Tony A. Pastor, MD

Tony Pastor, MD, is a cardiologist who takes care of children and adults with congenital heart disease.

Growing up, Dr. Pastor says he knew he was interested in a career in medicine as his grandfather had serious heart disease and he spent a lot of time in hospitals with him.

“I wasn’t sure about cardiology until medical school when I got to know patients with congenital heart disease,” he says. “Many of these patients have spent a lot of their childhood in hospitals and their parents are appropriately stressed about their care. The family become members of the care team and it’s an honor for me to become part of their lives.”

At Yale, Dr. Pastor says he enjoys being part of a dedicated team that includes other physicians, social workers, nurses, and medical assistants all focused on the complex needs of congenital heart disease patients.

Dr. Pastor also has additional training in advanced congenital cardiac imaging, including cardiac MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and cardiac CT scans. In his research, he is interested in using cardiac MRI to stratify risk and improve outcomes for patients with congenital heart disease. “That means using an MRI to decide when to offer an intervention to a patient,” he explains.

He is also active on TikTok in efforts to make congenital heart disease treatment more LGBTQ+ friendly.