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Interested in Western General Surgery?
Join our Program Director and residents for a Sunday Sit Down to learn about our residency program!
Sunday, November 9, 20245@ 7:00 p.m. (EST)
Western General Surgery CaRMS 2026 Information Session - November 9, 2025.pdf
Resident Led 2022 CaRMS Information Session
Interested in General Surgery at Western? Come hear from out residents what it's like to train in London.
Session was recorded and can be viewed by clicking on the Western University - General Surgery heading above.
2022 CaRMS Information Session
Want to know what it's like to train in General Surgery at Western University? Come hear from the PD, Faculty and Residents what Western has to offer. As one of the best training programs in the country, we have a lot to offer beyond clinical skills. We will discuss the program, it's highlights and have ample Q&A time to answer all your questions about Western's training program.
Session was recorded and can be viewed by clicking on the Western University - General Surgery heading above.
Join Program Director Dr. Michael Ott and members of his residency team as they provide insights into what training in General Surgery is like and what the program looks for in an ideal resident. This session will involve both a presentation and time for audience questions.
Western University General Surgery information night with a focus on women in General Surgery.
Come be part of our series of live events discussing General Surgery with a focus on women in Surgery. Join our many faculty and residents who will be providing information and answering questions about training in General Surgery and working and training at Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University. All are welcome.
Session was recorded and can be viewed by clicking on the Women in Surgery heading above.
Why choose a career in General Surgery?
Why choose a career in General Surgery?
General Surgery, as a career, offers the combination of both medical and operative management of surgical disease. As a General Surgeon, you will care for both the short-term and long-term well-being of individuals while establishing meaningful and longitudinal patient relationships. General Surgeons are not just technicians but also provide comprehensive medical care, including pre-operative, post-operative and preventative healthcare. General Surgery deals with both benign and malignant disease processes. General Surgery, unlike many other surgical disciplines, offers a substantial variety of disease processes, procedures and clinical settings in which to practice. General Surgeons abilities to provide definitive interventions to either cure or improve quality of life is one of the great incentives of a surgical career. Individuals considering this as a career need to be comfortable with variability, breadth of knowledge and uncertainty within clinical care. Clinical practice ranges from subspecialty academic practice to community surgery. Generally, most surgeons have a hospital-based practice and are required to contribute to call schedules for after-hours care. Clinical practice offers a great deal of flexibility dependent on lifestyle and personal goals.
The mission of the General Surgery training program at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, is to produce surgeons who are leaders in clinical care, research and education within Southwestern Ontario, Canada and beyond. Graduates will have all the competencies necessary to provide a spectrum of care from initial consultation, intervention and long term follow up for surgical disease in a patient centred, professional and compassionate manner. Trainees engage in an inclusive and educationally focused training program which provides a wealth of educational opportunities both clinically and non-clinically to meet the needs of learners. Western’s General Surgery program has a strong tradition of technical excellence and impactful research. Graduates will have a growth mindset allowing adaptation as changes of surgical practice occur during their career.
Meet the Program Director
Meet the Program Director
Dr. Julie Ann Van Koughnett, MD, MEd, FRCSC, FACS, FASCRS
Dr. Julie Ann Van Koughnett, MD, MEd, FRCSC, FACS, FASCRS
I am very proud to be the Program Director for the General Surgery residency program at Western University. I am an Associate Professor in the Divisions of General Surgery and Surgical Oncology at Western and based at University Hospital with a practice focus in colorectal surgery.
After graduating from the University of Guelph with a BSc in Bio-Medical Science, I attended medical school and completed residency at Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University. During residency, I earned a Master of Education degree in Health Professions Education Specialization from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. I loved the training I received during residency at Western, especially the full breadth of general surgical problems, high operative exposure, and the dynamic surgeons who were dedicated to teaching me to be an excellent surgeon.
I completed a fellowship and clinical associate year in Colon and Rectal Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic Florida before returning to Western. I became Program Director of the Surgical Foundations program, and served in that important role of guiding junior residents through their transition to residency and building their basic surgical knowledge and skills until this year. My clinical interests are in colorectal oncology, minimally invasive techniques in colon and rectal surgery, benign perianal diseases, but what I love most about my career is surgical education. I am passionate about helping residents achieve their potential to be outstanding surgeons through coaching, intraoperative teaching, and mentorship. As Program Director, I am committed to making sure that our program at Western continues to train competent, knowledgeable, critically thinking, and skilled surgeons who are ready to take on the General Surgery world when they finish residency. I believe our program provides our residents with the exposure and opportunities they need to fulfill their career goals, whatever they may be!
For my professional bio, please see Dr. Julie Ann Van Koughnett - General Surgery - Western University (uwo.ca)
General Surgery - In the News
General Surgery - In the News
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