The UBC Department of Orthopaedics would like to congratulate our outgoing trainees as they celebrate their achievements and look ahead to the next stage of their careers in orthopaedics! Meet a handful of our 2022 graduates and learn more about what’s next for them.
Residents
Alex Hoffer
UBC Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program
Hometown: Port Moody, British Columba, Canada
What inspired you to pursue orthopaedics?
The opportunity to help people through my interest in musculoskeletal health.
What is the most important thing you learned in the program?
This career is one of life-long learning and advancement.
What’s next for you?
A 1-year sports fellowship with knee focus at Fowler Kennedy sports medicine clinic, London, Ontario followed by a 1-year sports-fellowship with shoulder focus at Mayo Clinic, Arizona.
Aresh Sepehri
UBC Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program
Hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
What inspired you to pursue orthopaedics?
I found it incredibly rewarding and interesting to be able to improve patients’ function and quality of life by addressing anatomic pathology through surgery.
What is the most important thing you learned in the program?
Teamwork makes the dream work.
What’s next for you?
Orthopaedic Trauma Fellowship at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore Maryland.
Michael Nitikman
UBC Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program
Hometown: Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
What inspired you to pursue orthopaedics?
A background in kinesiology followed by a couple research years working with the pediatric orthopaedic surgery group at BC Children’s Hospital.
What is the most important thing you learned in the program?
Never become complacent with what I’ve learned so far. There is always room to learn something new and improve my skills.
What’s next for you?
Two fellowships at The Ottawa Hospital focusing on adult hip and knee reconstructive surgery, and adult trauma.
Stefan St. George
UBC Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program
Hometown: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
What inspired you to pursue orthopaedics?
The opportunity to significantly improve patients’ quality of life through surgery.
What is the most important thing you learned in the program?
The value of a good support system and quality co-residents.
What’s next for you?
A one-year fellowship in adult hip and knee reconstructive surgery at Western University in London, Ontario.
Clinical Fellows
Adam Tucker
UBC Orthopaedic Trauma Fellowship Program – Vancouver Acute
Hometown: Belfast, Northern Ireland
What inspired you to pursue orthopaedics?
I love the technical aspects of the surgery, the problem solving required to make diagnoses and the excitement that comes with the “next polytrauma.”
What is the most important thing you learned in the program?
There are so many things: plan all your operations, always have a backup plan, and never be scared to ask for a senior opinion for the most complex cases!
What’s next for you?
I’m returning to Belfast in Northern Ireland to take up a consultant post in orthopaedic trauma and hip and knee arthroplast
Antoine Acker
UBC Foot & Ankle Adult Reconstruction Fellowship Program
Hometown: Lausanne, Switzerland
What inspired you to pursue orthopaedics?
I choose ortho because I like building and creating with my hands.
What is the most important thing you learned in the program?
A better understanding of flat feet.
What’s next for you?
I am going back to Switzerland in Geneva to work with my sponsor PD Dr Mathieu Assal.
Charles Bouchard
UBC Orthopaedic Trauma Fellowship Program – Royal Columbian Hospital
Hometown: Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Canada
What inspired you to pursue orthopaedics?
I played a lot of sports growing up, and I was very interested in having an impact in medicine from a biomechanical perspective. I “scrubbed in” for my first knee scope when I was 14 years old after my dad (who worked maintenance at the hospital) asked one of the ortho surgeons if I could join. Although, I didn’t pursue sports in orthopaedics, I was hooked on the idea of orthopaedics from that day.
What is the most important thing you learned in the program?
Lots of technical pearls for the common presentations. Lots of logistical information, like knowing what comes in what set and being able to think and troubleshoot during cases. I gained a lot of independence and confidence.
What’s next for you?
Going to Toronto for arthroplasty for one year.
Lynn Hutchings
UBC Orthopaedic Trauma Fellowship Program – Vancouver Acute
Hometown: Bristol, UK
I was born in Bristol in the UK and did my surgical training in Bristol and Oxford. I have lived in Oxford for many years, but will be moving back to Bristol on my return from Canada.
What inspired you to pursue orthopaedics?
I had limited experience in orthopaedics in medical school, and I graduated thinking I wanted to be a general surgeon. Fortunately for me, the different nature of surgical training in the UK involves rotating around a number of specialties as a junior surgeon before applying to higher training in a specialist area. One of my early jobs was in orthopaedic trauma. I knew immediately that I had found my niche, and it’s been trauma all the way for me ever since. This decision was helped by an excellent mentor, Sir Keith Willett, who was passionate and enthusiastic about orthopaedic trauma. He provided great support to my research career. The immediacy, the complexity and the unique issues that surround each trauma patient and their injuries remains a source of endless fascination.
What is the most important thing you learned in the program?
That trauma doesn’t need to be stressful, and that difficult and complex situations can be best managed with calm and methodical thinking and actions. Through an unfortunate mid-fellowship accident, I also learned it’s a lot better to be operating than to be on the operating table yourself!
What’s next for you?
I am taking up a consultant post at Southmead Hospital, a Major Trauma Centre in Bristol, UK, specializing in orthopaedic trauma and pelvic surgery, where I will be working with several other Vancouver fellowship alumni.
Lukas Grassner
UBC Neurosurgical & Orthopaedic Spine Fellowship Program
Hometown: Salzburg, Austria
What inspired you to pursue neurosurgery?
As a neurosurgeon, what I like about spine is the diversity of procedures that require good clinical decision-making, a detailed anatomical and biomechanical understanding, and a wide ranging skillset.
What is the most important thing you learned in the program?
Complex spine surgery requires teamwork and interdisciplinary camaraderie.
What’s next for you?
I am going back to my hometown of Salzburg after long years of training.
Mark Xu
UBC Orthopaedic Trauma Fellowship Program – Vancouver Acute
Hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
What inspired you to pursue orthopaedics?
My mentors inspired me to pursue orthopaedics. Seeing the impact they had in helping patients improve their pain and function was very inspiring to me. Moreover, integrating our understanding of musculoskeletal anatomy and biomechanics with the diversity of orthopaedic surgical procedures and advanced technology is very interesting to me.
What is the most important thing you learned in the program?
Learning advanced trauma skills as well as keeping up to date with the latest evidence-based orthopaedic research and interpreting this data to provide the best patient care.
What’s next for you?
I will be completing a spine surgery fellowship at the Toronto Western Hospital, and then I will be moving to California to practice.
Otis Shirley
UBC Pediatric Orthopaedic Spine Fellowship Program
Hometown: Auckland, New Zealand
What inspired you to pursue orthopaedics?
A great experience as a fourth-year medical student. It was the people, the hands on mechanical crafting, and the ability to truly fix patients.
What is the most important thing you learned in the program?
When to ask for help, when to say no, and how to get through a scoliosis fusion with class.
What’s next for you?
A family holiday in Italy and then a staff job in Auckland doing both pediatric and adult spine surgery.
Tyson Boettcher
UBC Adult Reconstruction, Hip and Knee Fellowship Program
Hometown: Fort St. John, British Columbia, Canada
What inspired you to pursue orthopaedics?
I was inspired to pursue orthopaedics largely based on the positive effect on quality of life that I can provide. Hip and knee arthroplasty gives patients the opportunity to become more mobile again with decreased pain. This very tangible and immediate impact on patient function and activity level can be life changing.
What is the most important thing you learned in the program?
The high-volume exposure to complex primary joint replacement, as well as revision cases, will be imperative to my ability to function as a sub-specialized surgeon in an underserved area in northern British Columbia. Also, the professional relationships with both the staff and fellows that I have formed throughout the year will continue to provide a level of support to me as a young staff surgeon.
What’s next for you?
I am moving to Prince George, British Columbia to join the orthopaedic surgery group there, beginning July 2022.
