This collection, "Pioneers of Cardiovascular Surgery" consists of 33 video interviews of surgeons who developed open heart surgery in the second half of the 20th century. Dr. William S. Stoney, a cardio-thoracic surgeon on the staff of Vanderbilt University Medical School conceived the idea of creating this collection and he personally conducted the interviews. Each interview is approximately 60 minutes in length. There is a transcript for each interview.

Dr. William Shannon Stoney received his B.S. from the University of the South in 1950 and his M.D. from Vanderbilt University in 1954. After completing his surgical residency at Vanderbilt University Hospital, 1954--1962, he spent a year as a Senior Registrar of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at The General Infirmary in Leeds, England, 1962-1963. By the mid 60's, open heart surgery was becoming more commonly performed and with good results. In Leeds, a team was performing two open-heart operations a week in addition to other procedures. That experience inspired William Stoney to seek out a career in cardiothoracic surgery. He returned to Nashville, TN and headed the heart surgery team at St. Thomas Hospital. Dr. Stoney's "Pioneers of Cardiovasdcular Surgery" interviews is a project he has pursued in his retirement. This project combines his medical knowledge and his love of history. Dr. Stoney plans to publish a book on the history of cardiovascular surgery.

33 DVD's and typed transcipts of each interview.