Biography
Dr. Abt earned her medical degree with Highest Distinction from the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, where she was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. She recently completed her Integrated Cardiothoracic Surgery Residency at the University of Southern California/LAC+USC Medical Center, serving as Administrative Chief Resident during her final two years of training. She also earned a Master of Science in Clinical, Biomedical, and Translational Investigations from USC.
During her training, Dr. Abt distinguished herself as a surgeon-scientist and educator. She was the inaugural NIH R38 Mentored Research Pathway in Residency Fellow, a Provost Postdoctoral Scholar, a Cardiothoracic Ethics Forum Scholarship recipient, and a participant in the Cardiothoracic Surgical Trials Network Clinical Implementation Research Scholars Program. Her research has focused on outcomes in complex cardiac surgery, aortic disease, mitral valve repair, adult congenital heart surgery, and implementation science. She has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications, presented nationally and internationally, including at the American Association for Thoracic Surgery, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and the Western Thoracic Surgical Association, and has received multiple honors recognizing her clinical and research excellence, including Thoracic Surgery Resident of the Year.
Dr. Abt is passionate about delivering thoughtful, patient-centered surgical care while advancing the field through clinical investigation and innovation. She is particularly interested in improving outcomes for patients undergoing complex cardiac and aortic operations and is committed to mentoring residents and medical students.