CARMS Profile - Dr. Kim Bertens

Where did you train?
Residency- Western University, London, ON
Fellowship- Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA

What do you like about general surgery?
I have always been fond of the depth of practice in General Surgery. I enjoy the variety of presentations we see from day today. I also find it very rewarding to treat patients with cancer and help to define treatment goals.

What is your sub-specialty?
Hepatobiliary Surgery

What is your research interest?
Pancreatic cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, colorectal liver metastases, disparity in access to surgical resources

What do you like about this program?
I believe that the General Surgery program in Ottawa is a great program. The size of resident cohort means that the attendings and residents all know each other. I find it rewarding to watch residents progress through the 5 year program. I feel that there is an attitude of collegiality between the residents, and also with the greater team including allied health, nursing, adminstrative assistants, and staff surgeons.

What is your hope for this program?
My hope is that we continue to train residents within a positive learning environment and that we are able to help residents achieve their career goals whether that be preparing them for community practice or facilitating them to be able to match to competitive fellowship programs.

Do you have a special role in the residency program? What do you do?
I am the Oral Exam lead, meaning that I organize the questions for the biannual oral exam.
I was also the mentor for the current PGY4 class. This role officially lasts for 2 years, but we have continued to meet.

What do you like about training residents?
I love watching that moment when something I am teaching a residents clicks with them. I really try to walk the residents through surgery in a step by step fashion. I aim to point out the little things that are often overlooked when teaching an operation; how to retract efficiently for yourself, how to properly use the instruments, the relevant nearby anatomy, etc. I think it is important to verbalize all the little things that go through your head as an attending in a operation. Too often we teach surgery as though it is binary, when in reality, there is rarely only a right and wrong way to proceed.

What is your favourite thing to teach?
How to read a CT scan as it relates to pancreatic masses.

What is the thing you're the most proud of in your professional life?
I am the section head for Hepatobiliary Surgery at TOH. I certainly can not take credit for how well this unit functions, as those that created it before me we instrumental in that. However, I am proud the highly functional group practice we continue to build. I am fortunate to work with Drs. Balaa, Martel and Abou Khalil as well as Aklile our research assistant, Susan and Nathalie our administrative assistants and Shannon, our Nurse Navigator in the Cancer Assessment Clinic.

What do you do outside of work?
I love gardening and plants in general. My partner and I enjoy camping and canoeing, and being outdoors in general.

Tell us something people should know about you?
I have 2 Pembroke Corgis, Lois and Pearl. I am fairly certain that I have gained a reputation among the residents as the Crazy Corgi Lady.