
09/28/2025
Today, we join with many around the world to mourn the death of Russell M. Nelson, MD, and leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He is a recognized trailblazer in heart surgery and medical pioneer. Many of those advancements happened right within the walls of our hospital.
A native of Salt Lake City and graduate from the University of Utah in 1945, then with his medical degree in 1947, Nelson went to the University of Minnesota to earn his PhD. It was there, during his post-doctoral studies in 1951, that he and his fellow researchers developed a heart-lung machine that supported the first-ever human open-heart surgery.
When he returned to Utah, Nelson became the first cardiothoracic surgeon to perform open-heart surgery in the state using this innovative technology. His desire to pioneer health drove him to work as a surgeon at Intermountain Health LDS Hospital and serve as a faculty member in surgery and director of the Thoracic Surgery Residency Program at the University of Utah School of Medicine for almost two decades. He was also our Chair of the Division of Thoracic Surgery. During this time, he continued to advance the frontiers of cardiovascular surgery, trained generations of cardiac surgeons, and saved countless lives.
“Don’t be afraid to pursue your goals—even your dreams,” said Nelson in a 2013 address to young adults. “There is no shortcut to excellence and competence. Education is the difference between wishing you could help other people and being able to help them.”
If you had an opportunity to work with him, we’d love to hear about your experiences🥰