About the Department

Established in 1954, the Unified Department of Surgery today has 250 surgeons based across Saskatchewan and supported by the dedicated administrative staff and over 60 residents and fellows in our postgraduate training programs.

The Department of Surgery philosophy is based on equity, diversity, inclusiveness and the highest sense of ethical integrity, humanistic values and professional standards. Our faculty is committed to promoting excellence in all surgical specialty areas and to the highly personalized treatment of patients and their diseases. The vision for the Department of Surgery is to grow and establish its position as the premier center for best patient care based in service excellence, research and innovation. A fundamental responsibility of our faculty is to train the next generation of surgeons and researchers, along with supporting innovation at all levels of the surgical sciences.

Our commitment is to provide world-class care to the citizens of Saskatchewan by creating an educational environment of innovation and collaborative research. We strive to be one of the leading surgical departments worldwide.

Mission

To provide world-class care to the citizens of Saskatchewan and beyond, train the surgeons of the future and foster innovation and collaborative research.

Vision

To establish the Department of Surgery as a premier center for world-class patient care, excellence in research, innovation and surgical education. Our goal is nothing short than of becoming one of the leading surgical departments worldwide.

Core Values

  • Maintain the highest standards of personal, professional and academic honesty and integrity.
  • Respect privacy and confidentiality.
  • Communicate truthfully and compassionately with patients, families, learners, colleagues and staff.
  • Treat patients and their families with respect and dignity.
  • Not discriminate on the grounds of age, race, color, ancestry, place of origin, political belief, religion, physical or mental disability, gender, marital or family status.
  • Conduct professionally in demeanor, language and appearance in the professional health care setting.
  • Contribute to an atmosphere conductive to learning, professional and scholarly activity.
  • Assure that interactions with learners are always respectful and considerate.
  • Conduct research in an ethical and unbiased manner, report results truthfully, and credit ideas developed and work done by others.
  • Respect personal boundaries of others, including but not limited to, refraining from making unwanted romantic or sexual overtures, protecting personal information, and respecting individual workspace.
  • Be accountable for personal decisions.
  • Adopt strategies to deal with errors or misjudgments.
  • Declare any actual or potential conflict of interest.
  • Participate in the collegial activities of the Department of Surgery.
  • Participate in established processes of professional self-regulation.

Code of Conduct

The Department of Surgery is committed to creating an environment that provides outstanding patient care and scholarly activity.

It is recognized that members of the Department have ethical obligations and a commitment to maintain the highest levels of professionalism in all interactions with patients, peers, learners, and staff within other disciplines and the community at large. Respect for every person is the core value central to all encounters. We are fully committed to social justice, equity, diversity and inclusiveness.

The following "Code of Conduct" strives to define and provide guidance on relevant professional standards applicable to all members of the Department of Surgery. The professional standards articulated here demonstrate our recognition of the special professional privileges granted by society which in turn expects us to reflect in work and deed our commitment to their welfare. Consistent with this, our conduct as professionals should be characterized by the highest sense of ethical integrity and humanistic values.

All members of the Department of Surgery should be familiar with and adhere to existing policies of the University of Saskatchewan and the Saskatoon Health Region relating to professional and academic behavior.

Adherence to the Department of Surgery "Code of Conduct" is a condition of membership in the Department of Surgery.

The Code of Conduct may be revised periodically, and it is the obligation of members to be informed of and adhere to such changes.

As a member of the Department of Surgery of the University of Saskatchewan and the Saskatoon Health Region, it is expected that each member will:

  • Maintain the highest standards of personal, professional and academic honesty and integrity.
  • Respect privacy and confidentiality.
  • Communicate truthfully and compassionately with patients, families, learners, colleagues and staff.
  • Treat patients and their families with respect and dignity.
  • Not discriminate on the grounds of age, race, color, ancestry, place of origin, political belief, religion, physical or mental disability, gender, marital or family status.
  • Conduct professionally in demeanor, language and appearance in the professional health care setting.
  • Contribute to an atmosphere conductive to learning, professional and scholarly activity.
  • Assure that interactions with learners are always respectful and considerate.
  • Conduct research in an ethical and unbiased manner, report results truthfully, and credit ideas developed and work done by others.
  • Respect personal boundaries of others, including but not limited to, refraining from making unwanted romantic or sexual overtures, protecting personal information, and respecting individual workspace.
  • Be accountable for personal decisions.
  • Adopt strategies to deal with errors or misjudgments.
  • Declare any actual or potential conflict of interest.
  • Participate in the collegial activities of the Department of Surgery.
  • Participate in established processes of professional self-regulation.

Leadership and Structure