Surgeons’ Lives - Stuff that Matters

Jim Fleshman - an Irishman in America?

Jim Fleshman is the Chair of Surgery in Dallas - he moved to Baylor about a decade ago after a stellar career almost entirely at Wash U in St. Louis.
Born in New Orleans he essentially grew up in Bangor in Northern Ireland in the midst of "The Troubles" before the family moved to the Mid-West where he spent most of his adult life.
An early advocate of the academic way in colorectal surgery he led a number of NCI funded trials while rising to the top of the political tree as President of ASCRS and ABCRS.
Now he tries to mentor early career surgeons in different ways of achieving success beyond work, work, work!
7 grandkids take up much time, as does trying to visit all the MLB parks before he is done. He doesn't seem to have any plans to retire, mainly because he wife doesn't want him home and bored!!
Enjoy - or watch the video interview on YouTube
https://www.bswhealth.com/physician/james-fleshman
https://www.jamesivassociationsurgeons.com/dr-james-fleshman
https://twitter.com/jamesfleshmanm1
 

Joep Knol - Surgery, Pasta and Football

Joep Knol is a Dutch surgeon who has worked for many years in Belgium where his reputation for technical mastery and educational innovation has produced global recognition.
His iLapp foundation was started to try and produce a new pathway for teaching surgery which has become a passion. Growing up an undersized kid in Nigmegen - remember the movie?? - he was an enthusiastic and skilled goalie who idolized the great Johann Cruyff. He soon regained the expected tall person Dutch stature and established his career in the medieval city of Leuven.
Now he travels every month to Sicily for Espresso, pasta and surgery - not necessarily in that order! Bratislava is next on the horizon.
Speaking during a quick work break in Portugal he covers all of these stories as well as future ambitions and a couple of regrets.
Don't forget you can also see the entire interview on YouTube @Surgeonslives
http://www.knol.be/home-en/
https://twitter.com/KnolJoep
https://websurg.com/en/authors/102468 https://youtu.be/9kmlTF3kNLg?si=DvIHW6lIDndlZj5h

Andrew Stevenson - Brisbane Surgeon, Sailor and Snow Fiend

Andrew Stevenson is one of Australia's foremost Colorectal Surgeons. Brought up in Melbourne he was there at the start of laparoscopy during his Fellowship in Brisbane - where he has stayed for all of his Consultant career.
However, it would be a mistake to think he is a home boy. He travelled alone from Melbourne to Vancouver when he was 14 - and stayed for a year of high school. he fell in love with snow sports and is now a qualified Canadian skiing instructor!
Let's not forget the amazing work he has done on clinical trials in Australia - not an easy job. When he isn't designing a new study he can be found on his beautiful catamaran most weekends sailing and racing around the coast.
This one you should hear - a real lesson in how to do it all and maintain a work/life balance!
Also available @SurgeonsLives on YouTube  
https://www.svph.org.au/specialists/dr-andrew-stevenson-colorectal-surgeon
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-stevenson-2bab07a0/?originalSubdomain=au
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Andrew-Stevenson-7
 

Tim Pawlik - Surgeon and Fish Watcher

Tim Pawlik seems to do it all - Surgical Oncologist, Researcher, Chairman - as well as a huge sports fan (Buckeye and Boston), family man and devoted fish watcher.
Trained in Boston, Michigan and Texas he landed in Johns Hopkins for 5 years where he hones his craft as an HPB surgeon before becoming Chair of Surgery at Ohio State in Columbus some 7 years ago.
In this (standing) interview we hear about his early life and decision to become a doctor rather than a priest or car salesman. His love for the Red Sox and Bruins has never been lost even though he is now a dedicated Buckeyes fan. And let's not forget the fascination with Koi Carp!
Watch on YouTube or listen wherever you find your podcasts. Like and subscribe - and comments please!
https://cancer.osu.edu/find-a-doctor/search-physician-directory/timothy-m-pawlik
https://twitter.com/timpawlik https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothypawlik/
https://www.doximity.com/pub/timothy-pawlik-md

Neil Hyman finds his people!

Neil Hyman reached the top in colorectal surgery having realized he was too slow and short to be a professional basketball player. The NBA will never know what they missed!
Growing up in New York he trained with giants like Randy Steinhagen and Vic Fazio before spending the bulk of his career at the University of Vermont and then finally the University of Chicago.
A former President of ASCRS he is as passionate about IBD now as he always was and is relishing his imminent retirement. His interview charts his search for "his people" in surgery and trying to help the generations following in his footsteps.
He worries about life for the young surgeon embarking upon a career today and has some insightful comments about DEI and learning about others.
Like and Subscribe and comment please
https://surgery.uchicago.edu/faculty/neil-hyman-md
https://bucksbauminstitute.uchicago.edu/bio/neil-hyman-md/
https://youtu.be/NDZ-v1Gi-ho?si=DLtTF-ZaqFIpbktU
https://fascrs.org/my-ascrs/leadership/past-presidents/6-6-2020-1-08-50-pm
 

David Rattner Talks

David Rattner has had a stellar career in surgery and his academic achievements should be an inspiration to all surgeons. Decades of clinical and innovation contributions in Boston where he was a fixture at MGH brought many awards including his personal ambition of being a full Professor.
President of SAGES followed along with mentoring many young surgeons and being one of the originators of NOTES. However, it's his comments on life balance, passion for work, and what makes someone come to work with colleagues every day - or not as the case may be - that are worth considering.
Happily retired and living between Boston, Arizona and Florida he has much wisdom to impart to anyone who wants to listen.
Don't forget the YouTube version as well - watch at your leisure.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-rattner-8a31281a6/
https://youtu.be/BtNLDpUs2z4?si=axT-vqRBVYwE60lz
 

”Tarp” Talks

John "Tarp" Tarpley is quite simply a force of energy - blessed with an excellent thyroid gland he says! Despite being long past "retirement" age he continues to work as a huge force for good in African surgery driven by a passion for teaching and his lifelong personal faith.
He is a legend in Vanderbilt where he was Program Director for many years, operative teacher and missions based surgeon. He says he is planning to travel more to see his family in Canada and Switzerland and beyond and is only working part-time at 40 hours a week!
A fanatical college sports fan and season ticket holder there seems to be no stopping him anytime soon!
Hear how he turned down a Hopkins Chairman to choose a different life path for the next half-century. Prepared to be exhausted by his drive, enthusiasm and energy.
https://www.vumc.org/surgical-science...
https://paacs.net/who-we-are/administ...
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/...

Steve Wexner - Brooklyn boy did good!!

Undoubtedly one of the most famous surgeons in the world, Steve Wexner has his fingers in so many pies. He should have followed the family tradition and become a lawyer, judge or politician - but then he might have ended up on the Supreme Court or in the White House!
As it is, he has been a leader of countless organizations and President of many. A Brooklyn boy he had a vision for a career in surgery firmly in his mind from the outset as you will hear in this interview.
He has been Chairman of the Department of Colorectal Surgery in Cleveland Clinic Florida for more than 2 decades and shows no signs of slowing down - quite the opposite in fact. It's all about the next initiative and making a difference.
A mentor to countless surgeons over the years, he is a social media darling and international jet setter without comparison. Watch, listen and learn (and subscribe, like and comment please!!)
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/staff/202-steven-wexner
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_D._Wexner
https://twitter.com/SWexner
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevedwexner-md-phd-hon/
https://aischannel.com/faculty/steven-d-wexner
 

Vivian McAlister - Surgeon, Soldier and Historian

This is a special interview you should definitely not miss.
First a disclaimer - Vivian has been a friend since we were medical school classmates more than 40 years ago!!
For the first half hour Vivian describes his early career in Ireland and Canada as a GP before retiring to Ireland after a family tragedy. Stumbling into some surgery training jobs he spent a year in transplantation and his career path was launched Back to Canada where he finished his training and became a fixture in London, Ontario and several provinces beyond building transplantation services from London to Nova Scotia etc.
He developed a strong interest in the so-called catastrophe abdomen and created a training fellowship. When he was 51, he listed to a lecture about surgery in the Canadian armed forces and deployment in Afghanistan.
Before long, he was teaching himself neurosurgery and orthopedics and an entirely new approach to surgery in challenging environments. This journey is the second half hour!!
Recently he has retired from clinical practice and has joined the Department of History and continues to study and research and nurture others in their careers.
Just relax, listen and realize there are many ways to succeed in life!!
https://www.schulich.uwo.ca/generalsurgery/people/faculty/vivian_mcalister.html
https://www.cma.ca/dr-vivian-mcalister
https://youtu.be/Ju6L-lq306Y?si=2fmbeOrm0AGR3Yqf
 

Keith Lillemoe - A Yankee in Boston

On paper Keith Lillemoe MD is the Chair of Surgery at Mass Gen Hospital where he has been for 12 years.
Before that he was Chairman in Indiana after 29 years in Baltimore where he was a medical student, resident and highly successful HPB surgeon.
However, there is much more than that as you will hear during this interview. He is a BIG sports fan and lives under a dark cloud being a life-long Yankee fan in Boston. He even has a seat from Yankee stadium in his office!
He met his wife playing baseball and attributes a sports injury to getting his current job - yes he does!! He is still a Ravens season ticket holder, and when not attending sports events he is hunting duck, playing golf and chillin' in Boca, FL.
All pretty impressive for a farm boy from South Dakota from sturdy Norwegian stock.
And let's not forget, long the way, he has been the Editor-in-Chief of the Annals of Surgery for more than a decade. Quite the Dude - and he isn't QUITE ready to retire yet.
https://www.massgeneral.org/doctors/1...
https://www.susweb.org/2021/01/29/sus...
https://www.ahpba.org/board_of_direct...