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Reversing the brain drain: Jewish doctor returns to Montreal from Harvard |
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Written by Mike Cohen
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Tuesday, 03 November 2009 |
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MONTREAL – During the years it has become extremely common for young doctors to leave Montreal for brighter pastures in the United States. Such was the case only three years ago for Dr. Moishe Liberman, who graduated from McGill University and moved to Massachusetts to complete a clinical fellowship at the Harvard School of Medicine and its affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.
In a reversal of what has previously been the norm here, Dr. Liberman shared with the Jewish Tribune last week how he had been recruited from Harvard to head the new Marcel and Rolande Gosselin Chair in Thoracic Surgical Oncology at the Université de Montréal. This was made possible thanks to $3 million in philanthropic support from the Marcel and Rolande Gosselin Foundation, the Fondation du Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal and the Thoracic Surgery Research Foundation of Montreal.
“This was not an easy decision,” said Dr. Liberman, “but I know it was the right one. I got offered a tremendous package.”
Dr. Liberman, 34, now becomes one of North America’s youngest researchers to head up a medical chair. He is an expert in airway surgery, minimally invasive thoracic surgery, bronchial and esophageal interventions, as well as the removal of benign and malignant tumours.
“The Marcel & Rolande Gosselin Chair in Thoracic Surgical Oncology at the Université de Montréal will enable me to perform research in innovative fields and test new clinical techniques,” said Dr. Liberman, a professor of surgery at the Université de Montréal and attending thoracic surgeon at the Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal. “This position will allow me to take on difficult cases, patients who are referred by other experts, a challenge I really enjoy.”
Medicine is a family affair for Dr. Liberman, a graduate of the Hebrew Academy system here. His two brothers are trained physicians and his wife, Tali Kopel, is a kidney specialist who is also returning to Canada at the Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal in January.
“I am thrilled to be back in my hometown,” said Dr. Liberman. “I certainly hope I can serve as a role model for others to return here just as I did. That would necessitate the universities creating more chairs.
“What enticed me back was not just to be a physician here, but the tremendous research opportunities.” |
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 12 November 2009 )
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