Getting to Know Dr. Molly Schultheis: A Heart Surgeon Committed to Bloodless Care

For Molly Schultheis, MD, the path to becoming a cardiac surgeon started with an emergency redirection. 

During her first semester in college, Dr. Schultheis had just begun pursuing her dream of becoming a physician assistant. Then she developed acute encephalomyelitis, a type of brain and spinal cord inflammation. 

“I had a close encounter with death but was saved by the amazing doctors treating me,” Dr. Schultheis says. “After I survived that experience, people encouraged me to become a doctor, so I went back to school after a year off and got on track to go to medical school.” 

Career Path with Heart 

Dr. Schultheis attended St. George’s University School of Medicine in the West Indies and performed residencies at Monmouth Medical Center (general surgery) and Newark Beth Israel Medical Center (cardiothoracic surgery), both in New Jersey. After choosing to become a surgeon during medical school, she fell in love with heart surgery as a general surgery resident. 

“I saw my first heart surgery and decided then and there I wanted to be a heart surgeon,” Dr. Schultheis says. “Most open-heart surgeries involve stopping the heart, completing the operation, and restarting the heart. I thought, What’s cooler than that? Plus, the next day, patients are out of bed sitting in a chair and having breakfast because the surgeon fixed their heart problem. There’s an element of immediate satisfaction with heart surgery.” 

Dr. Schultheis performs a wide range of procedures, including coronary artery bypass grafting for coronary artery disease, valve repair and replacement, and surgeries for arrhythmias and aortic aneurysms. 

Enlightening Introduction 

Dr. Schultheis first encountered bloodless medicine when she joined Englewood Health. 

“It was very enlightening to learn the risks of blood transfusion and the benefits of a bloodless mentality,” she says. “Englewood Health has a wealth of knowledge in this arena. I’ve learned so much from The Bloodless Institute at Englewood Health, including skills and techniques that will stay with me throughout my career.” 

When not immersed in her career, Dr. Schultheis has another demanding role: busy mom. Her favorite pastimes include having dance parties with her children, along with running, hiking, cooking, and traveling. 

Published June 2025