Russell M. Nelson

Russell M. Nelson is a religious leader and the current president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Nelson completed undergraduate and medical school at the University of Utah. He later went on to earn a Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota. During his time at the University of Minnesota, Nelson was a member of the research team that developed the first heart-lung machine. Their invention would support the first human open-heart surgery in 1951.  Nelson signed on for  a two year term of duty with the military and served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps during the Korean War. During his stint in the war, Nelson was on another research team that focused on ways to improve the treatment of wounds. He was then sent to large hospitals, field stations, prisoner of war camps, and all MASH (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) units to implement treatment. After returning, he spent nearly 29 years working in cardio thoracic surgery. He also was a research professor of surgery and director of the thoracic surgery residency at the University of Utah. Throughout his surgical career, Nelson took on a variety of leadership positions LDS church such as being the LDS Church’s Sunday School General President and being selected to be an LDS apostle.

Back to Search Results