Lindita Çoku, MD
Dr. Lindita Çoku received her medical degree from Tirana University School of Medicine in Tirana, Albania. Her postgraduate training in general surgery was completed at the New York Medical College/Weschester Medical Center program, Valhalla, NY. Dr. Çoku continued specialized training in cardiothoracic surgery at Boston University Medical Center/Boston Children’s Hospital and New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia and Cornell where she gained special skills in intervention cardiology and catheter based therapy for valvular diseases. She remains one of just a handful of physicians in USA, to be cross-trained in both cardiac surgery and interventional catheter-based techniques.
Prior to her commencement of cardiothoracic training, Dr. Çoku worked for two years as research
fellow in basic science laboratory of Dr. Henry Spotnitz and Dr. Piero Anversa where she contributed in the discovery efforts of different pharmacologic agents in the mechanics of left ventricle, studied the behavior and function of cardiac stem cells in animal models with focus in translating the unique findings in the clinical setting.
Dr. Çoku has published and presented her research work numerously with an emphasis on cardiovascular system and her field of interest remains minimally invasive techniques, innovative surgical technologies, surgical outcome, gender and medical degree discrimination issues among trainees in training programs in USA. She practices in NYC.
Dr. Çoku is the main founder of AAMS where she served as its 1st President for 5 years. She is an ancient native of Tirana and her family background leans toward the entrepreneur initiative and the private sector. She has been involved in outreach medical efforts with the large Albanian-speaking community in NY, MA and back in the homeland. The AAMS lecture series recognizing the AAMS presidents’commitment to our society takes after Dr. Lindita Çoku’s name as an outstanding physician and devoted 1st President.