Family physician, cardiovascular surgeon join Sparks Health System

Drs. Thanh Tan Le and Marc Stam have joined Sparks Health System, with Le working as a family physician at the Alma Family Medical Clinic and Stam a heart surgeon at Sparks Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery in Fort Smith.

Le grew up in Van Buren, graduated from Van Buren High School, attended the University of Arkansas and graduated from University of Arkansas for Medical Services in Little Rock. He completed his family practice residency at UAMS Northeast in Jonesboro. While in school, Le was in a job shadowing program with physicians at Alma Family Medical Clinic and will now join the practice.

“Growing up, when family members were sick, I would always be the one to take care of them,” Le said in a statement. “I knew I wanted to become a doctor when I was in high school, and I enjoy family practice because you get to know the patients, and it is a versatile specialty.”

Le was born in Vietnam and moved to the United States when he was 5.

Stam, whose father was a heart surgeon, studied at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Stam was most recently the attending cardiovascular surgeon at St. Anthony’s Hospital in Denver.

“My main focus is making sure my patients are comfortable and that takes time,” he said. “I take time with my patients and their families to make sure everyone understands everything so that they’re confident they’re receiving the best care possible.”