Overview

Dr. Vega is the director of of the heart transplant program at Emory University Hospital and director of cadiothoracic surgery at the Atlanta VA Healthcare System. He implanted Georgia's first dual pump ventricular assist device (VAD) in 1999 to serve as a bridge to heart transplantation, which initiated Emory's ongoing national position at the forefront of the use of mechanical circulatory assist devices. In 2006, he was the first physician in Georgia to implant a VAD as a form of destination therapy for individuals who are ineligible for or are unwilling to undergo a heart transplant, and in 2007 implanted an even smaller VAD for the same purpose.

Dr. Vega has served on the Board of Governors of LifeLink Foundation since 2001. His additional professional memberships have included serving on the Board of Directors of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) and United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) as the thoracic transplant representative from 2012-2014, chairing the OPTN/UNOS Thoracic Organ Transplantation Committee from 2007-2008, and co-chairing the Thoracic Organ Transplantation Committee of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons from 2008-2011.

In May 2021, Emory University Hospital reached the milestone of 1,000 heart transplants performed, of which Dr. Vega is estimated to have performed nearly half.

Academic Appointment

• Professor of Surgery, Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine
• Attending Physician, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Grady Health System
• Attending Physician, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Wellstar Kennestone Hospital
• Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine
• Chief, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Veterans Administration Medical Center
• Director, Heart Transplant Program, Emory University Hospital

Education

Research