Surgery East and West topic of Strauss Lecture

Dr. John Wong, educated in Australia and a surgeon in his native Hong Kong for 25 years, will speak on “East and West: Diversity and Unity in Surgery” at the UW on Friday, Sept. 10.

Dr. John Wong

His presentation is the 50th annual Alfred A. Strauss Lecture of the Department of Surgery. It will be held at 4 p.m. in Hogness Auditorium of the Health Sciences Center. A reception in the Health Sciences Lobby following the lecture will feature a commemorative display on 50 years of Strauss lectures.

Wong was born in Hong Kong and moved to Australia for his education. He earned first class honors in both medical science and medicine, and also earned a Ph.D. from the University of Sydney. He remained in Australia to complete his professional qualification in surgery.

In 1975, Wong returned to Hong Kong and joined the University of Hong Kong, becoming professor of surgery in 1979 and head of the department in 1982.

His clinical research interests are in vascular diseases and in esophageal and liver cancers. He is a sought-after speaker at conferences and courses around the world, and is a leader in several international academic and professional societies. He is president of the Asian Surgical Association and the Pan-Pacific Surgical Association and chairman of the International Council of Surgical Gastroenterology. In addition, he just completed a term as president of the International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus.

He has been honored in Europe and the United States, as well as Asia, and is an honorary member of several surgical associations around the world.

The lecture honors the late Dr. Alfred Strauss, a 1904 UW graduate who went on to earn an M.D. degree at Rush Medical College of Chicago. As an indication of his continued interest in the UW, Strauss began sponsoring annual surgical lectureships at the School of Medicine in 1950. Today, sponsorship of the Strauss Lecture is maintained by Margery Friedlander, Strauss’ daughter. ¶