Fall 2017
IN FOCUS The official newsletter of McMaster University’s Department of Surgery
Special Anniversary Edition @McMasterSurgery
WHAT’S INSIDE In Focus | Fall 2017 Surgery.McMaster.ca
DONATE TODAY!
Page 2 A message from the Chair Department of Surgery Surgical Education Fund
Page 4 Get to know Dr. Jorge DeMaria
Page 6 News from around the Department
The Department of Surgery’s Surgical Education Fund will ensure our trainees and faculty receive ongoing support for all resources related to surgical skills, education, and research. All donations will ensure our trainees benefit from the best teachers and tools possible. To donate, please visit: givetomcmaster.ca Please reference Surgical Education Fund #A3745A
Page 10 Behind the scenes
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TIME TO CE
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s most should know by now, 2017 is a very important year for McMaster University’s Department of Surgery. Not because of new grants or groundbreaking research; and not because of exciting new hires or high-impact publications. While all of those things are extremely important, 2017 is special for more sentimental reasons — it marks the half-century anniversary of our great department. To celebrate, we’ll be gathering for a special CME event as well as a commemorative evening gala, both of which will take place on November 11, 2017. I would like to take this opportunity to personally invite you to take part in this special day. Not only is everybody welcome, but I encourage you all to bring guests. Sharing this celebratory day with family and friends will only make it that much more special. You can find more information about our exciting 50th Anniversary plans inside or register online at Surgery.McMaster.ca/50th. I, for one, am extremely excited to re-connect with some retired faculty and esteemed alumni. It’s sure to be a great day!
A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
In Focus | Fall 2017 Surgery.McMaster.ca 2
Our 50th Anniversary isn’t the only exciting event on the calendar this year. In fact, this past October, I was privileged enough to attend what’s being dubbed as “the first-ever MSA Showcase Awards.” Hosted by Dr. Mohit Bhandari, it was an amazing evening filled with great food, impromptu speeches, and good fun all around. More importantly, however, the night served as an opportunity for us to shine some light on the MSA grant program available to our faculty. Hopefully, if you were there to witness the fun had by our recent grant-winners and learn a bit about their exciting work, you yourself have become encouraged enough to
ELEBRATE! By Dr. Susan Reid, Chair of McMaster University’s Department of Surgery
apply for MSA grants in the near future. It’s a fantastic tool for our faculty to tap into, and I hope that when the second MSA Showcase Awards roll around, we have double the amount of winners! In other news, I am delighted to announce that our faculty roster has grown immensely since our previous newsletter was published. It is with great pleasure that I welcome Dr. Piotr Zareba and Dr. Laura Nguyen to the Division of Urology, Dr. Moin Khan to the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, Dr. John Agzarian to the Division of Thoracic Surgery, Dr. Lisa Van Houwelingen to the Division of Pediatric Surgery, and Dr. Sunjay Sharma to the Division of Neurosurgery. On top of that, we’ve also recruited a handful of new part-time and adjunct faculty members, so it really has been a major period of growth for us. Our ability to attract and recruit such highly skilled and highly respected surgeons is evidence of our reputation preceding us. You should all take great pride in this, as you’ve helped make our department a desirable destination for surgeons to teach, practice, and research. Please make our new colleagues feel at home in the Department of Surgery! ¬Speaking of home, the Department’s administrative staff has found a new one. As of November, we will have relocated to Lakeview Lodge in Hamilton. It’s a beautiful, newly refurbished office space overlooking the city from its perch up on the escarpment. I encourage you to visit us if you’re ever at Juravinski Hospital or in the nearby area. Finally, I hope that you enjoy the refreshed look of our ‘In Focus’ newsletter. As we continue to refine our Department’s outward-facing profile, we expect that our branding efforts will help increase advancement, enrolment, and further recruitment down the road. See you at the 50th!
CHAIR’S HIGHLIGHTS
Dr. Jorge DeMaria Biography Page 4
50th Anniversary Information Page 6
MSA Award Recap Page 6 Brighter World Page 8 New Offices Page 9 Behind The Scenes Page 10
Dr. Susan Reid, Department Chair 3
DR. JORGE ALUMNI CORNER
D
r. Jorge DeMaria was born in Mexico City, Mexico. After high school, he enrolled in medical school at the National University of Mexico, graduating in 1970. Subsequently, he did his rotating internship in Regina, Saskatchewan and then began his training in General Surgery at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec.
After rotating through Urology, he became very interested in the speciality, and, after two years of General Surgery, he switched to the Urology program under the guidance of Dr. Kenneth MacKinnon, chief of Urology at McGill University. He completed the Urology residency in 1977 and, during that time, developed a particular interest in Paediatric Urology. He had the opportunity to do his fellowship at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario, which he completed in 1979. He was very fortunate to meet a wonderful Canadian girl, whom he married upon completing his last year of Urology training.
They both decided to go to Mexico City, where he worked for over four years. At this point, Dr. Ian Davis, a staff Urologist at the “Henderson Hospital” in Hamilton, through a mutual friend, contacted him and invited him to Hamilton to see if he would be interested in developing a program for Paediatric Urology at McMaster University. Shortly after his visit to McMaster, as the Mexican economy suffered a significant downturn during the early ‘80s, he decided to take this opportunity, and he and his family relocated to Hamilton in the spring of 1983. In Focus | Fall 2017 Surgery.McMaster.ca 4
Initially, he practised Adult and Paediatric Urology and, gradually through frequent teaching, education, and networking with referring physicians locally and throughout
DEMARIA A biography by Dr. Robert Hansebout MD MSc CSPQ FRCSC FAANS FACS
south-central Ontario, his practice of Paediatric Urology blossomed. This was not an easy task having The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto so close. He was very fortunate to work with Dr. Brian Steele, a Paediatric Nephrologist who came to McMaster a year prior to his arrival. They had joint clinics, developed a program for peritoneal dialysis in children with renal failure and their work together put McMaster on the map for Paediatric Urology and Nephrology. Fifteen years after his arrival to Hamilton, his practice evolved exclusively into Paediatric Urology. In 2008, due to long wait lists for surgery and clinic visits, Dr. Luis Braga, Paediatric Urologist, joined the department at Chedoke McMaster Hospitals. Since then, the Paediatric Department at Hamilton Health Sciences has expanded with the addition of two nurse practitioners, Mandy Rickard and Natasha Brownrigg. Presently, they see an average of 6,000 patients per year at the clinics. Together, they have developed a very specialized bladder dysfunction clinic and, as their referrals continue to increase, they are looking forward to hiring a third Paediatric Urologist in the near future. Academically, Dr. DeMaria became a full-time Professor of Surgery at McMaster University in 2012. He has been invited as a Visiting Professor to Mexico, Venezuela, Brazil, and Africa as well as at various Canadian universities. He participated in developing the Urology Residency Training Program with Drs. Paul Whelan and William Orovan, and became the Director of the Surgical Clerkship Program in 2010, a position he still holds today. Dr. DeMaria has collaborated with others in over $250,000 in research funding. He has over 50 articles published, along with one book chapter, 40 poster presentations, and 11 presentations. Looking back, Dr. DeMaria says he is very happy to have come to Hamilton and with his involvement at McMaster University. He is especially proud to have developed Paediatric Urology in the Division of Urology at McMaster University and also takes great pride in his multiple contributions to the Surgical Clerkship Program.
THE FAST FACTS
Graduated medical school in 1970.
Started with McMaster University in 1983.
Over 50 articles published.
Received over $250,000 in funding. 5
Our 50th Anniversary Celebration is less than one month away! If you’re reading this newsletter, then you’re cordially invited to join McMaster University’s Department of Surgery and our illustrious alumni as we come together to celebrate half-a-century as a department. Taking place November 11, 2017, this exciting two-part event features an enthralling daytime CME experience with over a dozen current faculty slated to present as well as an evening gala replete with fine-dining, live music, fantastic networking opportunities, and more exciting presentations. Act fast, though! Registration is closing November 3, 2017 and spots are limited!
AROUND THE DEPARTMENT
Celebrating
ME! ELCO d W E R n ALL A r tickets a t a ou n y t io t e a G inform r.ca more .McMaste ery Surg ter is o reg17! line t DeadNov. 3, 20 is
Special Anniversary CME Event & Gala November 11, 2017 LIVELab & Sheraton | Hamilton, ON
2017-10-11 10:23 AM The first-ever MSA Showcase Awards are in the books On October 5, 2017, the Department’s top researchers gathered at The Spice Factory in Hamilton, Ontario to celebrate some of the impressive grant-winning research churned out by our great faculty. The night featured hilarious speeches, delicious food, trophies for all, and a special guest appearance from an overexcited squirrel — yep, you read that right.
St-Joes-Program Ad.indd 1
In Focus | Fall 2017 Surgery.McMaster.ca 6
Welcome to Malanie Dani Malanie has come aboard as the new Admin Assistant to the Associate Chair of Research. Malanie has spent the past five years working at McMaster University within various undergraduate and graduate programs as a program coordinator. Malanie is excited to apply her extensive event planning experience to our Department’s many exciting research endeavours. N95 Mask Fitting at McMaster Every two years, we are required to have N95 mask fitting at all of our teaching sites. Here, Jessica Boyd, Linda McLean, and Carol Dow smile for the camera as they complete their fitting sessions … well, we think they’re smiling!
Cardiac Resident represents McMaster in Boston Department of Surgery Resident Dr. Louay Habbab (Cardiac Surgery, PGY5) recently represented McMaster University at the American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) Centennial Celebration in Boston, Massachusetts, where he delivered a poster presentation of his research collaboration with Cardiac Division Head Dr. Fan Victor Chu. Dr. Habbab was the sole qualifying Canadian resident at the event.
Dr. Sheila Singh appointed to The College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists The Royal Society of Canada has unveiled the incoming members of The College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists, and among them is our very own Dr. Sheila Singh. The College is comprised of a handpicked selection of top mid-career scholars and artists in Canada. Dr. Singh, a paediatric neurosurgeon for McMaster’s Department of Surgery, was inducted into the College for being “a highly accomplished clinician scientist and internationally recognized scholar in the area of stem cell biology and cancer research.” “The College is a unique institution that is able to respond to the challenges of today through broad creativity and innovation,” said College President Cynthia Milton. “The incoming cohort certainly reflects this vision of engaged knowledge for the social good.” Dr. Singh’s induction will take place on November 24, 2017 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. 7
Two new titles for General Surgery’s Dr. Ilun Yang Congratulations to Dr. Ilun Yang, who took on two new positions in under two months. Dr. Yang was recently appointed Director of Written Assessment for McMaster University’s Undergraduate Medical Education Program as well as CBD Lead for the Department of Surgery’s General Surgery Residency Training Program.
AROUND THE DEPARTMENT
Surgery faculty on display around McMaster University You might start noticing some familiar faces around McMaster’s main campus. Drs. Mohit Bhandari and Sheila Singh are displayed on banners around the university, helping promote its new “Brighter World” campaign. Spotlighting students, researchers, faculty, and staff across all disciplines, “Brighter World” embraces the university’s outstanding contributions to advancing human and societal health and well-being.
In Focus | Fall 2017 Surgery.McMaster.ca 8
The Department Surgery helps host the 2017 ACCADA Conference Teaming up with other Faculty of Health Sciences departments, the Department of Surgery played a major role in hosting the 2017 ACCADA conference. The conference gathers a long list of Canadian clinical academic department admins to facilitate a country-wide improvement of the administration of Canadian medical schools and their departments through professional management. Surgery staffer takes part in Juravinski Jell-O-eating contest Courtney MacAulay, administrative assistant to Dr. Piotr Zareba, was initiated into the Department of Surgery in the cruellest way possible: being talked into partaking in a Jell-O-eating contest. She raced against three other Juravinski-based employees to see who could eat a plate of Jell-O the fastest without using their hands. While Courtney didn’t win, she proudly repped Surgery at the hospital-wide event.
Surgery Researchers receive $14 million in funding for new program Drs. Mohit Bhandari and Sheila Sprague, along side Gerard Slobogean of the University of Maryland, have received more than $14 million in funding as they prepare to launch a new research program in fracture management. The program, PREP-IT, is a joint initiative coordinated by the Centre for Evidence-Based Orthopedics at McMaster and the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center at the University of Maryland.
A new home for the Department of Surgery As some may have heard, the Department of Surgery’s administrative and finance teams have moved to a new location. Now based at Lakeview Lodge on the Juravinski campus, the team now occupies the entire third floor of the building. Feel free to pop by if you’re ever in the area! 9
MEET OUR A BEHIND THE SCENES
Andrew Folino
Ann Kolkin
Accounting Assistant
Accounting Assistant
Andrew works with post-grad program coordinators to ensure that their directors and residents are being supported through reimbursements, tuition payments, invoicing, and more.
Ann’s main focus is transactions (deposits, invoices, or travel reimbursements) related to research projects, MSA research, education travel, and AFP accounts.
Laurie Dennison
In Focus | Fall 2017 Surgery.McMaster.ca 10
Lakeview Lodge on the Juravinski Hospital campus is now home to several Department of Surgery administrative staff members. Located on Mountain Park Avenue in Hamilton, the former hotel for hospital patients recently re-opened as office space after closing in 2015.
HR Assistant
Laurie looks after payroll, sign-ins for temporary-casual employees, processing actions in Mosaic, human resources paperwork, CSU access for new employees, and more.
ADMIN STAFF A quick round-up of the Department’s behind-the-scenes contributors
Blake Dillon
Brenda Paine
Kathy Wilson
Communications Coordinator
Admin Assistant to Dr. Susan Reid
Admin Assistant to Dr. Stephen Kelly
Blake handles the communications strategy for the entire Department. This includes the website, the Annual Report, newsletters, events, social media, and more.
In addition to providing admin assistance to our Chair, Brenda assists with Department faculty recruitments and Department special events planning.
Kathy handles promotion and tenure, academic appointment renewal, and provides support for the Surgeon Scientist Program and the International Surgery Desk.
Malanie Dani
Nicholas Gervais
Terrie Harvie
Admin Assistant to Dr. Mohit Bhandari
Accounting Assistant
Admin Assistant to Cathy Turner
Malanie supports the Associate Chair of Research by coordinating the MSA grant competition, organizing research events, and compiling reports for annual review.
Nicholas deals with transactions relating to Cost of Practice accounts, such as invoice prep, reimbursement processing, P-Card reconciliation, and journal entries.
Terrie has various duties, including scheduling and office set-up for new recruits. For her expert knowledge of processes, policies, and procedures, she is Surgery’s go-to person.
COMING SOON!
We’re excited to announce that the Department’s first two Every Day Heroes will be unveiled at the 50th Anniversary Gala this November!
In the coming weeks, our Professionalism committee will be rolling out new documents to help our faculty remain polished in the realms of patient care, practice, social media, and more. Be on the lookout for brochures, pocket cards, and online material that outline our Department’s new professionalism standards. 11
FIND US ONLINE! CONTACT US
Surgery.McMaster.ca
@McMasterSurgery
/McMasterSurgery
Did we miss your news? The deadline for the next newsletter is January 15, 2017. For news, awards, events, or other misc items, contact: Blake Dillon Communications Coordinator dillonb@mcmaster.ca
In Focus | Fall 2017 Surgery.McMaster.ca 12
For all alumni-related items, contact: Dr. Robert Hansebout Professor Emeritus hansebou@mcmaster.ca
ALL AR E WELC OME! Get you r ticket s an more in formatio d Surgery n at .McMas ter.ca/5 0th Deadlin et is Nov. o register 3, 2017!
Celebrating
Special Anniversary CME Event & Gala November 11, 2017 LIVELab & Sheraton | Hamilton, ON