Grand Rounds

• DoS Grand Rounds - Chair's Address: September 24, 2025 at General
• Orthopaedic Surgery Grand Rounds: October 22, 2025 at Civic/General
• Urology Grand Rounds: November 26, 2025 at Civic/General
• Neurosurgery Grand Rounds: January 28, 2026 at Civic
• Thoracic Surgery Grand Rounds: February 25, 2026 at General
• Cardiac Surgery Grand Rounds: March 25, 2026 at Civic
• General Surgery Grand Rounds: April 22, 2026 at Civic/General
• Plastic Surgery Grand Rounds: May 27, 2026 at Civic/General
• Vascular Surgery Grand Rounds: June 24, 2026 at Civic

Collins Surgical Day 2024: Congratulations to All!

Abstract Award Winners

• W.E. Collins Award for Best Research Presentation
  Dr. Tori Lenet (PGY-4)
  Hypovolemic Phlebotomy in Major Hepatic Resection: A Randomized Controlled Trial (PRICE-2)    
   
• Graeme Barber Award for Best Clinical Research Presentation
  Dr. Reza Ojaghi (PGY-5)
  Comparative Efficacy of Local Infiltration Analgesia Alone Versus Combined with Adductor Canal Block in ACL Reconstruction: A Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial     
   
• J.P. Collins Best Translational Research Presentation
  Dr. Kellen Walsh (Fellow)
  Prevalence of posterior humeral head subluxation in the normal population - Comparison of scapulo-humeral and gleno-humeral subluxation indices in non-pathologic shoulders  
   
• Best Quality Improvement Research Presentation
  Dr. Ian Malnis (PGY-3)
  Addressing Vascular Health Disparities: Implementing a Clinic for Undiagnosed Vascular Disease in Ottawa's Homeless Population – A Resident-Lead Quality Initiative    
   
• Best Education Research Presentation
  Dr. Mojgan Rezaaifar (PGY-3)
  Mitigating bias in the residency selection process by comparing live and transcribed interview scores  
   
• Outstanding Posters / Lightning Orals
  Dr. Alexandra Allard-Coutu (PGY-7)
  Neoadjuvant Radiotherapy in Retroperitoneal Sarcoma (RPS): Data Dissemination and Practice Patterns Post STRASS   
  Dr. Emmitt Hayes (PGY-3)
  Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture is Associated with Decreased Performance in National Hockey League Players    
  Dr. Alick Wang (PGY-5)
  Embolization of the middle meningeal artery for chronic subdural hematoma: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials    

Other Award Winners:

• Keon Award: Peter Lapner, Orthopaedic Surgery
• AMS Phoenix Award: Ian Malnis, Vascular Surgery
• Best Staff Teachers:
  • Matt Roberts, Urology
  • George Grammatopolous, Orthopaedic Surgery
• Best Resident Teachers:
  • Paulo Werlang, Urology
  • Amanda Hakala, Urology
  • Mojgan Rezaaifar, General Surgery
• Outgoing Vice Chair
  • Jim Watterson, Urology
• Outgoing Division Heads
  • Howard Lesiuk, Neurosurgery 
  • Marc Ruel, Cardiac Surgery
  • Giuseppe Pagliarello, General Surgery
  • Sébastien Gilbert, Thoracic Surgery
• Outgoing Program Directors
  • Matt Roberts, Urology
  • Fahad Alkherayf, Neurosurgery
  • Jeff Warren, Surgical Foundations 

DoS Grant Competitions 2024

Congratulations to the 2024 DoS Grant Awardees

• Research Program Awards 
  •    Rebecca Auer: Establishing the link between postoperative immune suppression, infectious complications, and cancer recurrence following surgery for colorectal cancer
  •    Derek Roberts: Improving Prescription of Guideline-Recommended Cardiovascular Medications to Ontarians with Peripheral Artery Disease To Improve Perioperative Outcomes and Reduce Surgical Strain and Healthcare Costs: Mixed-Methods Study
• Junior Faculty Grants 
  •    Daniel Jones: Impact of Routine Patient Reported Outcomes Measure (PROM) collection in Thoracic Surgery: a Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial
  •    Simon Garceau: Physicochemical changes to the zone of calcified cartilage interfacing articular cartilage and subchondral bone during osteoarthritis
  •    Bogdan Matache: Effect of Increased Medial Proximal Tibial Angle on Graft Strain following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
• Surgical Seed Grant 
  •    Bradley Meulenkamp: The use of Tranexamic acid in decreasing wound complication in total ankle replacement: A Pilot Randomized Control Trial
• Big Data Grant 
  •    George Grammatopoulos: Acetabular fractures: Defining the Evolving Epidemiology & Outcomes – A Population-based Registry Data Study
• Resident Research Grants 
  •    Anastasia Turner: Using Generative Artificial Intelligence to Aid in Surgery Resident Selection
  •    Kenza Rahmouni El Idrissi: Sex-Based Outcomes of Mitral Surgery for Ischemic Mitral Regurgitation in Two Canadian Institutions
  •    Ailsa Gan: Investigating Hypogonadism in Renal Transplant Patients: A Comprehensive Screening Approach
  •    Yuan Qiu: Extending the Boundaries of Endovascular Intervention: Feasibility of Endovascular Ascending Aortic Aneurysm Repair using the Treatment in Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm: Surgery versus Surveillance Database

Departmental events

• DoS Grand Rounds - Chair's Address: September 24, 2025 at General
• Orthopaedic Surgery Grand Rounds: October 22, 2025 at Civic/General
• Urology Grand Rounds: November 26, 2025 at Civic/General
• Neurosurgery Grand Rounds: January 28, 2026 at Civic
• Thoracic Surgery Grand Rounds: February 25, 2026 at General
• Cardiac Surgery Grand Rounds: March 25, 2026 at Civic
• General Surgery Grand Rounds: April 22, 2026 at Civic/General
• Plastic Surgery Grand Rounds: May 27, 2026 at Civic/General
• Vascular Surgery Grand Rounds: June 24, 2026 at Civic
  
   

The Department of Surgery has eight academic divisions (including both adult and pediatric divisions of surgery), each with residency training and fellowship positions.

The Department of Surgery has made great strides in the development of minimally invasive techniques in all divisions, and are at the forefront of this movement in Canada.

In the current strategic plan, there are tremendous efforts toward quality and patient safety. The Ottawa Hospital is the first Health Sciences Centre in Canada to join the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) in its multispecialty, high-volume option.

We are also proud of our new training facility. The University of Ottawa Skills and Simulation Centre (uOSSC) is a partnership of The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa. It is the largest centre in Canada (22,000 sq. feet) and one of the largest in North America. The uOSSC will enhance patient safety by improving the education opportunities for surgeons and forming best clinical practice through innovative research. The Centre has a superb complement of PhD educators and researchers along with many Faculty members with a Master’s in Education background to oversee the rapid development of its activities.

In 2019, the academic department adopted new vision and mission statements, as follows:

Mission

We deliver outstanding and compassionate surgical care by:

• Striving for continuous quality of care improvements

• Empowering surgeon researchers, educators & administrators

• Providing exceptional educational programs

• Pursuing ongoing professional development & technical mastery

• Inspiring wellness & balance

Values

• Respect

• Commitments to Quality & Teamwork

• Compassion