His areas of interest include endoscopic surgery using robotic instrumentation for aortic and mitral valve repair, coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) and pulmonary resections. Dr. Hemp is also experienced in the use of endovascular methods such as stent grafts to treat chest and abdominal aneurysms. He routinely performs lung cancer surgery using techniques that do not require rib spreading (thoracoscopic lobectomy).

For more than 20 years, Dr. Hemp served in the United States Navy and retired as a Captain. Prior to joining Scripps in 2003, he was the Chairman of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery and the Director of Surgical Services at the Naval Medical Center. Dr. Hemp is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the American College of Cardiology and the American College of Chest Physicians. He is a member of the International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and the Western Thoracic Surgical Association. Dedicated to advancing medicine and providing exceptional patient care, Dr. Hemp has received numerous scholastic and military awards and published a multitude of articles in scientific journals.