
The Heartbeat of Innovation
The Heartbeat of Innovation: A History of Cardiac Surgery at the Toronto General Hospital

Cover of “The Heartbeat of Innovation” by Edward Shorter, Hugh Scully, and Bernard Goldman, 2023 Heritage Toronto Book Award nominee. Image courtesy of University of Toronto Archives.
Authors: Edward Shorter, Hugh E. Scully, and Bernard S. Goldman
Publisher: University of Toronto Press
Great innovations take place within great institutions. Founded in 1819, Toronto General Hospital (TGH) is one of Canada’s oldest hospitals and has created a nurturing environment for early Canadian innovations in heart surgery. The Heartbeat of Innovation tells the story of the brilliant surgeons who worked there and the hospital environment that provided an incubator to the many people – skilled perfusionists, dedicated nurses, and pioneering cardiologists – who participated in the revolution in heart surgery that took place along University Avenue in Toronto.
Supported by historical records, hospital archives, personal memoirs, and interviews, this book is an extensive and descriptive account of the seemingly inexorable development of cardiac surgery at this leading academic health science centre. It pursues several themes: the complexity of this surgical specialty, its generally male-dominated nature, the trend toward teamwork in practice, and the evolution and incorporation of original research into this branch of healthcare. These strands are woven together to demonstrate how the TGH has evolved into such a dominant leader in the competitive and demanding field of cardiac surgery. Canadian hearts may beat with pride at the knowledge that one of the major stories in modern medicine took place here – and continues here.
About the Authors:
Dr. Edward Shorter is the Jason A. Hannah Professor of the History of Medicine in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and holds a cross-appointment as Professor of Psychiatry. A social historian of medicine and clinical science, Professor Shorter has published widely in this field, including histories of obstetrics and gynaecology (Women’s Bodies, 1982; rev. 1991), the doctor-patient relationship (Doctors and Their Patients, 1991), psychosomatic illness (From Paralysis to Fatigue, 1992) and sexuality (Written in the Flesh, 2005). He is also the author of Partnership for Excellence (2013), which traces the evolution of Toronto’s academic health science network, and co-author of The Heartbeat of Innovation (2022), a history of cardiac surgery at the Toronto General Hospital.
Dr. Hugh E. Scully is a Canadian surgeon who is involved with motorsport medical care. He was inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame in 1991 for his contributions to motorsport worldwide. Scully earned his medical degree at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. He trained in cardiac surgery at hospitals affiliated with the University of Toronto and Harvard University. Scully founded the Ontario Race Physicians and the Professional Association of Internes and Residents of Ontario, performed surgery at Toronto General Hospital, and was professor of surgery at the University of Toronto. Scully served as a president of the Ontario Medical Association, the Canadian Medical Association and the International Council of Motorsport Sciences.
Dr. Bernard Goldman has been a heart surgeon at the Schulich Centre for more than two decades. He is the former Head of Cardiovascular Surgery and Surgeon-in-Chief at Sunnybrook. He is a world-renowned surgical educator and award-winning cardiac surgeon who has led cardiovascular surgery at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto. Dr. Goldman sits on several professional committees, has published countless scientific papers, text book chapters, books and presentations and has led numerous research efforts to improve the care of cardiovascular surgery patients.