Daniel Beckles

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Get to know Cardiothoracic Surgeon Dr. Daniel Beckles, who serves patients in Temple, Texas.

A top professional in the field of cardiothoracic surgery, Dr. Beckles is in practice at Baylor Scott & White Health, working with patients in the Temple, Waco, and Killeen areas. His clinical interests and expertise are in high risk cardiothoracic surgery including heart transplantation, minimally invasive surgery and ventricular assist devices, critical care and translational research.

In regards to his educational background, he obtained his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Biochemistry and Chemistry respectively, from Stony Brook University. He received his medical degree from the SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University and stayed there for his residency in general surgery and his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Cardiovascular Molecular and Cell Biology. He then went on to complete his residency in cardiothoracic surgery at the University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center, and his fellowship in minimally invasive surgery at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital-Harvard Medical School.

As a testament to his success, the doctor is dual board-certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery. He is a proud member of the International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation, the American Society of Transplantation, the International Society of Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, the American Heart Association, the Association of Academic Surgeons and the European Association of Cardiothoracic Surgeons.

Maintaining fellowship status, Dr. Beckles is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS), a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology (FACC), and a Fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians (FCCP). 

On a professional level, he is a member and President-Elect of the Board of Managers for SUNY Downstate Medical School Alumni Association, and Chief Medical Officer for the Trinbago Progressive Association and its international Medical Mission Trips.

In the past, Dr. Beckles held positions as Surgical Director of Lung Transplantation at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, Director of Minimally Invasive Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery at the University of Texas Medical Branch and Co-Director of Heart and Lung Transplant Services in Galveston/Houston, and Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery and the first Herman and Olive Pascarella Endowed Professor of Cardiovascular Research at the SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University.

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.

Among his various accolades, Dr. Beckles has received Top Doctor and Super Doctor Awards from Texas Monthly Magazine, Schneps Media, Houstonia Magazine and Castle Connolly in Houston and New York City. He has also won numerous Excellence in Teaching Awards, the Golden Apple Teaching Award, the Hugh J. Carroll Teaching Award and UTMB Surgery Resident Teaching Award.

On a more personal note, he and his wife, Kassie, have three sons ages 10, 14, and 16 who are outstanding tennis players.

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