Dr. Mark Allan Lottes, MD

Ray A. Blackwell, M.D. joined the Heart Surgery team in 1996.

Following graduation from Glastonbury High School's A Better Chance program, Dr. Blackwell continued his education at Dartmouth College and Dartmouth Medical School. He trained in General Surgery at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City and Cardiothoracic Surgery at Emory University in Atlanta. His areas of interest include acquired cardiac diseases, robotics, blood conservation and arterial revascularization. He is board certified in General Surgery and Thoracic Surgery.

Dr. Blackwell is a member of several professional societies, including the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, American Medical Association, Medical Society of Delaware and Association of Black Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeons (Co-founder). He is also a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, American College of Cardiology and American College of Chest Physicians.

Other professional activities include serving as a board member of Christiana Care …Health Services, the Delaware Board of Medical Practice and vice chair of the Physician Assistant Advisory Council. Dr. Blackwell is currently a member of the Transfusion Committee and the chairman for the American Heart Association Heart Ball for 2007. He has been a member of the Medico-Legal Affairs Committee of the Medical Society of Delaware, a councilor for the Delaware Chapter of the American College of Surgeons and a member of the Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Board.

Service is an important component of Dr. Blackwell's life. He has served as a regional recruiter for Dartmouth College and Dartmouth Medical School. His motivational lectures have been heard by inner city youth, college students and medical students. He has been active with the Ascent Foundation for inner city youth in New York, The Gregory Center for families with medical illnesses and the Diamond State Sports and Learning Center for Delawarean youth. He received an award for exemplary mentorship from the NUCLEUS Program at the University of Delaware in 2006. He also serves on the Board of the Sanford School.

Dr. Blackwell has authored several publications and holds a patent for an operating room lighting system.

He is married to Dr. Wanda L. Francis-Blackwell, a child and adolescent psychiatrist. They have three daughters - Arielle, Ashley and Asia, a Doberman - Echo's Conor Ulster Chieftain and a cat, Max.

Dr. Blackwell has multiple hobbies. He is most involved with track competition. He holds several American and World records for age group competition. Other interests include genealogy, outdoor sports and motor sports.