Inspirational Colleague

Congratulations to Dr. Mary Stephens for being nominated and selected as an Inspirational physician for Friends of University Hospitals International Women’s Day Portrait Project. She is nationally and internationally recognized for her work in Trauma.  Dr. Stephens has been President of the Trauma Association of Canada, Chair of the National Trauma Registry Advisory Committee, Chair of the Alberta Trauma Registry, President of the Alberta Chapter of American College of Surgeons, Trauma Director at the University of Alberta Hospital, Region Chief for Western Canada’s American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma, and Site Lead of General Surgery at the University of Alberta Hospital.

One of Dr Stephens’ most significant accomplishments was her work in developing the University of Alberta’s first Trauma Program and registry which she directed for over 20 years. She brought this program to Accreditation in 2002. Over her career she has cared for more than 25,000 patients and has had impact on surgical education. Dr. Stephens brought to Edmonton the Advanced Trauma Operative Management (ATOM) course, which has been extremely successful in hands-on teaching of surgical trainees in surgically managing rare and life threatening injuries.  In 2011, the American College of Surgeons honoured Dr. Stephens in the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) ‘100 Club’ for teaching over 100 ATLS courses.  She has been involved in teaching ATLS to over 3000 medical/surgical professionals who have gone on to save people’s lives. 

Comments made in nominating Dr Stephens include ‘humble, generous, caring surgeon’, ‘professional passion for music’, ‘incredibly talented woman surgeon who deserves to be celebrated’, ‘true team player’, ‘cares deeply about her patients’. ‘As a woman surgeon, she overcame insurmountable obstacles in both her surgical and critical care roles. Her tenacity, industriousness, and compassion has inspired many physicians to pursue successful careers in surgery.’