A unique resource in the province, Colorectal Surgery at St. Paul's Hospital provides complete care for people living in British Columbia with all kinds of colorectal diseases.
St. Paul's Hospital is the only centre in the province where specific, complex colorectal procedures are performed. It is an important referral centre and resource for all people living in BC.
Services include:
- Colorectal cancer screening and prevention with colonoscopy.
- A variety of diagnostic services.
- A full spectrum of treatment and care, including surgery.
Collaboration for best patient care
The colorectal surgeons, surgery residents, ostomy specialists and nurses work as a team, sharing information and forming care plans tailored to each patient.
We work closely with medical cancer specialists at the BC Cancer Agency to provide state-of-the art care for patients with colorectal cancer.
We also collaborate with gastroenterologists at St. Paul's Hospital and throughout British Columbia to provide optimal treatment for patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.
In addition, St. Paul's Hospital is a large general hospital that offers the support of a critical care department and emergency services.
Thanks to the concentration of colorectal surgeons - and their participation in world-class research - our centre offers many cutting-edge technologies, such as laparoscopic colorectal surgery and other incision-sparing surgical techniques.
Multidisciplinary Conference (MDC)
The Colorectal Multidisciplinary Conference (MDC) brings together specialists from surgery, radiology, pathology, medical oncology, and radiation oncology to collaboratively review and plan individualized patient care.
These weekly meetings improve diagnostic accuracy, staging, and treatment decisions, ensuring that each patient receives evidence-based and coordinated management.
At St. Paul’s Hospital, the colorectal MDC also fosters academic collaboration, research development, and interdisciplinary communication among clinicians, enhancing both patient outcomes and the quality of care delivered.
Meet OUR TEAM
PHYSICIANS & SURGEONS
Click on an image to read the team members biography.
Dr. Carl J. Brown
Colorectal Surgeon
Dr. P. Terry Phang
Professor of Surgery at UBC
ASSISTANTS
Our office is filled with wonderful and patient staff, whose responsibilities include scheduling, communications, taking referrals and generally making sure that the department runs smoothly. They can be reached at the office phone: 604-806-8711.
Connie: Assistant to Dr. Carl Brown
Trang: Assistant to Dr. P. T. Phang
Anne: Assistant to Dr. Manoj Raval
Tina: Assistant to Dr. Ahmer A. Karimuddin
Lindsay: Assistant to Dr. Amandeep (Anu) Ghuman and Dr. Elizabeth Clement
FELLOWS
The colorectal surgery team at St. Paul’s enrolls one fellow each year into a two-year fellowship program, consisting of one clinical year and one non-clinical year. The clinical year of training is at St. Paul’s Hospital, while the non-clinical year consists of classes at UBC.
Fellowship Alumni
Dr. Christine Li
Dr. Olivia Hershorn
Dr. Elizabeth Clement
Dr. Ameer Farooq
Dr. Humaid AlAdawi
Dr. Hyea Min Yoon
Dr. Reagan Robertson
Dr. François Letarte
Dr. Dilip Gill
Dr. Ryan McColl
Dr. Magdalena Recsky
Dr. Irene Schornagel
Dr. Thamer Al-Tayeb
Dr. François Rouleau Fournier
RESEARCH COORDINATORS
Research is very important to surgeons at St. Paul’s, which is why we have a dedicated team that manages and runs our research studies. When at St. Paul’s under the care of our surgeons, patients may be approached to participate in a research study if they meet the eligibility criteria. Participation is completely voluntary and patients will receive the best possible care whether or not they choose to enroll in any studies.
Research Alumni
Navindi De Silva
Rhea Sidhu
Eniola Owonifaari
Xya Parashar
Annie Li
STOMA NURSES
Our stoma nurses offer a variety of services to patients related to education about, and care of, wounds and stomas. These nurses can help with patient recovery and are great resources for anything related to their stoma and stoma bag needs.
NURSE NAVIGATOR
Nhaji Urrutia
Nurse Navigator
Patient care and followup
Our nurse navigator is here to conduct phone follow-ups with colorectal cancer patients as an additional measure to ensure patients are getting appropriate follow-up (e.g., scans, tests, scopes, etc.) for their cancer.
Though the exact position has changed since its inception, it was initially created as part of a larger initiative, which won a Patient Safety and Quality Award in 2013, to help improve patient outcomes after surgeries.
