Professor Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Jeswant Dillon was elected in May 2026 as the first Malaysian member of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS), the world’s leading organisation for cardiothoracic surgery skills and innovations founded in 1917 [1, 2]. The AATS membership is highly selective, reserved for internationally recognised surgeons with sustained excellence and significant contributions in the field [1, 2].
Dr Jeswant is a senior consultant cardiothoracic surgeon at Institut Jantung Negara (IJN) with over 30 years of experience managing complex cardiothoracic surgery cases in Malaysia [1, 2]. He received his initial cardiothoracic training at IJN before completing an advanced fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in the United States [1, 2]. From 2014 to 2019, he served as head of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at IJN [1, 2]. His clinical expertise includes valve repair and replacement, minimally invasive cardiac surgery, coronary artery bypass surgery, corrective procedures for anomalous coronary artery and hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM), as well as video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) [1, 2].
Beyond his clinical work, Dr Jeswant serves as adjunct professor at Universitas Airlangga in Indonesia and Universiti Malaya [1, 2]. Reflecting on the election, Dr Jeswant described it as “a recognition of years of sacrifice invested in the discipline, representing decades of training, long hours both in clinical practice and academia and sustained discipline. It feels less like a title that is bestowed but more as acknowledgment that the sacrifices mattered” [2].
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad publicly praised Dr Jeswant’s induction on May 30, calling him “a true patriot who has proudly raised the Jalur Gemilang on the international stage.” He added, “I have personally witnessed his precision and expertise in the operating theatre. On behalf of the Ministry of Health and the government, I extend my deepest respect to Dr Jeswant for this truly well-deserved recognition. Malaysia is immensely proud of your contributions and achievements” [3].
Dr Jeswant’s election marks a milestone as the first Malaysian to join the AATS, adding Malaysia’s presence to this elite global body of cardiothoracic surgeons.
