Made by team spirit

My McGill story spans over 50 years, but I’ll never forget the first time I stepped into an operating room as a young resident. I was impressed by what could be accomplished through teamwork. I recall being amazed at the number of people in the room – everyone working on their role, independently but together. It was like a symphony orchestra with each person focusing on their own task but all collaborating in the best interests of the patient.

Throughout my career as a surgeon and ultimately in my position as chief of surgery at the MUHC, I’ve taken this teamwork approach and McGill has been a wonderfully rewarding place to practice. As an internationally-recognized institution, McGill gives all of its people opportunities to develop leadership, and to make an impact nationally as well as internationally. It’s a place of innovation, in which students are able to interact with leaders and develop in their own unique way. I’m inspired by the creativity at McGill, and I know that at our University, if someone has a good idea they have opportunities to take it and run with it. That has always been important to me as I am passionate about innovation and development.

In my current role as Director of the Steinberg Centre for Simulation and Interactive Learning, I get to see this McGill innovation first-hand and lead the team that helps nurture entrepreneurship in the Faculty of Medicine. As we work on virtual reality training modules, and interactive remote learning tools, I’m proud to see what McGill is doing for the field of medicine. For future students considering a career in medicine, I say follow your dream. Know that if you’re willing to work hard and persevere, McGill is a place with opportunities which will set you up for a bright future and open doors around the world.