David Evans

Job Title
Trauma and Acute Care Surgeon

Department/Location
VGH

How long have you worked at VCH?
More than 20 years.

Tell us what you do at VCH in one or two sentences:
I have two roles: I’m one of five general surgeons with a focus in trauma and emergency general surgery at VGH. I’m also the director for Trauma Services BC and help oversee the BC trauma system. Our goal is to make links between the patient-level acute care side of what EMS and trauma centres do, and the injury prevention and policy development that occurs through public health. Check out the Shift Into Winter campaign that I and other VCH injury prevention partners are promoting at http://shiftintowinter.ca/.

What’s your favourite thing about your work?
I have an amazing job and work with truly exceptional people on so many different roles. I really like the work of ensuring best outcomes after the devastation of injury, whether by direct involvement in patient care as a surgeon, working to answer practical questions as a researcher, or helping to design a stronger system as an administrator.

How does your work contribute to the VCH True North goals?
For many reasons, I believe that BC is on a course to have the best trauma and injury management system in the world. I’ve engaged in a lot of strategic planning with this work over the past years, trying to align what we do in trauma care not only with VCH’s True North goals, but also the overarching priorities of PHSA and the Ministry of Health.

One thing we might be surprised to learn about you:
I have 4 girls (triplets plus one) and I once ran a 2:40 marathon (87th out of 10,000).

Who is somebody that you consider a major role model in your life?
My father is my role model – he ‘s a scrupulously decent man who worked hard, is dedicated to his family, and has given much more in life than he has taken.

Who or what inspires you?
I’m inspired by kindness and simplicity.

Most healthy habit:
My healthiest habit is humour, followed by lots of vegetables and a well-used gym membership.

If an actor or actress were to play you in a movie, who would it be?
My kids think I look like Tom Cruise (which is why I still let them live at home), but I ‘m thinking more along the lines of a young(er) Jimmy Stewart.