ANNOUNCEMENTS
REAPPOINTMENT OF PROFESSOR JAMES
RUTKA AS CHAIR OF THE DEPARTMENT
OF SURGERY
James Rutka
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I am pleased to announce
that the Agenda Committee
of the Academic Board has
approved the reappointment
of Professor James Rutka as
Chair of the Department of
Surgery for a second fiveyear
term, beginning April
1, 2016.
The recent external review of
the Department recognized its many accomplishments
under Professor Rutka’s leadership and I’m delighted that
he will continue as Chair.
Dr. Rutka was first appointed in the Department of
Surgery in 1990 and has been Chair since 2011. He is
on the surgical staff at the Hospital for Sick Children in
the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery and is Director
of the Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research
Centre at the University of Toronto. He also holds the R.S.
McLaughlin Chair in Surgery. Dr. Rutka’s primary research
and clinical interests relate to the science and surgery of
human brain tumours. He has over 400 peer reviewed
publications and has received numerous awards, honours
and appointments including: the Grass Award from the
Society of Neurological Surgeons; Fellow of both the Royal
Society of Canada and the Canadian Academy of Health
Sciences; the Order of Ontario; and the Order of Canada.
Dr. Rutka has served as the President of the American
Association of Neurological Surgeons, the World Academy
of Neurological Surgery, and the American Academy of
Neurological Surgery. In 2013, Dr. Rutka was installed as
the 7th Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Neurosurgery. In
2015, he received the Margolese National Brain Disorders
Prize from the University of British Columbia.
Please join me in congratulating Dr. Rutka on his
accomplishments and wishing him every success isecond
term as Chair of the Department of Surgery.
L. Trevor Young MD, PhD, FRCPC
Dean, Faculty of Medicine
Vice-Provost, Relations with Health Care Institutions
TONY FINELLI APPOINTED AS HEAD OF
THE DIVISION OF UROLOGY AT UHN
Tony Finelli
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Tony Finelli has been appointed
as Head of the Division
of Urology at University
Health Network following
Neil Fleshner who has been
Division Head of Urology
since 2002, and will continue
on as Chair of Urology in
the Department of Surgery
at the University of Toronto.
Tony joined the Division of
Urology at University Health
Network in 2005. He completed medical school and
residency at the University of Toronto and went on to
complete a fellowship in minimally invasive surgery at
the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. He subsequently completed
a Master’s Degree in Health Policy, Management
and Evaluation. Tony is urologic oncologist and surgeon
investigator at UHN and Associate Professor at the
University of Toronto. He is the GU Site Lead at the
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and the inaugural GU
Oncology Lead for the province of Ontario (Cancer
Care Ontario). Dr. Finelli has published more than
100 manuscripts. He holds peer-reviewed funding for
research in prostate and kidney cancer. His clinical practice
focuses on the management of urologic malignancies
with minimally invasive and robotic techniques.
FRED GENTILI APPOINTED AS THE CREAN
HOTSON CHAIR IN SKULL BASE SURGERY
We are pleased to announce that Fred Gentili (Toronto
Western Hospital) has been appointed as the Crean
Hotson Chair in Skull Base Surgery, for a five-year term.
Dr. Gentili also holds the Alan and Susan Hudson Chair
in Neuro-Oncology at University Health Network. The
Crean Hotson Chair represents the 17th endowed chair
in the Division of Neurosurgery. Congratulations to Dr.
Gentili on this well-deserved achievement.
Andres Lozano, Chair of the Division of Neurosurgey,
Univeristy of Toronto
NEW APPOINTMENTS IN DEPARTMENT
OF SURGERY UNDERGRADUATE MEDICAL
EDUCATION
Melinda Musgrave
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With the departure of
Nikki Woods in the
Department of Surgery,
a search process was conducted
to identify a new
Director and Deputy
Director of Education
Evaluations. I am pleased
to inform you of the
following new appointments.
Melinda Musgrave
(Plastic and Reconstructive
Surgery), Director, Education Evaluation.
Melinda conducts her clinical practice at St. Michael’s
Hospital in plastic and reconstructive surgery, and has
long been devoted to undergraduate education in the
Department of Surgery. She is Assistant Professor of
Surgery, and longstanding member of the Undergraduate
Education Committee.
Jeremy Hall
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Jeremy Hall (Orthopaedics),
Deputy
Director, Education
Evaluation. Jeremy is
an Assistant Professor
of Orthopaedics at St.
Michael’s Hospital, and
specializes in shoulder
reconstructions following
sports injuries. He
has been the recipient
of numerous teaching
awards over the years.
Please help me congratulate both Melinda and Jeremy in
their new roles!
James Rutka, RS McLaughlin Professor and Chair,
Department of Surgery, University of Toronto
TORONTO EAST GENERAL HOSPITAL
RENAMED THE MICHAEL GARRON HOSPITAL
Toronto East General Hospital has been renamed the
Michael Garron Hospital through a $50 million dollar
donation from Berna and Myron Garron, the second
largest gift to any hospital in Canadian history.
FACULTY MEMBER DEPARTURE
Emil Schemitsch
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Emil Schemitsch, Division of
Orthopaedics, St. Michael’s
Hospital, has accepted the
position of Chair of the
Department of Surgery at
Western University effective
January 1, 2016. Ranksed
among the most widely
cited authors in the world of
orthopaedics, he has contributed
significantly to the academic
profile of the Division
of Orthopaedics. His achievements in research have earned
him the highest honours in the Department of Surgery at
University of Toronto, including most recently the Lister
Prize, as well as national and international recognition.
He has also won numerous teaching awards within the
Division and Department.
APPOINTMENT TO THE HAROLD AND
BERNICE GROVE CHAIR IN ORTHOPAEDICS
Martin Gargan
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Martin Gargan, Head,
Division of Orthopaedics,
The Hospital for Sick
Children has been appointed
as the Inaugural Harold
and Bernice Groves Chair
in Orthopaedics at The
Hospital for Sick Children
from June 1, 2015 – August
31, 2019. Martin came to
Toronto from the Bristol
Royal Infirmary Bristol Hospital for Sick Children where
he was a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon.
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GORE ANNOUNCES MULTIYEAR SUPPORT
OF U OF T RESEARCH DAY
W.L. Gore and Associates has agreed to a three year commitment
as sole sponsor to support the U of T Vascular
Surgery Research Day through an education grant.
Special thanks to David Grieco, Senior Development
Officer in the Office of Advancement at the U of T
Faculty of Medicine for stewarding this donation.
Marty Sylvain, Global Sales Leader for Gore says, “W.L.
Gore & Associates has provided creative therapeutic solutions
to complex medical problems for more than forty
years. During that time, more than 35 million innovative
Gore Medical Devices have been implanted, saving and
improving the quality of lives worldwide. W.L. Gore &
Associates is committed to advancing vascular surgical and
endovascular therapy and is pleased to be able to provide
educational grant support to the University of Toronto,
Division of Vascular Surgery. It is our hope that through
this educational grant we will be able to support the
University of Toronto in our shared values: commitment
to ongoing learning, dedication to sharing knowledge with
peers and patients, creating consensus within the medical
community and the analysis of clinical outcomes”.
“We’re extremely grateful to Gore’s commitment to
our Research Day”, says Thomas Forbes, University
Division Chair of Vascular Surgery. “This significant
commitment will allow us to continue to have a first
class venue to celebrate the academic and research successes
of our Division’s trainees and to welcome the K.
Wayne Johnston Visiting Lecturer, which will continue
to be the highlight of the day”.
THE 2015 VASCULAR SURGERY SKILLS CAMP
The 2015 Vascular Surgery skills camp, organized by
Luis Figueroa (PGY5), ran from the 20th to the 31st of
June at the University of Toronto Surgical Skills Centre in
Mount Sinai Hospital. After completing the Department of
Surgery’s common surgical skills camp at the beginning of
the month, Lauren Gordon and Cale Zavitz, the Vascular
Surgery residency program’s new PGY1 trainees, spent two
weeks in a combination of vascular surgery-specific lectures
and hands-on training sessions designed to teach critical
skills prior to the start of clinical residency training.
Lectures included arterial and venous physiology, vascular
Surgery Bootcamp vascular labs, carotid disease, and
aortic aneurysmal disease. Staff and residents then led them
through the technique of a carotid endarterectomy, open
AAA repair, femoral embolectomy, femoral anastomosis,
and saphenofemoral junction dissection. Endovascular
skills were also front and centre, including case-based teaching
with faculty and hands-on practice with aortic and
peripheral devices, wires, and catheters from three different
manufacturers, including completing simulated EVARs on
a computerized model. In keeping with the division’s focus
on educational research, trainees were evaluated throughout
the camp, including a final evaluation to ensure competency
to complete a carotid endarterectomy and open AAA
repair under supervision.
To our knowledge, this program is unique among
Canadian Vascular Surgery training programs, and was
highly valued by our new trainees. Thanks go to all the
staff and residents who committed their time to setting
our new residents up for success in their training.
U of T is now looking for opportunities to open this
program up to other Canadian training programs
WELCOME TO MICHELLE PAIVA, THE NEW
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT OF THE
DIVISION OF VASCULAR SURGERY AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
Michelle Paiva
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Please join us in welcoming
Michelle Paiva
as the newly appointed
Administrative Assistant
for the Division of
Vascular Surgery.
Michelle will support
the academic and educational
initiatives of the
Division under the direction
of Thomas Forbes
(Division Chair), Elisa
Greco (UME Director),
George Oreopoulos
(Residency Program Director) & Mark Wheatcroft
(Fellowship Program Director).
Welcome to U of T Vascular Surgery, Michelle!
NEW FUNDING FOR VASCULAR SURGERY
RESEARCH - BLAIR FOUNDATION
VASCULAR SURGERY INNOVATION FUND
I’m pleased to announce that a new gift has recently been
secured by the Faculty of Medicine in support of vascular
surgery research. The Blair Foundation has generously
donated $150,000 to create a U of T Vascular Surgery
Innovation Fund and award two $25,000 grants each
year, for three years. The competition is open to faculty
members in the Division of Vascular Surgery at U of T.
Our sincere thanks to William Blair and the Blair
Foundation for their generosity and support of vascular
surgery research at the University of Toronto, and
to David Grieco, Senior Development Officer in the
Faculty of Medicine’s Office of Advancement, for stewarding
this donation.
Thomas L. Forbes, Professor & Chair,
Division of Vascular Surgery, University of Toronto
PROMOTIONS
Lecturer to Assistant:
Jamil Ahmad (GenSurg, UHN)
Brian Ostrow (GenSurg, International Surgery)
Jason Pennigton (GenSurg, TEGH)
Najib Safieddine (ThorSurg, TEGH)
Jory Simpson (GenSurg, SMH)
IN MEMORIAM
Ernest Harold Spratt Jr
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Ernie Spratt (ThorSurg)
1939-2015 passed away
on November 8, 2015. Dr.
Spratt was at St. Joseph’s
Health Centre for 33 years
during which time he
was Chief of Surgery and
Chief of Staff. He was an
Associate Professor at the
University of Toronto. He
authored many research
papers over the years, primarily
on lung cancer and produced several training videos
on thoracic surgery at St. Joseph’s, before retiring in
2005. Ernie had many interests beyond surgery. He was
a pilot, downhill skier and racer, waterskier, golfer, scuba
diver, musician, videographer, digital transfer afi In lieu
of flowers, donations to the Pencer Brain Tumour Centre
at Princess Margaret Hospital or St. Joseph’s Health
Centre Foundation would be appreciated.
NEWSWORTHY ITEMS
Shady Ashamalla (GenSurg) was on Mike Richards in
the Morning (1050 AM) speaking about minimal access
surgical treatment of colorectal cancer with Wendel
Clark and Doug Gilmour. This was an opportunity
for Mike Richards and Doug to announce a foundation
to raise funds to bring surgeons to Sunnybrook to
learn advance minimally invasive surgery (http://fw.to/
OHyJgtb). Shady will direct a course on Transanal
Total Mesorectal Excision (TaTME) on June 2nd – 3rd,
2016. To learn more, visit www.cpd.utoronto.ca/tatme.
Jennica Platt (PlasSurg) was featured in the Chronicle of
Cosmetic Medicine and Surgery (June 2015 edition) in an
article demonstrating the importance and efficacy of group
pre-consultation sessions for breast reconstruction. Jennica
employed a Shared Decision Making tool that is respectful
of individual patient preferences, needs and values. Jennica
was awarded the best resident paper at the April 2015
Toronto Breast Surgery Symposium for her research.
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