A 5 Year External Review of the Department of Surgery
Our Department of Surgery is richly steeped in a tradition
of academic successes and innovative research,
traversing across six fully affiliated teaching hospitals
and a continuously expanding number of communityaffiliates.
With over 400 faculty members and scientists,
200 fellows, 250 residents, and 225 medical students
in its domain each year, the Department is certainly no
stranger to intellect and talent. However, no institution
would reach such unparalleled excellence without the
guidance of an exceptional leader.
Dr. James T. Rutka successfully completed the external
review of his five-year term as Chair of the Department
of Surgery in October 2015. The process was led by
Professors John Kortbeek (Chair of Surgery, University
of Calgary & Alberta Health Services) and Albert
Pellegrini (Surgery, University of Washington). It consisted
of in-depth reviews of Departmental education,
research, internal and external relationships, organizational
and financial structure, and long-term strategies.
The reviewers examined the 2010 Review findings and
believed that the Department exceeded the implementation
of its recommendations.
The reviewers noted that the Department had prioritized
development of both undergraduate and postgraduate
educational activities. The establishment of the
Surgical Exploration and Discovery (SEAD) course and
a refined clerkship curriculum were some firsts for the
undergraduate program, while the residents began an
annual PGY1 Prep Camp at the Surgical Skills Center.
The resident program was also commended for its leadership
in competency-based education and its preparation
to easily adopt the RCPSC’s competency-by-design
program as it rolls out over the next few years. Praise
was given for positive faculty-resident relationships and
ongoing engaged evaluations. Dr. Rutka was commended
for having created a culture that was supportive and
conducive to learning at all levels.
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The Review examined the scope and quality of the
Department’s research activity, noting its $40MN annual
funding and 7000 peer-reviewed publications over a fiveyear
span. With Dr. Rutka’s CV boasting over 400 publications
in prominent journals and his active engagement
in neurosurgical research, the Reviewers felt that he was an
outstanding leader by example in this arena.
From an educational standpoint, the Review was
impressed by several notable ‘firsts’ for the Department:
Creation of a Faculty Development Day, implementation
of Quality Improvement and Best Practices initiatives,
preparation of Late Career Transition Guidelines,
the introduction of a Global Surgery academic role and
ongoing support for international efforts, harmonization
of Departmental academic salaries, establishment
of a Brain Tumour Bank initiative, creation of a resident
course in Practice/Financial Management, the hiring of a
Strategic Planning Coordinator and a Communications
Coordinator, and a faculty mentoring program.
Based on Review feedback and his own vision, Dr.
Rutka hopes to devote the next five years to fundraising
efforts, particularly to support harmony across hospital
boundaries for clinical programs. This would ultimately
result in improved patient care delivery and a decreased
cost per unit of utilization through an increased standardization
of practice across the healthcare system. This effort
has already matured in the area of Trauma, but the unified
implementation for all units is expected in years to come.
Furthermore, collaboration will be promoted in data sharing,
standardized metrics, and quality management. Dr.
Rutka also wishes to concentrate on transitions; the transition
from medical school to residency, from residency
to fellowship, fellowship to workforce, and the consideration
of how and when to gracefully exit the workforce.
Initiatives will include increased mentorship, coaching
seminars, and guidelines. A new Strategic Plan will fully
encompass Dr. Rutka’s visions of improvement and maintenance of excellence, and he will draw upon active faculty
and learner engagement to design these priorities.
Overall, the reviewers were very pleased to find such
positive faculty morale within the Department and the
unanimous support of Dr. Rutka’s collaborative leadership
style. Learners and faculty alike believed he was a
strong advocate for their interests. The Review praised
both Dr. Rutka and the Department on the accomplishment
of many firsts as well as its ongoing commitment
to academic excellence, and had no doubt that the next
five years would give way to many more impressive
activities. Please join me in congratulating Dr. Rutka on
his exemplary leadership.
Joanna Giddens, Strategic Plan Coordinator,
Department of Surgery, University of Toronto
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