This month we feature David Hwang, an alumnus of the LMP PhD program and now Professor in LMP who has been director of the fellowship programs for the past 10 years. David was presented with the LMP Leadership Award at the LMP Annual Celebration of Excellence this month.
How long have you been at LMP and what does your role involve?
I’ve been in LMP since its inception in 1997. At the time, I was finishing up my PhD in the Department of Clinical Biochemistry when it merged with 2 others to become LMP. After that, I went through Anatomical Pathology residency in LMP, before joining as clinical faculty in 2004. Over the past 20 years, I’ve served in various roles in LMP, including as Clinical Fellowships Director, and currently as a Co-Chair of the Mentorship Committee, in which role I help match new faculty with mentors within the Department.
What led you to pursue your current career path?
Even though my father was an academic pathologist, I’d never really seriously considered pathology as a career path (I’d been more interested in internal medicine) until my wife and I were expecting with our first child and I started considering pathology, initially largely for lifestyle considerations (i.e. much better on-call life, especially as a resident). It was only as I started exploring further that I realized what a great career choice pathology actually was, quite apart from lifestyle considerations. Over the years, my choice has been affirmed multiple times by colleagues in other specialties telling me that if they had to do it all over again, they would’ve chosen pathology.
What working achievement or initiative are you most proud of?
Being part of the team that discovered and defined Restrictive Allograft Syndrome, a previously unrecognized form of chronic rejection in lung transplant recipients. Our work has enabled much downstream research into this major cause of graft loss and mortality in this patient population.
A close second would be founding and co-leading the CIHR & NSERC-funded Toronto Cystic Fibrosis Lung Microbiome Team together with Dr. David Guttman.
What was the best career advice you ever received?
Choose something that interests you and that you enjoy doing.
What has been an important learning experience in your life?
A formative trip to a central Asian country in my early 20s, during which I volunteered for several weeks in a children’s cancer ward and in a prison for young men, helped open my eyes to tremendous needs in the world around us, and to how privileged I was (and still am) in every way.
Who is an influential person in your life and why?
Besides my parents (Dr. & Mrs. Wei Sek & Faith Hwang), whose sacrifices set and shaped the course of my entire life and career, Dr. Dean Chamberlain taught me (almost) everything I know about pulmonary pathology and has been a cherished mentor for almost the past quarter century.
What would it surprise people to know about you?
In my younger days growing up in Alberta, I enjoyed rock climbing and triathlon/duathlon - even if I wasn’t very good at either. I did, however, once finish second in my age category (out of two competitors, which I guess also means I finished last!).
What activities do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Reading, hiking, involvement in church activities.
What is your favourite album, film and novel?
Album: Handel’s Messiah – the first recording I owned of this work is still my favorite (Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, conducted by Sir Georg Solti)
Film: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Novel: The Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan
Who would be your dream dinner guests?
Jesus Christ, Abraham Lincoln, Abraham (the original, from the Bible), and Winston Churchill.
Where/what is your favourite place?
Still being a westerner at heart, the Canadian Rockies.
If you were stuck on a deserted island but had all your basic needs taken care of (i.e. food and water), what two items would you bring with you and why?
My Bible – what else would I need?
My wife Chun-Va – after 30 years of marriage, I think we’re still very much an ‘item’!
