Resident Physician Stories

Dr. James Shapiro

Dr. James Shapiro: Choosing Alberta, Shaping a Life in Transplant

Personal experience also nudged him toward transplant surgery. His grandmother died of liver failure when he was a child. “She would have been savable by a liver transplant,” he says. In Bristol, Dr. Farndon and Dr. Derek Alderson helped connect him to Edmonton for a liver fellowship with Dr. Kneteman. The plan was temporary. The reality became a career.

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Dr. Robert Lampard

The Career Choices of Dr. Robert Lampard

My medical story is not the usual one. Perhaps that is why I was added to the list of 50. In my case it has both vocational and avocational elements to it. Notwithstanding, a reader researching medical career paths would find my book on Alberta’s Medical History. Young and lusty and full of Life a worthwhile reference as well, as it outlines the lives and careers of 35 prominent Alberta physicians and their significant contributions to medicine in Alberta and Canada.

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Dr. Robert Perlau

Building Bones, Building People: Dr. Robert Perlau on a Life in Medicine

Dr. Robert Perlau’s journey into medicine began in Grade 12, inspired by a love of science, first aid at swimming classes, and, somewhat unexpectedly, the character B.J. Hunnicutt from MASH. “I chose Orthopedic Surgery a bit later, after completing a two-year family medicine residency and working as a rural GP for one year,” he explains. Surgical rotations as an intern drew him increasingly to the field. “It was a natural fit for me since my Dad was a house builder and orthopedics has a lot in common with carpentry.

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Dr. Louis Francescutti

Dr. Louis Hugo Francescutti: Leading with Compassion, Data and Bold Ideas

One of Dr. Francescutti’s proudest accomplishment has been his commitment to speaking up for what’s right. “Whether it was advocating for safer roads, creating Bridge Healing for our homeless patients, or demanding accountability in leadership roles - I always believed that physicians have a duty to speak up, even when it’s inconvenient. Especially when it’s inconvenient.

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Dr. Pauwlina Cyca

Dr. Pauwlina Cyca: A Journey of Resilience, Learning and Impact

Dr. Pauwlina Cyca’s journey into medicine was deeply personal, shaped by the early experiences of watching her family face immense health challenges.

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Dr. Chris Koo

Dr. Chris Koo: Building a Career Without a Template

"For Dr. Koo, food became a second passion. He trained in culinary school, appeared on TV and brought those lessons back into medicine."

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Dr. Brian Wirzba

Dr. Brian Wirzba: Seeing the Whole Patient, Shaping the System

Medicine wasn’t a foregone conclusion for Dr. Brian Wirzba. He grew up around clinics through his mother, a medical office assistant, but headed into biochemistry thinking medicine was a long shot.

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Dr. Brian Rowe

Dr. Brian Rowe: Leading in Medicine and Research, Grounded in Family

Dr. Brian Rowe’s journey into medicine was shaped by his upbringing in a medical family.

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