Northshore Surgeons

• Clinical Associate Professor Jaswinder Samra commenced his medical career in the United Kingdom ande obtained his medical degree in 1988.

• He undertook his surgical training from 1989 – 1993 in Manchester and London, being awarded Fellowships of both the Royal Colleges of Surgeons in London and Edinburgh. This was followed by a period of research as a Wellcome Research Registrar at the University of Oxford 1993-1996 resulting in an award D.Phil (Doctor of Philosophy).

• He was appointed consultant general surgeon with an interest in Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary surgery at the Royal North Shore and Ryde Hospitals in 2003. He performs complex pancreatic and liver surgery in addition to laparoscopic gallbladder and hernia surgery. He has performed over 300 pancreatic resections with excellent results and annually he performs more than 60 pancreatic resections.

• He has been an Examiner for higher degrees (PhD’s and MS’s) at the University of Sydney. His academic interest is in basic sciences exploring the molecular mechanisms resulting in hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancers. He has published widely on the technical aspect of pancreatic surgery as well as other diverse surgical topics. He has presented his research at numerous international and national meetings.

• Dr Thomas J Hugh is Upper Gastro-Intestinal Surgical Oncologist. Dr Hugh graduated from the University of Sydney in 1987. He undertook his residency and surgical training at Royal North Shore Hospital from 1987-1994. He obtained a Fellowship in General Surgery from the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 1994.

• He then undertook a three year Fellowship in Upper Gastro-Intestinal Surgery in the United Kingdom, working at the Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle and at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Liverpool. During this time he also undertook laboratory research into Cell Adhesion Molecules in colorectal liver metastases. This work resulted in an MD thesis from the University of Liverpool in 1998. During this period he undertook clinical training in Hepato-Biliary surgery.

• Dr Hugh was appointed as Co-ordinator of Surgical Services at Royal North Shore Hospital in 1998. In 1999, he was appointed as an Upper Gastro-Intestinal Surgical Oncologist and Senior Lecturer (Conjoint appointment). His main clinical interest is in the field of Hepato-Biliary, Hernia, and complex Laparoscopic Surgery.

• He specialises in day-only repair of inguinal hernias, as well as offering a laparoscopic approach for repairing inguinal hernias. His areas of academic and teaching focus include developing and expanding Clinical Skills training in the Sydney Clinical Skills and Simulation Centre based at Royal North Shore Hospital, clinical audit for malignant hepato-pancreato-biliary conditions, and collaborating with the CanSur group in laboratory research on pancreatic and liver malignancies.