Volunteer of the year – Dr. Wylam Faught

Dr. Wylam Faught, MD, FRCSC, volunteer of the year 2010

Dr. Wylam Faught, MD, FRCSC, Head of the obstetrics/gynecology department for the University of Ottawa was given the 2010 Volunteer of the Year award for his contribution as ESS instructor and for his help in establishing the obstetrics program and the surgical skills lab in Moshi, Tanzania.

“The Essential Surgical Skills course and the CNIS mission/vision really struck a cord with me. I took the ESS instructors course and things went from there. I have been fortunate to have a very Internationally oriented department here in Ottawa ( Dr. Hassan Shenassa and others) and so have been able to facilitate support for the surgical skills lab at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre and am also active in trying to establish/enhance relationships with the local KCMC leaders to facilitate development of an obstetrics skills course for associated medical officers at KCMC.” says Dr Faught.

Wylam was born in Toronto and grew up there and in Calgary, Alberta. He studied Biochemistry at the University of Calgary and graduated with a Bachelor of Medical Science and an MD from the University of Alberta in 1986.

In 1992, he completed his residency in Obstetrics & Gynecology at the University of Ottawa, followed by a 2 year Fellowship in Gynecologic Oncology at the University of Manitoba. From 1994 – 2002, he was an attending physician at the Ottawa hospital and Cancer centre and on faculty at the University of Ottawa, where he was also an Obstetrics & Gynecology Residency Program Director, Gynecologic Oncology Clinical Trials Coordinator, and a member of the Royal College Examination Committee for Obstetrics and Gynecology. From 2002 to 2007 he was Professor and Chair, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Alberta, and Chief of Women’s Health, Royal Alexandra Hospital, supporting the creation of the Women and Children’s health research Institute. In 2007 he was appointed Professor and Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Ottawa, Chief of Obstetrics/gynecology/newborn care at The Ottawa Hospital and, as of September 2010, regional Ob/gyne physician lead for thel-newborn program.

Dr. Faught teaching Essential Surgical Skills in Moshi, Tanzania

Wylam is actively involved in gynecologic oncology clinical care, education and clinical research and surgical skills teaching for CNIS in Moshi, Tanzania. He is a past-president of the Association of Professors of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Canada, a board member of Ovarian Cancer Canada and the Canadian Foundation for Women’s Health and a member of the Royal college specialty committee in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

“Just being able to participate with like-minded individuals is rewarding, but specifically a moment that the students had on the day 4 of the ESS course, when they realized they could tie a very secure 2-handed knot that wouldn’t slip. Who knows, it may save a mothers life sometime during a C-Section.”

CNIS wish to congratulate Wylam Faught for this well deserved recognition, and to once again welcome him into the Ottawa CNIS community.