Dr. Richard Gitter serves as the Director of Mercy Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeons at Mercy Heart Center in Sioux City, Iowa. Earning a B.S. in Biology from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1985, Dr. Richard Gitter returned to Tulane for medical school from 1988 to 1992. Dr. Richard Gitter was ranked in the top 20 percent of medical students in his class, achieving Honor Board and Medicine Admissions Committee status. From 1992 to 1997, Dr. Richard Gitter undertook a general surgery internship and residency at the Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. Subsequently, he honed his knowledge of highly specialized heart and lung disease treatments through a fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery at the University of Virginia Medical Center from 1997 to 1999. Following that role, Dr. Richard Gitter practiced cardiothoracic surgery in Birmingham, Alabama, from 1999 to 2007. He transitioned to his current position at the Mercy Heart Center in 2007. Dr. Richard Gitter has accumulated a long list of published research papers and participated in clinical trials of several cutting-edge medications during his tenure as a medical practitioner. An active participant in the surgical community, Dr. Richard Gitter belongs to organizations such as the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and the American College of Cardiology. Dr. Richard Gitter is actively involved in learning about new trends in medical care, attending events such as the 2008 International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine. An active philanthropist, Dr. Richard Gitter contributes to charities as diverse as the American Heart Association, Children`s Hospital of Birmingham, and the Ronald McDonald House. In his free time, Dr. Richard Gitter also enjoys mountain biking, hiking, fly-fishing, and playing ice hockey. A longtime aviation enthusiast, Dr. Richard Gitter is an instrument-rated pilot who holds a high performance endorsement.
