My professional goals have not changed but evolved in the last year. As our division of colorectal surgery continues to grow and strengthen, our research efforts continue to be primarily with the development and FDA approval of the Colo BT device which promises to advance care of patients that formerly would require an ileostomy. In addition to this focus, our group continues to advance white light techniques with AI in assessing critical blood supply to the anastomosis. Currently, my partners in conjunction with the fellow and general surgery residents continue to try to advance the care of J-pouch patient's with novel pharmacologic interventions.
In addition, I have begun to leverage my position as site director of my hospital and partner with administration in developing research projects to improve communication between the Department of surgery and the patient's in our community that we care for. I have partnered with administration as well as the resident staff to create a pamphlet which will be provided to all patients admitted to the general surgery as well as colorectal surgery service with photos and identification of the team taking care of them as well as defining individual's roles to create transparency and identifying our team and each person's individual role. This will be coupled with a sort of script that the nursing staff will relate to our patients centered on our goal of improving communication and encouraging feedback from the patient and family in a real-time fashion. This will hopefully improve Press Ganey scores by allowing the patients and families to understand our focus on the topics in real-time that the surveys ask after their discharge.
Also in a more clinical and bedside effort I have again leverage my position to create clinical pathways and standards to improve the care of patients with ileostomies in order to prevent readmissions, complications, and morbidity associated with this patient subpopulation.
In terms of scholarly activity and service to the University, I have initiated in the last several years an effort to assist the third-year medical students in their efforts to improve their experience during the clerkship but more importantly focus their studies in the limited time that they have on the rotation by creating a bank of their previous colleagues feedback after taking their shelf exam. Each group of students are asked to provide feedback after they take their test via email. In exchange they are given the study guide from their previous medical students which continues to grow with each group of students. The feedback has been excellent and at some time I plan to look at all the data that we have collected and parse down the information into a more concise form.
In the same vein, has a previous medical student of this University, I have stepped up the educational opportunity that morbidity and mortality conference provides me. As the only member of the surgical staff that attends in person, I have not only personally provided breakfast for the medical students and residents every Wednesday from Tim Horton's, but during the presentations have paused the presenting resident in order to highlight teaching points to each level of trainee from medical student to Chief resident. Most recently, I have adjusted my schedule such that after the conclusion of the weekly conference, I have reserved 30 to 60 minutes to discuss relevant topics in general surgery and colorectal surgery one-on-one with the third-year medical students in a casual and safe environment.
In summary, as I looked back on my journey and transition from private practice to academic medicine, I continue to be excited about my own development, the development of my group, the education of future physicians, and the advancement of the art of surgery.

Adults, Seniors/Elderly

Physician Gender:

Male