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Helping students take part in life-changing cardiac surgery missions.
Up to $3,000
$12,000
Dr. Robert D. Pascotto was a cardiothoracic surgeon, teacher and humanitarian whose work expanded access to heart surgery in Southwest Florida and the Dominican Republic. A graduate of Creighton University School of Medicine, he served as a Major and Chief of General Surgery in the U.S. Air Force before completing specialty training in cardiovascular and thoracic surgery.
In 1975, he helped establish the cardiac surgery program serving Lee and Collier counties, working alongside surgeons, cardiologists, nurses and perfusionists to bring care closer to home. His commitment to patients later took him to Santiago, Dominican Republic, where he founded the Heart to Heart Mission in 2002. Under his leadership, volunteer teams provided more than 500 free heart surgeries for patients who otherwise faced profound barriers to treatment.
Those missions also created opportunities to teach local physicians and hospital staff, sharing knowledge at the bedside and in the operating room. For Dr. Pascotto, caring for patients and preparing the next generation of clinicians were closely connected responsibilities.
His service earned recognition including Creighton’s 2006 Alumni Achievement Citation and the American Heart Association’s Golden Heart Award. He also supported an endowed medical school scholarship at Creighton. Following his death in August 2025, his example continues through the patients he helped, the colleagues he taught and the students inspired to serve.
Read IPA’s tribute to Dr. Pascotto · Explore the Heart to Heart Mission
The Robert D. Pascotto Scholarship carries that commitment forward by helping students in perfusion and other cardiac surgery–related fields participate in medical missions. Recipients gain supervised, firsthand experience with volunteer teams, learn from local healthcare professionals and see how teamwork can extend care to communities with limited resources.
IPA commits $12,000 annually to the program, with up to $3,000 in mission expense reimbursement per recipient. By reducing the financial barrier to participation, the scholarship gives emerging professionals an opportunity to develop both their clinical perspective and a lasting commitment to service.
Established with funding from IPA’s management team, the program welcomes donations to help more students participate and continue Dr. Pascotto’s legacy.
