Dr. James Ackerman was born and raised in the Pittsburgh suburb of Murrysville, PA. He matriculated to Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA, where he studied biochemistry prior to attending medical school at the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine in Scranton, PA. He completed his general surgery residency at UPMC Mercy in Pittsburgh, PA. During his time at UPMC Mercy, he received numerous awards, including the A.G. Marrangoni MD Surgical Research Award and the Academic Achievement Award. He went on to complete an advanced general thoracic and minimally invasive thoracic surgery fellowship at UPMC in Pittsburgh, PA, where he also held the title of Clinical Instructor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He completed his cardiothoracic fellowship at UPMC in Pittsburgh, PA. At the conclusion of his training, he was recruited to join the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery faculty. He is a past recipient of the prestigious American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) Graham Fellowship, his selection enabling him to receive advanced training from world experts in robotic thoracic surgery.
Throughout his time with the UPMC Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, he has authored multiple peer-reviewed articles and textbook chapters, with a primary focus on robotic esophageal surgery. He is also highly committed to the education and training of medical students, general surgery residents, cardiothoracic surgery residents, and cardiothoracic surgery fellows.
Dr. Ackerman is instrumental in our mission to bring high-end thoracic surgery care to the community, and sees inpatients at UPMC East and UPMC Mercy as well as outpatients at UPMC Outpatient Centers throughout the Eastern suburbs, including Monroeville, McKeesport, and Murrysville. He is a member of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, American College of Surgeons, and American College of Chest Physicians. He is board certified in both general surgery by the American Board of Surgery and cardiothoracic surgery by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery.
- Doctor of Medicine, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, Scranton, PA
- General Surgery Residency, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Mercy, Pittsburgh, PA
- Minimally Invasive Thoracic and Foregut Surgery Fellowship, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA
- Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA
Education & Training
Learn more about Dr. Ackerman's publications at PubMed.
Dr. Ackerman’s research interests include benign and malignant diseases of the esophagus, lungs, and mediastinum; and minimally invasive thoracic surgery technology.