With a passionate interest in physiology and cardiovascular care, Domenico Calcaterra chose to be in the medical field to satisfy his fascination with the elegance and ingenuity of cardiac surgery. His education began at the University of Rome in Italy, where he pursued his Degree in Medicine, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 1992.
Following his graduation, he enlisted in the Italian Navy as a Medical Lieutenant. Once his service was completed, Dr. Calcaterra accepted an offer of Residency in General Surgery with the same university after earning his medical degree. After completing his General Surgery residency in 1997, Dr. Calcaterra began work on a research project involving the implications of dialysis on a surgical patient. In 1999 Dr. Calcaterra moved the US to accept a Research Fellowship at the Colon and Rectal Clinic located at the Orlando Regional Medical Center in Orlando, Florida.
Following that position, he became a Clinical Fellow of Advanced GI Surgery at Brown University. At that time, Dr. Calcaterra completed the work on the research project he began while he was still attending the University of Rome and he discussed his Ph.D. thesis in the year 2000. He returned to the Orlando Regional Medical Center as a Resident in General Surgery in July of 2000.
His Residency would continue at the Hospital of Saint Raphael, Yale University School of Medicine in 2001. Four years later, Dr. Calcaterra would accept a Fellowship in Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of Miami and would resume in that role until 2007. Following that position, Dr. Calcaterra completed a Fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas for Surgery of the Aorta and Aortic Valve before accepting his first Academic Position, as an Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of Iowa, In Iowa City, IA, USA.