CV: Dr. Brian Wong

Bio basics: An associate scientist in the discipline of combined health services sciences and a staff physician in the division of general internal medicine at Sunnybrook. Research focus: patient safety and quality. Serves as the deputy site director at Sunnybrook, where he oversees the training of first-year residents. Graduated from medical school at the University of Toronto in 2003. Born in Kitchener, Ontario, and grew up in Waterloo, Ontario. Married with a two-year-old son and another baby due at the end of July.

What do you consider a high-priority issue in patient safety?

I think that it is important to continue to promote a culture of safety in health care, because much of the work that is being done in patient safety depends on it. This would include helping to promote education of trainees in patient safety, which is a personal interest of mine. We are lucky at Sunnybrook because our institutional leaders believe in this and have created a true culture of safety here.

What aspect of your job do you enjoy the most?

I love the variety of my daily work life. Some days, I'm taking care of patients or teaching students and residents. Other days, I have the opportunity to work with talented, dedicated individuals to promote patient safety through our research. It's a great way to spend my days.

What's the most surprising thing you've learned from your research?

I think the most surprising thing is how much I enjoy it. For years, I have been involved mostly in teaching and education and am relatively new to research in general. But my involvement in patient safety initiatives has piqued my interest in research-mostly because the results of our work often have immediate and direct impact on the patients we serve at Sunnybrook.

If you hadn't gone into medicine, what would you have become?

A professional chef. I really enjoy cooking, although lately, I have had to be more creative with ingredients due to my son's numerous food allergies. Amazingly, soy pancakes aren't that bad!