Lyle D. Joyce, MD, PhD is an adult cardiac surgeon who helped pioneer the artificial heart technology throughout his career. In 1982, he and Dr. William DeVries implanted Jarvik-7 total artificial heart (TAH) in a patient named Barney Clark, which was the first ever destination therapy TAH. Artificial Organs discussed with Dr. Joyce how he came to embark on this career path, his experiences in the operating room during these early days, and what advice he has for the future generation.