Dr. Brian Kwon |
Dr. Brian Kwon has been named one of Vancouver's Top 40 Under 40.
The award was founded by Business in Vancouver to honour corporate leaders, entrepreneurs and non-profit leaders in British Columbia who have reached a significant level of success before the age of age 40. Dr. Kwon 38, is an orthopaedic surgeon at VGH and spinal cord injury (SCI) researcher with the ICORD research program.
Dr. Kwon's profile below & at attached link. www.biv.com/40under40/2010/Kwon-Brian.asp
Brian Kwon
Orthopaedic surgeon, Vancouver General Hospital
Age: 38
Brian Kwon's business can change lives, but the doctor thinks his life is successful because of the people around him.
"I have great mentors," said Kwon. "We've got a lot of people that contribute to spinal-injury care and spine research, and having that very dedicated team really helps a lot."
Kwon said he became interested in spinal injuries during his residency at the University of British Columbia, after he earned a medical degree from Queen's University in Ontario.
"That clinical problem really interested me, you know, they're just horrible injuries," he said.
Since then, Kwon has made a name for himself as not only a surgeon but also a researcher.
In the past five years, he has garnered more than $4 million in research funding from Canadian and international funding agencies.
In 2004, Kwon was one of six people to receive a New Investigator Award from Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and he has lectured about spinal-cord injuries at organizations all over North America.
As the province's top referral centre for spinal-cord injuries, Vancouver General Hospital receives more spinal injuries than most other hospitals in North America, Kwon said, and that amount of work has had an affect on his family life.
"There's no question that they make a lot of sacrifices for me to pursue those interests."
Still, Kwon said he tries to keep his professional life balanced with his personal life, and one of his greatest strengths is his ability to function on very little sleep.
Birthplace: Ottawa
Where do you live now: Vancouver
Highest level of education: PhD in neuroscience and FRCSC (Orthopaedics) from UBC
Car or chosen mode of transport: Lexus GS350 AWD
Currently reading: The Journal of Neurotrauma
Last CD bought or music downloaded: Cradlesong by Rob Thomas
Favourite movie: The Matrix
Favourite local restaurant: Cafe Pacifica
Person you would most like to meet (living or deceased): Barack Obama
Profession you would most like to try: Philanthropy
Mentor: Marcel Dvorak and Wolfram Tetzlaff
Most memorable career milestone or event: Passing/surviving my Royal College examination in orthopaedic surgery - six hours that will be hard to forget
Toughest business or professional decision: Terminating the employment of someone whose scientific integrity was compromised, but who I liked, respected and cared for immensely
What's left to do: Be able to tell a spinal-cord injury patient and his or her family that there is in fact something we can do to treat their paralysis and improve their chance of walking out of Vancouver General Hospital
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