P. Terry Phang, MSc MD FRCSC

Professor
Residency Program Director, Colo-rectal Surgery
Scientist, Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences (CHÉOS)

Active Staff, St. Paul’s Hospital

City: Vancouver
Hospital Authority: Vancouver Coastal Health

Address:
Department of Surgery, St. Paul’s Hospital
1081 Burrard Street
Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6

Phone: 604.806.8711   Fax: 604.806.9604

Email: tphang@providencehealth.bc.ca

Special Interests

  • Colorectal Cancer Surgery
  • Quality Improvement
  • Translational Research
  • Surgical and Research Training

Publications

Biography:

Dr. Phang received his medical training at the University of Toronto. He trained in General Surgery at the Memorial University of Newfoundland during which he performed lab studies for an MSc in biochemistry. He then trained in critical care medicine at the University of Alberta with research in MR spectroscopy, nutrition, and oxygen consumption. He was employed first as surgeon-intensivist at St Paul’s Hospital, Vancouver, and conducted lab research in gut physiology, systemic inflammatory response and oxygen delivery as a UBC scientist. Taking a sabbatical, he trained in colorectal surgery fellowship at the University of Minnesota. He now practices as a subspecialist colorectal surgeon at St Paul’s Hospital and UBC. In a second sabbatical, he conducted clinical research in rectal cancer imaging at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. He holds American Board certification for Surgery and Colorectal Surgery.

He was the inaugural Chair of the subspecialty colorectal surgery exam for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada with Founder designation. He was leader of the BC Cancer Surgical Oncology Network Committee on Rectal Cancer. He has led to improved outcomes for rectal cancer patients in BC through collaborative education initiatives with BC Cancer Agency radiation and medical oncologists, general surgeons, radiologists, pathologists, and family doctors in BC. He has been President of the Canadian Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons and initiated a colorectal clinical trials networking. He participated in development of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons education module, Fundamental of Rectal Cancer Surgery.

He was head of the Division of General Surgery at St Paul’s hospital and established a nationally recognized team of academic colorectal surgeons. He initiated and is director of the UBC Colorectal Surgery Fellowship Training Program.

He has taught many surgeons in British Columbia and Canada on rectal cancer and laparoscopic colon surgery, and many medical students and family physicians on colorectal diseases. He has supervised undergraduate and postgraduate students in clinical and laboratory projects in achievement of their university degrees.

Dr. Phang’s clinical interests include diagnostic imaging of rectal cancer, advanced techniques of rectal cancer surgery including laparoscopy, sphincter-preserving rectal cancer resection, and trans-anal microsurgery. His current research studies include local excision of rectal cancer using trans-anal microsurgery, ileo-anal pelvic pouch surgery, surgical site infections, anastomotic leaks and the gut microbiome.

Dr. Phang  medical training was received at the University of Toronto. He received surgical training at Memorial University of Newfoundland and specialized colorectal surgery training at the University of Minnesota in 1996-97. He holds American Board certification for Surgery and Colorectal Surgery. He has a Masters of Science degree in biochemistry and clinical research training in critical illness and colorectal surgery.

Dr. Phang’s current research includes diagnostic imaging of rectal cancer, advanced techniques of rectal cancer surgery including laparoscopy, sphincter-preserving rectal cancer resection, and transanal microsurgery. He has taught many surgeons in British Columbia and Canada on rectal cancer and laparoscopic colon surgery, and many medical students and family physicians on colorectal diseases. He is leader of the British Columbia Cancer Agency Surgical Oncology Network committee on rectal cancer that has the mandate of improving outcomes for rectal cancer through programmatic development in BC.