Ryan Vela, MD

About

Dr. Ryan J. Vela was born and raised in rural northwest Ohio, where he first developed a deep appreciation for the practice of medicine. As a child, he fondly recalls accompanying his father, a physician, on rounds at the local county hospital. Watching his father provide not only clinical care but also genuine compassion left a lasting impression. The way patients responded to his father’s thoughtful and personalized approach inspired Dr. Vela to carry those same values into his own career in medicine and surgery.

Dr. Vela attended Denison University, where his diverse academic interests were evident. He majored in History and minored in both Chemistry and Piano Jazz Composition, an unusual but meaningful combination that reflected his curiosity and creativity. He went on to pursue both a Master of Science and a Doctor of Medicine at the University of Toledo College of Medicine. It was during his time in medical school that Dr. Vela discovered his calling. While observing one of his first surgical procedures, he witnessed the human heart beating in real time. The experience left him in awe and confirmed his decision to dedicate his career to the field of heart and lung surgery.

Following medical school, Dr. Vela completed a rigorous residency in General Surgery at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, Texas, as part of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. There, he gained extensive training in burns, trauma, and critical care, caring for some of the most complex and critically ill patients. Alongside his clinical responsibilities, Dr. Vela pursued research focused on improving outcomes in heart transplantation. He worked on optimizing the preservation of human cardiac allografts through machine perfusion, research that contributed to the development of a novel device currently undergoing human trials. This work provided important insights into how hearts can be better preserved during transport and deepened his understanding of the heart’s metabolic and nutritional needs—knowledge that continues to inform his surgical practice.

Upon completion of his general surgery training, Dr. Vela pursued a residency in Cardiothoracic Surgery at UCLA’s Ronald Reagan Medical Center in Los Angeles, one of the leading centers for advanced cardiothoracic care. There, he honed a comprehensive practice treating a broad spectrum of cardiac and thoracic conditions, including coronary, valvular, and pericardial diseases, as well as lung and mediastinal disorders. Dr. Vela has a particular passion for aortic surgery, with expertise in endovascular and hybrid repairs for aneurysms, dissections, penetrating aortic ulcers, and intramural hematomas. His approach emphasizes not only technical excellence but also a holistic perspective—understanding each patient as an individual while providing the highest level of care for their heart and lungs.

Now joining the Community Memorial Healthcare team, Dr. Vela is eager to bring his expertise, compassion, and dedication to the community. He looks forward to serving patients with the same personalized approach that inspired him from an early age and to offering advanced heart and lung surgical care close to home.