heart pumps.
 
One of the areas I’m most passionate about is tissue regeneration research. At Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, we have been studying extracellular matrix and valve construction for valve replacement in children, and are actively participating in funded research related to these valve constructs.
 
My patients and their well-being are my top priority. Parents always thank me and our team, but all we do is fix their child’s heart. The children are the real heroes. I draw a huge amount of inspiration from what I see these kids go through every day. I’ve always loved children, and being able to give life, prolong life and improve the quality of life of children with congenital heart defects is immensely gratifying. It’s amazing to know that you’ve given a child years of good quality of life and helped ensure that they have the best chance to grow into adulthood.
 
I’m a member of the Board of Directors of the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation, whose mission is to secure philanthropic funding to support the hospital, and I serve as president of the Board of Directors of the American Heart and Stroke Association’s South Florida affiliate.  I’m also honored to have volunteered on multiple international mission trips to perform heart surgery in children around the world.
 
When I’m not at work, I enjoy spending time with my wife and four children, who bring me great joy. I’m a fan of cars, fishing, boating, the outdoors and winter sports.

Hospital Affiliations

• Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital
• Memorial Hospital Miramar
• Memorial Hospital West
• Memorial Regional Hospital

Gender

• Male

Education

Chicago Medical School, 1993

Residency

UCLA School Of Medicine, 1997, Cardiothoracic Surgery
Vanderbilt University Program, 2003, Cardiothoracic Surgery
Yale-New Haven Med Ctr Prog, 1995, Surgery

Fellowships

Children's Hospital @ Cleveland Clinic, 2003, Cardiac Surgery

Certifications

American Board of Thoracic Surgery-Congenital Cardiac Surgery
American Board of Thoracic Surgery-Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery

Publications

• View Dr. Frank Scholl's publications on PubMed

Research

• Evaluation of Myocardial Protection in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Using Tissue Doppler Imaging, 2007-present
• Use of Small Intestinal Submucosa Extracellular Matrix (SIS-ECM) in Repair of Congenital Cardiac Defects, 2007-present

Professional Organizations

• American Medical Association
• American College of Cardiology
• International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation
• Society of Thoracic Surgeons
• Fellow, American College of Surgeons
• Fellow, American College of Cardiology

Presentations

• “Preliminary Experience with Porcine Extracellular Matrix Scaffold: Human Applications in Congenital Heart Disease,” Innovations in CV Surgery, CorMatrix ECM Technology Symposium, 2010
• “Surgical Management of PDA,” 8th Annual Neonatal ICU Developmental Care Conference, 2010
• Adult Congenital Heart Disease,” Caribbean Cardiac Society Meeting, 2009
• “Reconstruction of the Heart and Pericardium with Decellularized Porcine Extracellular Matrix Scaffold: Human Application in Congenital Heart Disease,” 5th Annual World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, 2009
• “Adult Congenital Disease: What Does the Adult Practitioner Need to Know?”, Memorial Cardiac and Vascular Institute, 1st Annual Cardiovascular Symposium, 2009
• “Congenital Heart Defects and Heart Failure,” AHA Quality Improvement Workshop in Stroke, Heart Failure and AMI, 2009
• “Tissue Engineering in Congenital Heart Surgery,” Caribbean Cardiac Society, 2008

• “Haitian Cardiac Patient,” NBC Channel 6 News, 2010
• “Hollywood Hospital Gets High-Tech Ambulance,” South Florida Sun Sentinel, 2009
• “JDCH Pediatric Transport,” WSVN Channel 7 News, 2009
• “Cardiac Center Goes to Bat for Kids at JDCH,” South Florida Hospital News, 2008
• “Pediatric Heart Transplants Among New Health Program Proposal,” South Florida Business Journal, 2008

• Reviewer, World Journal of Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery, 2010

• “Reconstruction of the Heart and Pericardium with Decellularized Porcine Extracellular Matrix Scaffold: Human Applications in Congenital Heart Disease,” 5th Annual World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, 2009

Awards

• First Annual Honoree, Angel’s Pediatric Heart House, 2012
• Yale-New Haven Hospital, The Frank G. Scholl Surgical Residents’ Library and Reading Room, 2003
• Major Gift by Patient to Yale-New Haven Hospital for Excellence in Patient Care, 2000
• Ira S. Goldenberg Junior Surgical Housestaff Award, Yale-New Haven Hospital, 1994
• Dean’s Award, UHS/The Chicago Medical School, 1993
• Alpha Omega Alpha, 1992
• Sigma Xi Research Honor Society, 1989