Specialty

General surgery

Areas of Interest

Laparoscopic Surgery
Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
Reflux Disease

Language

English

Note 

For patients:

Please ask your family doctor for a referral.

For referring physicians:

Please phone (250-545-2288) for any cancer referrals.

For non-urgent referrals, please fax to 250-545-2781 and include:

• patient's name
• patient's birth day
• patient's PHN
• patient's home and cell phone number
• the referring physician and MSP#
• all relevant investigations
• a list of patient medications

Resume / CV

Training:

2020 Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Quality Improvement Course
2018 Karl Storz laparoscopic bile duct exploration course, Vancouver, BC
2018 Oncoplastic Partnership Workshop, St John's, Newfoundland
2017 Core Medical, Vancouver, Medical Legal Reports: Advanced
2016 Core Medical, Vancouver, Medical Legal Reports: The Essentials
2015 Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Esophageal Diseases Course
2006 Sandhill Scientific, Esophageal Reflux, Motility & Impedance Testing Basic Concepts Course, Denver, Colorado
2000-2006 General Surgery Post-graduate training program, UBC
1996-2000 Doctor of Medicine, UBC

Professional experience:

2019-present Clinical Associate Professor, UBC Faculty of Medicine
2018-2023 Associate Division Head, General Surgery, UBC Department of Surgery
2016-2019 Clinical Assistant Professor, UBC Faculty of Medicine
2014-2023 Site Director, Vernon Jubilee Hospital, UBC General Surgery Residency Program
2013-present General Surgeon, Okanagan Health Surgical Centre, Kelowna BC
2007-2016 Clinical Instructor, UBC Faculty of Medicine
2006-present General Surgeon, Vernon Jubilee Hospital, Vernon BC
2002-2006 Clinical Assistant, Royal Columbian Hospital Intensive Care Unit, New Westminster BC

Qualifications and Affiliations:

Associate Editor, Canadian Journal of Surgery
Fellow, Royal College of Surgeons of Canada
Specialist Certificate in General Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons of Canada
Fellow, American College of Surgeons
President, BC Surgical Society 2011-12
Member, College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia
Member, Canadian Association of General Surgeons
Member, British Columbia Medical Association

Awards:

UBC General Surgery Residency Program - Resident Appreciation Award 2022
UBC General Surgery Residency Program - Excellence in Surgical Teaching Award 2020
UBC Southern Medical Program Excellence Award, 2018
UBC Dept of Surgery Postgraduate Training Best Resident Teacher, 2006
UBC FB Thomson Award for Outstanding Clinical General Surgeon, 2006
CAGS / Tyco Canada Resident Award for Teaching Excellence, 2005
Resident Research Prize, BC Surgical Society Spring Meeting, May 2005
Best clinical paper, General Surgery Resident Research Day, April 2004
The UBC Alma Mater Society 'Just Desserts' Award for service to the students of Medicine, 1998
UBC Science Scholar, 1995


Selected Publications:

H Hwang, RQ Parker, M Horkoff, M Humphreys, E Hardy, K McClellan, Y Brierley, L Brosseau, H Rempel Deteriorating wait times for breast cancer patients at a regional hospital in BC, 2013 versus 2023. British Columbia Medical Journal. 2024; 66(7): 240-247.
T Zabolotniuk, C Rideout, H Hwang Selective centralized booking as a low-cost alternative to centralized referral Can J Surg 2024; 67(4): E295-E299
H Hwang, N Samarasinghe, K D'Souza, D Jenkin, SE Cowie Chasing a moving train: The general surgery workforce versus population growth in British Columbia, 2012–2022. British Columbia Medical Journal. 2024; 66(2): 46-50.
L Cadili, M Horkoff, S Ainslie, B Chai, J Demetrick, K Langer, K Wiseman, H Hwang Improving the management and outcomes of complex non‑pedunculated colorectal polyps at a regional hospital in British Columbia. Surgical Endoscopy. 2023; https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-023-10631-8
H Hwang, A Barton, D Jenkin, T Scott The impact of targeted fee increases on the pay disparity between female and male general surgeons in British Columbia. Canadian Journal of Surgery. 2023; 66(6): E522-E531.
H Hwang, C Rideout RAG time: rapid access general surgery — a shared-care protocol to convert after-hours inpatient to daytime outpatient surgery. Canadian Journal of Surgery. 2023; 66(6): E535-E538.
L Jeffery, A Ryley, H Hwang The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the severity of emergency bowel surgery. British Columbia Medical Journal. 2023; 65(9): 345-350.
C Davey, L Chen, H Hwang Patient, operative and pain management factors influencing inpatient compared with surgical day care mastectomy procedures at a community hospital. Canadian Journal of Surgery. 2023; 66(4): E403-E408.
P Balmes, H Hwang, SM Hameed UBC Reticulum: a province-wide network promoting surgical excellence and continuous improvement of general surgery in British Columbia. Canadian Journal of Surgery. 2023; 66(4): E399-E402
E Ertel, A Bak, H Hwang Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography or cholecystectomy first in patients with suspected choledocholithiasis? British Columbia Medical Journal. 2022; 64(9): 378-382.
H Hwang, S Sampath, SM Hameed. General Surgeons of British Columbia launches provincewide peer mentorship program. British Columbia Medical Journal. 2022; 64(6): 250-251.
JQ Gentles, L Chen, H Hwang. Introducing oncoplastic breast surgery in a community hospital. Canadian Journal of Surgery. 2021; 64(6): E654-E656.
J Hiebert, L Chen, H Hwang. Are we producing general surgeons who are ready for community or rural practice?. Canadian Journal of Surgery. 2021; 64(5): E467-E472.
H Hwang, S Manoharan, T Zabolotniuk, SM Hameed. UBC Reticulum: A novel website connecting general surgeons in BC during the COVID-19 crisis. British Columbia Medical Journal. 2020; 62(5): 172-173.
J Reid, B Chai, L Petersen, H Hwang. Improved patient care and cost savings after rapid access to endoscopy initiated at a community hospital. British Columbia Medical Journal. 2017; 59(5): 258-263.
H Hwang. Electronic wound monitoring after ambulatory breast cancer surgery: Improving patient care and satisfaction using a smart phone app. British Columbia Medical Journal. 2016; 58(8): 448-453.
JR Farquhar, R Orfaly, M Dickeson, D Lazare, K Wing, H Hwang. Quantifying a care gap in BC: Caring for surgical patients with a body mass index higher than 30. British Columbia Medical Journal. 2016; 58(8): 310-314.
H Hwang, A Barton. Computer randomized scheduling for general surgery: A novel tool for resource sharing at two regional hospitals in British Columbia. British Columbia Medical Journal. 2016; 58(1): 19-24.
T Chan, H Hwang, AA Karimuddin. Wait times for general surgery in BC: Moving beyond measurement. British Columbia Medical Journal. 2015; 57(8): 341-348.
H Hwang, I Marsh, J Doyle. Does ultrasonography accurately diagnose acute cholecystitis? Improving diagnostic accuracy based on a review at a regional hospital. Canadian Journal of Surgery. 2014; 57(3): 162-168.
H Hwang, AA Karimuddin. Dividing the pie into smaller slices: A qualitative and quantitative analysis of the general surgery workforce in British Columbia, 1992–2012. British Columbia Medical Journal. 2013; 55(1): 26-32.
J Forbes, N Fry, H Hwang, AA Karimuddin. Timing of return to work after hernia repair: Recommendations based on a literature review. British Columbia Medical Journal. 2012; 54(7): 341-345.
H Hwang. Emergency presentation of colorectal cancer at a regional hospital: An alarming trend? British Columbia Medical Journal. 2012; 54(2): 91-95.
H Hwang. Quality of life and surgical outcomes following laparoscopic surgery for refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease in a regional hospital. Canadian Journal of Surgery. 2012; 55(1): 41-45.
H Hwang, K Wiseman. Excellent outcomes after establishing laparoscopic colon surgery in a non­academic regional hospital. British Columbia Medical Journal. 2009; 51(51): 390.
H Hwang. Does general surgery residency prepare surgeons for community practice in British Columbia? Canadian Journal of Surgery. 2009; 52(3): 196-200.
H Hwang, J Doyle, B Chai. Incidental malignant carcinoid within Crohn ileitis. Canadian Journal of Surgery. 2009; 52(3): 255.
J Smith, H Hwang, K Wiseman, D Filipenko, PT Phang. Ex vivo sentinel lymph node mapping for colon cancer: improving the accuracy of pathologic staging. American Journal of Surgery. 2006; 191:665-668.
H Hwang, J Lim, C Kinnaird, AG Nagy, ONM Panton, AJ Hodgson, KA Qayumi. Correlating motor performance with surgical error in laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Surgical Endoscopy. 2006; 20:651-655.
H Hwang, LJ Turner, NP Blair. Examining the learning curve of laparoscopic fundoplications at an urban community hospital. American Journal of Surgery. 2005; 189(5):522-526.

 

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