General Surgical Oncology Fellow, Princess Margaret Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON. Born: Richmond, St. Mary, Jamaica.
Dr. Patrick Roberts is currently doing a two year surgical oncology fellowship with an interest in hepatobiliary surgery at University of Toronto. On completion of the fellowship, he is due to take on a lecturing position in Jamaica at University of the West Indies. He will be the first trained surgical oncologist in Jamaica, and the second in the entire English-speaking Caribbean.
Career: Dr. Roberts started medical school at age 17 in Jamaica, receiving numerous awards for his outstanding performances throughout. These awards included the Sydney Phillips scholarship, Ben Chrislow scholarship, and the Jamaican Association of North Carolina scholarship. In 2004, he joined the surgical residency program in Jamaica and in January 2008, he was transferred to Toronto General Hospital for a six month elective as a fourth-year resident. During this period of time, he worked with one of his mentors Dr. Bryce Taylor, a hepatobiliary surgeon. It was while working with Dr. Taylor that Dr. Robertsās developed an interest in surgical oncology and particularly hepatobiliary surgery. Dr. Roberts was awarded the teaching award in general surgery and the Sopman Humanitarian award during his six-month elective period at Toronto General Hospital. He returned to Jamaica to complete his residency in general surgery and on completion, started the fellowship in surgical oncology in July 2009 at University of Toronto.
Research: His research started at age 15 when he was awarded the Shell Junior Scientist National Award for work done on the pollution of the Wag water river in Jamaica. Recent publications included work done on the challenges of surgical care in Jamaica. He also presented research done on āthe association of HER2 with ipsilateral breast cancer recurrenceā at the Society of Surgical Oncologist meeting In Texas (2011). He will be presenting his research on ālaparoscopic liver resectionā at the European Hepato Pancreato Biliary Association meeting in Cape Town, South Africa.
Other: Dr. Roberts also has a diploma in Doping Control from the Pan American Sports Association (Rio De Janeiro, Brazil); was the doctor with the Jamaican athletic team to numerous countries such as Canada, Barbados, and Bermuda; worked as a medical doctor at the World Junior Championships in Jamaica (2002).
Affiliations: Society of Surgical Oncologist; Canadian Society of Surgical Oncologists; American College of Surgeons; Association of Surgeons in Jamaica; Jamaica Sports Medicine Association; Medical Association of Jamaica; Jamaica Medical Doctors Association.
Honours: Sopman Humanitarian Award from Toronto General Hospital for outstanding patient care (2008);Ā Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, teaching award (2008); University of the West Indies, Distinction in Obstetrics and Gynecology (2001); University of the West Indies, Honors in Internal Medicine (2001); The Jamaican Association of North Carolina Scholarship (1999); The Ben Chrislow scholarship from the medical faculty alumni UWI (1999); Distinction in pharmacology, University of the West Indies (1997); the Sydney Phillips scholarship from the Sydney Phillips Memorial Foundation (1995-2001); Shell Junior Scientist Award from The Shell Company for a research project done on the pollution of the Wag Water River in Jamaica (1993).
Works (authored and co-authored): “The Transition to Mona. Surgical Innovation”Ā (2007); “Intestinal Duplication Presenting with Recurrent Abdominal Pain”, Canadian Journal of Surgery (2009); “Internal Iliac Artery Aneurysmo-Colonic Fistula: A Rare Presentation of Massive Lower Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage”, report of a case, European Surgery (2009); “Surgical Care in Jamaica in This Laparo-Endoscopic Era: The Challenges and Future Prospects for Developing Nations”, The Permanente Journal (2011); “The Association of HER2 with Ipsilateral Breast Tumor Recurrence (abstract)”, Annals of surgical Oncology (2011); “Laparoscopic Liver Resection of Segments 1,2 and 3” (2011).
Community (volunteer work): ICC Cricket World Cup (2007); IAAF Carifta Games, Bermuda (2004); IAAF NACAC Games, Canada (2004); IAAF Pan American Games, Barbados (2003); IAAF World Junior Championships, Jamaica (2002).
Education: Fellowship in General Surgical Oncology, University of Toronto (present); Doctor of Medicine, General Surgery, University of the West Indies, Mona (2009), Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, University of the West Indies, Mona (2001).
Favourite book? “Long Walk To Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela” – Nelson Mandela
Favourite quote? āThe fierce urgency of now.ā- Dr Martin Luther King (from his “I Have A Dream” speech, delivered on August 28, 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.)
Given the chance, what would you love to do that you havenāt done yet? Travel the world.
Who inspires you? Nelson Mandela.
Why do you do what you do? I choseĀ to become a surgeon because I thought it was the only type of medicine that could definitively help someone. Also, because I love to fix things.