University Health Network
General Surgery - Minimally Invasive Surgery___________________________________________________________________________
Site Director: Dr. Allan Okrainec, MDCM, MHPE, FACS, FRCSC Division of General Surgery
Toronto Western Hospital
University Health Network
399 Bathurst Street
Toronto, ON M8Y 1E8
Tel: 416 603-5224
Fax: 416 603-5991
The University Health Network (UHN) MIS rotations occur at 2 hospital sites: the Toronto Western Hospital (TWH) and Toronto General Hospital (TGH). Fellows will perform a variety of clinical cases including colorectal, malignant and benign foregut, hernia, splenectomy, adrenalectomy, hepatobiliary pancreatic, and laparoscopic donor nephrectomy. Fellows at the
UHN site are in the OR approximately 3 days per week, and spend 1/2 day per week in the ambulatory clinic and 1/2 day per week in endoscopy. In the clinic, fellows will learn the appropriate evaluation and management of GERD/benign foregut diseases and the endocrine evaluation of adrenal and pancreatic lesions. The MIS fellows function as associate faculty,
supervising residents in the ward and ambulatory clinic, and taking call at the faculty level. Fellows will participate in the resident teaching program, teaching MIS skills and general surgical skills in the surgical skills laboratory. Each fellow is expected to complete one research project and present the results at a scientific meeting. There will be opportunities
to spend time in the esophageal motility laboratory if desired. Fellows are expected to attend all academic activities including morbidity and mortality rounds, GI/general surgery rounds, journal club, and GI and endocrine tumor boards.
David R Urbach MD MSc FRCSC FACS
Dr. Urbach graduated from the University of Toronto Medical School in 1993. After finishing his residency in General Surgery and Master’s degree in Clinical Epidemiology and Health Care Research at the University of Toronto, he completed a clinical fellowship in minimally invasive surgery in Portland, Oregon in 2000.
Dr. Urbach is Associate Professor of Surgery and Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto, and Tyco Chair of Minimally Invasive Surgery at the University Health Network, specializing in minimally invasive oncologic gastrointestinal and endocrine surgery. He is currently appointed as a Scientist at the Division of Clinical Decision Making and Health Care, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, and at Cancer Care Ontario. He is an Adjunct Scientist at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences.
Dr. Urbach’s research interests include health services research, focusing on surgical procedures and cancer care, clinical epidemiology, and health technology assessment. His current research projects include: cancer-related health services research, development of a process for making decisions about the adoption of surgical technologies in Canadian hospitals, and evaluation of the effectiveness of surgical procedures for gastrointestinal diseases. He is a Career Scientist of the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Health Research Personnel Development Program, and is also supported by Cancer Care Ontario. He holds research grants from a number of funding agencies including the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR), Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), Physicians Services Incorporated Foundation, and the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons.
Dr. Todd Penner, MD, FRCSC
Assistant Professor University of Toronto
Dr Penner completed his surgical residency in Toronto and was the 1st ever graduate of the University of Toronto MIS fellowship. After a brief stint in New Zealand at a private laparoscopic hospital, he returned to Staff at the Toronto Western Hospital. His clinical practice includes all areas of minimally invasive surgery within the abdomen.
Dr. Allan Okrainec
Assistant Professor University of Toronto
After completing his surgical residency Dr. Okrainec completed a fellowship in minimally invasive surgery at McGill University. He has both clinical and academic interests in minimally invasive surgery. His research interest is in surgical education and simulation.