Thomas W. Nygaard, M.D., came to Lynchburg in 1986 to establish the cardiac catheterization laboratory and to expand cardiac services in central Virginia.

Dr. Nygaard, a cardiologist with Medical & Cardiology Associates, is director of Centra Health's cardiac catheterization laboratories, which perform about 3,000 invasive cardiac catheterization procedures annually. He is also medical director of cardiology for Stroobants Heart Center of Virginia.

A native of Stavanger, Norway, Dr. Nygaard was raised in Warner Robins, Ga. He received his bachelor's and medical degrees from Vanderbilt University. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at Johns Hopkins Hospital and a fellowship in cardiovascular disease at the University of Virginia. Dr. Nygaard served on the faculty of the University of Virginia in the Division of Cardiology and was director of the coronary care unit at the University of Virginia Hospital prior to coming to Lynchburg.

He is a fellow in the American College of Physicians and a fellow in the American College of Cardiology. He is board certified in cardiovascular diseases and interventional cardiology.