BENJAMIN JONG
Clinical Instructor
Division: Arthroscopy
Site:
White Rock – Peach Arch Hospital
From his roots in a local blue-collar family to completing elite subspecialty training across North America, Dr. Benjamin Jong’s journey to Peace Arch Hospital (PAH) is a testament to the power of mentorship and clinical versatility. After earning his medical degree and completing his residency at the University of British Columbia, Dr. Jong sought out dual fellowship training in Foot and Ankle Surgery (University of Iowa) and Sports Medicine (Pan Am Clinic).
Returning to the Lower Mainland in 2022, Dr. Jong now balances a high-volume community practice with his role as a Clinical Instructor. His work is defined by a “patient-first” philosophy, leveraging cutting-edge tools like 3D printing and clinical AI to demystify complex reconstructive procedures for his patients. Whether he is treating an elite athlete or a patient regaining basic mobility, Dr. Jong views surgery as the ultimate team sport.
Can you walk us through your educational background and the key milestones that led you to your current role at Peace Arch Hospital?
My undergrad was in Kinesiology at Simon Fraser University; that was probably what drove my initial interest in human physiology/medicine. An interest in ortho followed pretty naturally after that. I shadowed Dr. Peter O’Brien as a first-year medical student and was instantly hooked. I grew up locally in a blue-collar family, and so combining working with my hands, medicine, and literally getting people back on their feet again felt like a perfect fit.
As for what eventually led me to PAH, I’d say it was a combination of excellent training/education and a whole lot of luck and opportunity. During residency, I had the benefit of incredible mentorship and training in all orthopaedic subspecialties. I was part of a tight-knit group of residents – we all went into the program together, and I don’t think I’d be where I am now without them. Through these connections, I was able to do two amazing fellowships—Foot and Ankle at the University of Iowa in the US, and Sports at Pan Am in Winnipeg—which gave me a skillset that I felt would position me well for life after fellowship. However, I finished my second fellowship in the middle of the pandemic. Work was immediately scarce as it was a time of staggering uncertainty.
But again, through the connections I made during training, I had people looking out for me: I managed to get a locum to start, then soon after I got my first job in Ontario. And then, the opportunity came up to come back home to the Lower Mainland. Four years later and I’m still amazed at how fortunate I’ve been.
With subspecialty training in both Foot & Ankle and Sports surgery, what specifically motivated you to bridge these two areas of orthopaedics?
The first thing was probably an interest in the basic anatomy in both subspecialties. As I often say to medical students who are trying to figure out their career choice, if you’re not interested in the anatomy/physiology underlying the job you’re considering, you should look elsewhere.
The second thing was the skill set and technology – in both sports and foot/ankle, there’s a lot of opportunity to work via scope, percutaneously, or via limited incisions. Lots of opportunity as well to use cutting-edge implants and instrumentation, even in community practice.
And the third thing, of course, is the patients. In my sports practice, I often work with active people – recreational athletes, elite athletes, people who have physically demanding jobs – who are motivated to return to their routines and work. Similarly, in my foot and ankle practice, I get to help people regain their mobility and get back to their lives. It’s about addressing real functional problems and making a tangible difference in people’s lives.
As a Clinical Instructor, which aspects of community orthopaedics or surgical techniques are you most passionate about sharing with the next generation of trainees?
As we primarily see medical students out in the community, the thing I’m most motivated to teach is clinical decision-making based on history, physical exam, and review of imaging. It sounds basic, but in a post-pandemic, increasingly online world, I think it’s important for trainees to understand that there’s a lot that influences patient care that can’t be picked up over the phone or via video conference. A lot of medical students come in concerned about learning how to suture or cast—this makes me remember something that Dr. Rick Buckley said to me when I was in Calgary on elective:
“I don’t care how well a medical student sews. I can teach anyone how to sew. What I care about is how you think.”
Between your research interests in ligament reconstruction and joint surgery, what specific clinical or academic questions are you most interested in exploring this year?
As a community orthopedic surgeon, I’m not as involved in formal research as I once was. However, I remain very interested in the work of my colleagues-particularly the results of the STABILITY II trial for ACL grafts, which I hope will provide more clarity on optimal graft choice for our highest-demand patients.
Clinically, I’ve been exploring the use of clinical AI tools to drive efficiency in my practice and improve patient care. Additionally, I’ve been utilizing 3D printing technology to create patient education aids in the office, helping patients better understand the procedures they’re considering.
Outside of the operating room and your academic responsibilities, how do you like to spend your time to recharge?
Spending time with my family, tinkering with my 3D printer, building model robots, video games. Used to work out, but on hold until my son can sleep for more than a couple of hours at a time.
If you could go back and give your first-year medical student self one piece of advice about the path to becoming a surgeon, what would it be and why?
Surgery is a team sport. At every step along the way, you’ll need colleagues and coworkers you can rely on, and it’s on you to earn and build that trust. Things aren’t always straightforward or easy, and it’s a lot less daunting when you’ve got a good team around you.