Thomas Schachner received his medical degree from the University of Vienna. He went on to do his basic medical training in general surgery in Salzburg and Innsbruck. Since 2007 he is working as an Associate Professor at the University Clinic of Cardiac surgery in Innsbruck, Austria. Thomas currently serves as domain editor of the vascular chapter of the Multimedia Manual of Cardio Thoracic surgery MMCTS, and member of the editorial board of the European Journal of Cardio Thoracic surgery.