Dr. Umesh C. Joashi

I am the chief of pediatric heart surgery at Duke Health. Being a heart surgeon was always a dream of mine as a child. Spending a summer in medical school with legendary pediatric heart surgeon, Aldo Castaneda, cemented my desire to devote my life to this profession. Clinically, I love the creativity, complexity and challenge associated with my work. I am also able to satisfy my investigational curiosities through an active basic and clinical research laboratory focusing on congenital heart disease. I consider myself extremely lucky to be able to fulfill this dream back at Duke, a place that was so influential in my surgical training. Outside the hospital, I most enjoy spending time with my wife of 20+ years and three young children. We are an active family, always on the go… which mirrors my life at work. Dr. Turek is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Tetralogy of Fallot. His top areas of expertise are Partial Atrioventricular Canal, Coarctation of the Aorta, Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS), Heart Transplant, and Heart Valve Repair.

I am a pediatric heart surgeon specializing in the repair of congenital heart defects in newborns, infants, and children. I am extremely proud of the exceptional work we do here at Duke Children’s Hosptial. We have an incredibly talented team of providers who are deeply committed to delivering outstanding patient care. It’s a privilege and an honor to get to do what I absolutely love to do. Among the many positive aspects, I especially enjoy the initial meeting with the family of a child who may need heart surgery. For many expectant mothers, these heart defects are first identified on ultrasound during pregnancy. For defects that typically need early surgery, we offer a prenatal surgical consultation. In this conversation, I have the opportunity to carefully describe in plain language the nature of the heart defect, the treatment options and role of surgery, and the expectations for recovery and the long-term outlook. This important moment gives me a chance to meet the mother, establish a relationship, and begin our shared journey through the prospect of heart surgery for her child. Together with the expertise of my colleagues, we continually strive to provide the safest possible heart care for the children of our region and beyond. Dr. Clark is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Tetralogy of Fallot. His top areas of expertise are Tracheal Agenesis, Transposition of the Great Arteries, Tetralogy of Fallot, Truncus Arteriosus, and Heart Valve Repair.

As a pediatric cardiologist, I want Duke to be a place where I would send my own children, my own family. For me, that’s the reason to come, that’s our philosophy, that’s how I work, that’s how we feel. I try to explain everything to the children and parents at the same time and make sure that I let the children ask questions, not just the parents. Getting the children involved helps them understand more and not be afraid so much about what’s happening. With adults, it’s more of a decision-making process that involves the whole family. I’m open and honest about what we can do and can’t do, and what I know and don’t know. I’m not telling them what to do, but advising them and we’re working as a group to decide the best treatment options. It’s fun working with children and fun seeing them be happy and get better and grow up. I see children that I diagnosed before birth, and some of them are in high school now. Dr. Camitta is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Tetralogy of Fallot. His top areas of expertise are Tetralogy of Fallot, Myotonic Dystrophy Type 2, Myotonic Dystrophy, and Atrioventricular Septal Defect.