Overview

Being a pediatric general surgeon, I take seriously the need for clinical investigation in the field of surgery. I pursue topics related to congenital anomalies, thyroid surgery, and pediatric surgical oncology. In addition, since assuming the position of Chief of Surgery in 2001, I have a special interest in the access of surgical care for children. Therefore, I also conduct research into minimizing waitlists and improving quality of care.

At BC Children's Hospital, we’ve been training pediatric general surgeons since 1986. I’ve been the Program Director for our site since 1993, and the Chief Examiner of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons since 2001. With the constant evolution of better surgical methods, I’m concerned that older models of training and surgical resident assessment are not applicable to the current delivery of health care. Therefore, I’m enthusiastically engaged in educational research projects looking at pedagogical tools, such as "portfolio" based methods, to enhance learning and evaluation.

Research

Current Project
Esophageal atresia

Current Project
Thyroid surgery

Current Project
Portfolio-based learning and evaluation

Current Project
Surgical Wait List Simulation Model

Honours & Awards

H. Rocke Robertson Award for Undergraduate Teaching – 2004 Department of Pediatrics' Service of the Year – 2001