Paul Devlin, MD, earned his undergraduate degree and Doctor of Medicine at Northwestern University. He completed his cardiothoracic residency at McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University and also spent two years at the University of Toronto, studying the long-term outcomes of congenital heart surgery. Dr. Devlin is currently completing a two-year fellowship in cardiac surgery at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and will soon join the Cardiac Center as our newest attending.
Here, he explains why he chose to specialize in pediatric cardiac surgery, his empathetic approach to partnering with Heart Warrior families, and what he’s most looking forward to about his new role at CHOP.
Q: What inspired your interest in heart surgery?
As an undergraduate, I initially chose to go into the medical field for the same reason I think a lot of people do – I was good at math and science, and I knew I wanted to help people. During medical school, I really fell in love with cardiac surgery because it’s so technically demanding. Compared to other surgical specialties, every case is incredibly time-sensitive because we’re trying to minimize bypass time and cross-clamp time (the amount of time during surgery when blood flow to the heart is stopped by a clamp on the aorta) to optimize patient outcomes. In order to do that, you really need a team that’s a well-oiled machine, so everything goes as smoothly as possible, and getting to be a part of that is really special.
Q: Why did you choose to specialize in pediatrics?
During my undergrad at Northwestern, I participated in a dance-a-thon for the Children’s Heart Foundation. Over that 24 hours, surgeons and patients and family members spoke about their experience and their passion for defeating congenital heart disease. It was inspiring. When an opportunity arose to participate in a pediatric cardiac surgery research project during medical school, I remembered that experience and volunteered. Through that project, I learned that the problems of congenital heart disease are very different from those of acquired heart disease. There’s a puzzle-like nature to things like rerouting blood flow within the heart. Each patient is unique. I found that very appealing.
Q. Why did you choose CHOP for training, and what made you stay after your fellowship?
During my fellowship at CHOP, I acquired great role models – who are now my colleagues. One of the great things about training here is that the attendings are very experienced; they are great surgeons and also great people. I learned so much from them. But it’s really everyone at CHOP. From the nurses throughout the cardiac center and the perfusion team in the operating room to the anesthesia team and the incredible cardiologists, everyone believes that this is more than just a job – it’s a mission. It makes work a great place to be when everyone here is doing their absolute best for the kids we treat.
Q: Who are your role models?
Dr. Carl Backer, who was in Chicago and is now in Lexington, Kentucky, has been a great mentor to me. He started me on this path with my first exposure to pediatric heart surgery and pointed me towards the research opportunity in Toronto. He has mentored me throughout medical school and my residency. Here at CHOP, I’ve learned so much about relating to families from Dr. Stephanie Fuller and aspire to have the technical excellence of Dr. Jonathan Chen and Dr. Muhammad Nuri. The thoughtfulness and planning that goes into each one of Dr. Katsuhide Maeda’s complex surgeries is next level. I admire all of them and am glad to call them partners.
On the personal side, my parents have been incredible role models – teaching me how to solve problems, work hard, find solutions. They’ve also taught me how to take care of people. They’ve shown me how I want to raise my family; I’m very grateful for everything they’ve done to get me where I am today.
Q: How do you approach working with families, especially when it comes to helping them understand complex heart conditions and surgical care?
When our daughter Stephanie was born at 36 weeks, she spent a month in the Penn NICU, and that experience really impacted my understanding of the patient perspective. Stephanie had to wean off oxygen, got a virus, and came home with an NG tube — and I found myself straddling the role of both a dad and a medical interpreter for my wife. It gave me a real sense of humility. As surgeons, we sometimes take for granted the impact of an extra week in the hospital or a minor complication, but for families, those details matter deeply. It’s the day-to-day uncertainty that causes a significant burden. Each family has a unique perspective on hospitalization, and it is my job to be there for them through it all. Parents are living through the emotional toll, and they are not only trying to understand what’s happening with their child but also then explain it to their entire support system. I’m always happy to provide as much technical detail as parents want, but I also really try to pay attention to what matters most to families. Those are the things that drive the patient experience. My daughter’s NICU stay was short compared to what many cardiac families endure, and I truly admire the strength and resilience of the families we care for.
Q: What do you like about working with CHOP Heart Warriors?
Every time a parent of a heart warrior pursues treatment for congenital heart disease, they are making a deep commitment and dedication of their time to their child. The sacrifices these parents make go above and beyond the sacrifices of others. Most have little to no experience with congenital heart disease. It is a real testament to their bravery and the trust they place in our team. Taking on the unknown in that way is really admirable.
Q: What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Right now, I’m teaching my kids to ride bikes, which is really fun. We enjoy visiting my parents in the Baltimore area, and we just bought a house, so now we’re also learning how to maintain a home. I also snowboard, and every couple of years, I try to go on a ski trip with my friends from college. But most of my free time is spent with my kids, and I’m happy to have it that way.
Q: What are you most looking forward to about your new role at CHOP?
I’m really looking forward to the autonomy that comes with being an attending. I take immense pride in my training and the contributions to the patients that I’ve been privileged to take care of. But as an attending, it’s your name on the chart; it’s your case. I’m here because I love this work. And I'm looking forward to owning my patient outcomes and continuing to dedicate my life to making them as great as they can be.
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Paul Devlin, MD, earned his undergraduate degree and Doctor of Medicine at Northwestern University. He completed his cardiothoracic residency at McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University and also spent two years at the University of Toronto, studying the long-term outcomes of congenital heart surgery. Dr. Devlin is currently completing a two-year fellowship in cardiac surgery at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and will soon join the Cardiac Center as our newest attending.
Here, he explains why he chose to specialize in pediatric cardiac surgery, his empathetic approach to partnering with Heart Warrior families, and what he’s most looking forward to about his new role at CHOP.
Q: What inspired your interest in heart surgery?
As an undergraduate, I initially chose to go into the medical field for the same reason I think a lot of people do – I was good at math and science, and I knew I wanted to help people. During medical school, I really fell in love with cardiac surgery because it’s so technically demanding. Compared to other surgical specialties, every case is incredibly time-sensitive because we’re trying to minimize bypass time and cross-clamp time (the amount of time during surgery when blood flow to the heart is stopped by a clamp on the aorta) to optimize patient outcomes. In order to do that, you really need a team that’s a well-oiled machine, so everything goes as smoothly as possible, and getting to be a part of that is really special.
Q: Why did you choose to specialize in pediatrics?
During my undergrad at Northwestern, I participated in a dance-a-thon for the Children’s Heart Foundation. Over that 24 hours, surgeons and patients and family members spoke about their experience and their passion for defeating congenital heart disease. It was inspiring. When an opportunity arose to participate in a pediatric cardiac surgery research project during medical school, I remembered that experience and volunteered. Through that project, I learned that the problems of congenital heart disease are very different from those of acquired heart disease. There’s a puzzle-like nature to things like rerouting blood flow within the heart. Each patient is unique. I found that very appealing.
Q. Why did you choose CHOP for training, and what made you stay after your fellowship?
During my fellowship at CHOP, I acquired great role models – who are now my colleagues. One of the great things about training here is that the attendings are very experienced; they are great surgeons and also great people. I learned so much from them. But it’s really everyone at CHOP. From the nurses throughout the cardiac center and the perfusion team in the operating room to the anesthesia team and the incredible cardiologists, everyone believes that this is more than just a job – it’s a mission. It makes work a great place to be when everyone here is doing their absolute best for the kids we treat.
Q: Who are your role models?
Dr. Carl Backer, who was in Chicago and is now in Lexington, Kentucky, has been a great mentor to me. He started me on this path with my first exposure to pediatric heart surgery and pointed me towards the research opportunity in Toronto. He has mentored me throughout medical school and my residency. Here at CHOP, I’ve learned so much about relating to families from Dr. Stephanie Fuller and aspire to have the technical excellence of Dr. Jonathan Chen and Dr. Muhammad Nuri. The thoughtfulness and planning that goes into each one of Dr. Katsuhide Maeda’s complex surgeries is next level. I admire all of them and am glad to call them partners.
On the personal side, my parents have been incredible role models – teaching me how to solve problems, work hard, find solutions. They’ve also taught me how to take care of people. They’ve shown me how I want to raise my family; I’m very grateful for everything they’ve done to get me where I am today.
Q: How do you approach working with families, especially when it comes to helping them understand complex heart conditions and surgical care?
When our daughter Stephanie was born at 36 weeks, she spent a month in the Penn NICU, and that experience really impacted my understanding of the patient perspective. Stephanie had to wean off oxygen, got a virus, and came home with an NG tube — and I found myself straddling the role of both a dad and a medical interpreter for my wife. It gave me a real sense of humility. As surgeons, we sometimes take for granted the impact of an extra week in the hospital or a minor complication, but for families, those details matter deeply. It’s the day-to-day uncertainty that causes a significant burden. Each family has a unique perspective on hospitalization, and it is my job to be there for them through it all. Parents are living through the emotional toll, and they are not only trying to understand what’s happening with their child but also then explain it to their entire support system. I’m always happy to provide as much technical detail as parents want, but I also really try to pay attention to what matters most to families. Those are the things that drive the patient experience. My daughter’s NICU stay was short compared to what many cardiac families endure, and I truly admire the strength and resilience of the families we care for.
Q: What do you like about working with CHOP Heart Warriors?
Every time a parent of a heart warrior pursues treatment for congenital heart disease, they are making a deep commitment and dedication of their time to their child. The sacrifices these parents make go above and beyond the sacrifices of others. Most have little to no experience with congenital heart disease. It is a real testament to their bravery and the trust they place in our team. Taking on the unknown in that way is really admirable.
Q: What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Right now, I’m teaching my kids to ride bikes, which is really fun. We enjoy visiting my parents in the Baltimore area, and we just bought a house, so now we’re also learning how to maintain a home. I also snowboard, and every couple of years, I try to go on a ski trip with my friends from college. But most of my free time is spent with my kids, and I’m happy to have it that way.
Q: What are you most looking forward to about your new role at CHOP?
I’m really looking forward to the autonomy that comes with being an attending. I take immense pride in my training and the contributions to the patients that I’ve been privileged to take care of. But as an attending, it’s your name on the chart; it’s your case. I’m here because I love this work. And I'm looking forward to owning my patient outcomes and continuing to dedicate my life to making them as great as they can be.
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