Sami A. Chadi, MD, MSc, FRCSC, FACS
Minimally Invasive and Colorectal Surgery
Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network  
Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto

Why I am a member of ASCRS:

As a colorectal surgeon, I feel I only stand to benefit from ASCRS membership. The annual meetings provide a great venue to keep in touch with colleagues and mentors from around the world. Additionally, I find that participating in the various committees has allowed me to meet new colleagues, initiating collaborations and lifelong friendships. The annual meeting is always filled with great up to date content, and has also been a great venue to meet Twitter #colorectalsurgery friends and fellow-members.

Why did you specialize in colorectal surgery?

I always knew one of my main interests in surgery was minimally invasive techniques. I’ve always enjoyed seeing patients recover so quickly from procedures with minimal evidence of any major intervention. In 2012, I attended ASCRS and was hooked - learning about higher definition laparoscopy, robotics and what was then novel transanal techniques really had me seeking to learn more. My main focus in practice similar to many of us is colon and rectal oncology, but being exposed to benign disease as well really provides us with a unique perspective on surgical techniques when operating on hindgut oncology.

What do you want your patients to know about you?

I’m passionate about what I do and I try to treat each patient as if I were treating a family member. It’s extremely difficult to understand the physical and psychological stresses our patients experience throughout their journey. Any time I think I have a grasp of what my patients are experiencing, in good and bad times, I’m exposed to another dimension of their reality that I never expected. At the end of the day, I feel that establishing yourself not only as their healthcare provider, but also as someone they can trust because of a genuine desire to see them do well, will give you an insight into their experience, making you better able to help them and maybe, a better physician overall. 

What advice do you have for future colorectal surgeons?

This specialty is awesome, and it’s only getting better. We’re learning more every day about the diseases we treat, we’re gaining access to better techniques and technology to provide care, and the innovation is endless. The #colorectalsurgery family is ever-growing so make sure you’re hooked into the various groups through social media - you’ll meet colleagues from around the world and make lifelong friendships. I’ve never looked back.