Rachel Elisabeth Harrison, MD

Media Releases

Get to know Cardiothoracic Surgeon Dr. Rachel Elisabeth Harrison, who serves patients in Tennessee.

Dr. Harrison, a board-certified and fellowship-trained cardiothoracic surgeon, developed a passion for heart surgery at a very young age. Licensed to practice in Texas, Mississippi, and Tennessee, she performed the first FDA-approved Heartmate 3 LVAD implantation in the state of Tennessee. In 2017, she joined the team at Baptist Medical Group.

Baptist Medical Group was started in 2009 for a very simple reason: to provide a full continuum of care for Baptist Health Care, as well as for the community. Today, the initiative has grown into the area’s premier network of primary care and specialty physicians, all of whom are committed to sharing the same ideals, leadership, and commitment to unrivaled patient care.

Professionally, Dr. Harrison is affiliated with several hospitals in the local area, including Baptist Memorial Hospital-Collierville, Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto, Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle, Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis, Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi, Baptist Memorial Hospital-Tipton, and Baptist Memorial Hospital for Women. 

Originally from the mid-south region, she completed her Bachelor of Science (BS) degree from Vanderbilt University in 2005. She then went on to earn her medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in 2009. As for her training, she completed her internship, residency, and fellowship at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and Parkland Hospital in 2010, 2014, and 2016, respectively. 

In order to stay up to date in her field, Dr. Harrison remains a member of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association, Women in Thoracic Surgery, the Texas Medical Association, and the American College of Surgeons. 

She is board-certified through the American Board of Thoracic Surgery, an American surgical organization devoted to surgery of the chest, as well as through the American Board of Surgery, an independent, non-profit organization located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded for the purpose of certifying surgeons who have met a defined standard of education, training, and knowledge. She carries expertise in robotic surgical system training, fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery, the Cox-Maze IV procedure, transmyocardial revascularization, and laser lead extraction. 

Cardiothoracic surgery is the field of medicine involved in the surgical treatment of organs inside the thorax. Cardiothoracic surgeons are medical doctors who specialize in surgical procedures inside the thorax, which may involve the heart, lungs, esophagus, and other organs in the chest. Alongside performing surgery, they also diagnose and treat diseases of these organs. 

A proud mother to three kids, Dr. Harrison makes it all happen with an incredibly supportive husband. She gives back to her community by mentoring young girls of all ages, encouraging them to enter the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields.

Recommended Articles

• Alternative Remedies to Treat Cardiovascular Diseases

  Herbal Treatment of the heart has been used by mankind for centuries and has shown an excellent effect. Especially effective was the use of medicinal plants in the case of chronic diseases, such as atherosclerosis and hypertension, where treatment involves a particular duration and a comprehensive...

• Are There Benign and Malignant Tumors of the Heart?

  It is a well-known fact that in the body, in various tissues due to various reasons, neoplasms sometimes appear in the form of tumor growths. The heart is not an exception. The tumor growth can be benign and malignant. Therefore, there are two types of the heart tumors.Benign tumors These do not...

• Different Types of Heart Doctors Explained

  IntroductionDoctors who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions or diseases of the cardiovascular system (the heart and blood vessels) are called heart doctors or cardiologists. These specialists are trained to identify, treat, and help prevent heart issues. There are also different...

• How Does your Triglyceride Level Affect You?

  Triglycerides are produced as a product of breakdown of fats. It is also produced from carbohydrates to be stored as energy. Triglycerides are generally stored in fat cells and released when needed.The healthy range or normal level of triglycerides in the body is less than 150 milligrams per...

• What Is an Arrhythmia?

  An arrhythmia is the violations of the frequency, rhythm, and sequence of heart contractions.Why do arrythmias occur?...

• Atrial Fibrillation: What is a Catheter Ablation?

  Atrial fibrillation - also known as AF or a-fib - is a medical condition that affects the rhythm of the heart. Problems that affect the rhythm of the heart cause a condition known as arrhythmia. This condition often causes irregular blood flow. It is quite common, with more than 200,000 cases in the...