After medical school, Dr. Berger spent seven years in general and cardiac surgery residencies and research, with his internationally revered mentor, the late Dr. John Kirklin. Dr. Kirklin pioneered open heart surgery as the first surgeon ever to operate routinely with a heart-lung machine. Before completing his training, Dr. Berger contributed to the writing of Dr. Kirklin's widely respected textbook, Cardiac Surgery. Dr. Berger's work on this text is acknowledged in writing in its first edition..

While working with Dr. Kirklin, Dr. Berger was extensively involved in the subspecialty of complex congenital heart surgery. Dr. Berger’s subsequent practice was limited to adult and some adolescent open heart surgery but he has maintained his interest in congenital cases and, unlike many adult heart surgeons, is able to fully understand and evaluate even extremely complex cases. If you have a case involving complex congenital heart surgery on an infant or young child, you may find that none of the small group of surgeons who do that type of surgery will testify against each other, no matter how egregious the malpractice. In that case, Dr. Berger may be literally the only expert with the background to fully understand and the honesty and courage to tell the truth about your case..

After completing his training with Dr. Kirklin, Dr. Berger served his country for two years as a staff cardiac surgeon, at the Naval Regional Medical Center, in San Diego, where he was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal for, “Displaying exceptional technical skill in the field of open-heart surgery.” While in the Navy, Dr. Berger also served as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of California in San Diego..

In 1980, Dr. Berger started his own heart surgery program in a small town in Montana, where heart surgery had never before been done. He helped to design the operating room and ICU, from the blueprint stages; trained nurses and technicians, who had never treated heart surgery patients before; and set up “patient management programs” to assure consistency and excellence. Such standardization of care did not come into general use, as “care paths,” until decades later..

By 1990, the program Dr. Berger had started was recognized in the Wall Street Journal as being tied for the lowest mortality in the nation, for Medicare coronary bypass patients..

In 1997, Dr. Berger returned to academic medicine, as Chief of, not only cardiac surgery but all surgery, at a Duke affiliated hospital, where he held the academic appointment of Associate Consulting Professor of Surgery, with Duke University. In this position, Dr. Berger was responsible for the training of Duke residents and fellows, in cardiac surgery and other surgical sub-specialties, when they rotated through his hospital..

Due a medical problem with his vision, Dr. Berger is no longer in the active practice of cardiac surgery. He continues, however, to put his education, training and experience to good use assuring that the truth is fearlessly revealed and cogently explained in every case in which he becomes involved. Dr. Berger has also taken a strong stand within the medical community for an ethical approach to expert witness testimony, which will not compromise the right of any injured person to legal redress..

Call Dr. Berger for a free initial phone evaluation of the merits of your case and learn why our motto at Heart of the Matter Expertise is:.