History
Angus (“Bam”) McLachlin was the founder of the Southwestern Ontario Surgical Association and is remembered as an outstanding surgeon and teacher of medical students and surgeons. He was born in St. Thomas in 1908 and attended Western where he was a distinguished student and athlete. He was captain of the Mustang Football Team. He went to Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar and received his D. Phil in physiology. His surgical training was obtained at the University of Toronto and his surgical skills perfected in Europe where he served with distinction during the Second World War. He returned to London as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Surgery in 1945.
The pandemic has popularized virtual grand rounds. Difficulties faced by surgeons in the region have many commonalities. The Southwest Ontario Surgical Association was founded by the Chief, Angus McLachlin, almost 70 years ago to address common issues faced by surgeons in the region. In the past, SWOSA held an annual meeting. For several reasons, attendance at this event slowly dwindled. The Division of General Surgery at Western University believes an opportunity presents itself to hold virtual monthly SWOSA Grand Rounds. You can learn more about SWOSA Rounds here.
SWOSA Past Presidents
- Dr. Brian Taylor
- Dr. Kevin Lefebvre
- Dr. Randy Gonser
- Dr. Neil Parry
- Dr. Leslie Scott
SWOSA Past Secretaries
- Dr. Chris Vinden
- Dr. Patrick Colquhoun
- Dr. Neil Parry
- Dr. Brian Taylor
- Dr. Kevin Lefebvre
- Dr. Randy Gonser
- Dr. Neil Parry
- Dr. Leslie Scott
- Dr. Chris Vinden
- Dr. Patrick Colquhoun
- Dr. Neil Parry
Past Chairs
Dr. Vivian McAlister is a professor emeritus at Western University and an adjunct professor in the department of history. Previously, he was a general surgeon with an expertise in transplantation and military medicine and his research interests include biography and medical history. Dr. McAlister has also been president of the Canadian Society of Transplantation and the Canadian Organ Replacement Registry. Dr. Vivian McAlister further served on the Council of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and was also chair of its Region Advisory Committee for Ontario and Nunavut. Currently, Dr. McAlister is president of the James IV Association of Surgeons (Canada).
Dr. McAlister was a regular force member of the Royal Canadian Medical Service, Canadian Armed Forces until 2019 and has deployed overseas many times. In fact, he is the founding director of Western’s Office of Military Academic Medicine. Awards received include The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee medal (2012), the Angus McLachlin chair of surgery (2014); the Canadian Medical Association John McCrae Memorial Medal (2019) and the Canadian Society of Transplantation lifetime achievement award (2019). Dr McAlister was made an officer in the Order of Canada in the 2021 Honours List.
Past Presidents
Dr. Brian Taylor obtained his medical degree from Western University and completed his training in Colorectal Surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. He then went on to a position as a teaching surgeon at Western University from 1983 until he retired in 2015.
Dr. Kevin Lefebvre obtained his medical degree from the University of Ottawa and completed his training in General Surgery at Western University.
No bio at this time.
Dr. Neil Parry graduated from medical school in 1996 from Western University and then completed his residency in General Surgery at Western University as well. Following his residency, Dr. Parry went on to a Trauma and Critical Care fellowship at Grady Memorial Hospital, Emory Univeristy in Atlanta, Georgia.
In 2003, Dr. Parry returned to Victoria Hospital, London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) and is currently a Professor of Surgery and Critical Care Medicine at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University. Additionally, Dr. Neil Parry is the Medical Director of the Trauma Program for LHSC and the Site Chief of Surgery at Victoria Hospital. He further serves on the Executive Board of Directors of the Trauma Association of Canada and has also held several leadership roles with the Canadian Association of General Surgeons. In addition to his clinical interests, Dr. Neil Parry’s main academic interests include clinical outcomes in trauma, critical care and acute care surgery.
Dr. Leslie Scott completed her General Surgery residency training at Queen’s University, followed by a Pediatric Surgery fellowship at the University of British Columbia. After completing her Pediatric fellowship, Dr. Scott returned to Kingston and joined the staff at Kingston General Hospital. In 1999, Dr. Scott joined the Department of Surgery as an Assistant Professor with the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at Western University. She went on to be promoted to Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Division of Pediatric Surgery, as well as Chair/Chief of Paediatric Surgery in 2009. She currently holds appointments at the London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph’s Health Care London as a Pediatric General Surgeon and adult Breast Surgeon.
Past Secretaries
Dr. Chris Vinden is a General Surgeon at Victoria Hospital, London Health Sciences Centre. He is also an Associate Professor with the Department of Surgery at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at Western University. Dr. Vinden has also previously been appointed as Chief of Surgery and Associate Chief of Staff.
Dr. Patrick Colquhoun obtained his medical degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 1994 and completed a 6 year training program with the University of Saskatchewan General Surgery Department in 2000. During his training, Dr. Colquhoun also completed a Master’s of Science in Molecular Biology (awarded in 1998) and in 2002 completed a Colorectal Fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic, Florida. Currently, Dr. Colquhoun is a Professor with the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at Western University and has been in practice as a Colorectal Surgeon with University Hospital, London Health Sciences Centre since July 2002. His practice includes both general and colorectal surgery, as well as endoscopy and advanced laparoscopic interventions.
Please see bio above.
