Dr. Wiley Chung is an Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Department of Surgery at Queen’s University. In 2023, he was awarded the distinction of Reznick Scholar in Health Professions Education in recognition of his outstanding contributions to enhancing educational scholarship at Queen’s University.
Dr. Chung graduated with his Doctor of Medicine from the University of British Columbia in 2009. In 2014, he was the Valedictorian upon completing his General Surgery Residency at the University of Toronto. Following this, Dr. Chung completed his Thoracic Surgery Residency at the University of Calgary in 2016. He subsequently completed a Master of Health Professions Education at Queen’s University. He is pursuing a Ph.D. in Health Quality at Queen’s University and completed his internship at Stanford University.
Specializing in minimally invasive thoracic surgery, Dr. Chung's expertise extends to mediastinal, pulmonary, and esophageal surgery, including esophagectomy and surgery for benign disorders, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, hiatus, and paraesophageal hernia. He also performs minimally invasive diaphragm hernia repairs, including Morgagni and Bochdalek hernias, and diaphragm plication for diaphragm paralysis.
From 2016 until 2022, Dr. Chung served as the sole esophageal surgeon for the South East Ontario Health Region. In 2018, he established the first Esophagogastric Diagnostic Assessment Program (EDAP) at Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC), shaping the future of esophageal cancer management in Southeast Ontario. He is pivotal as an Advisor for the Thoracic Cancers Advisory Committee of Cancer Care Ontario (CCO), contributing to developing the inaugural CCO Esophageal Cancer Pathway Map in 2019. Furthermore, he has championed surgical excellence as the Chair of the Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Committee for the Department of Surgery. From 2018 until 2022, Dr. Chung was the Surgeon Champion at KHSC as part of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program.
As a medical educator, Dr. Chung has mentored learners at every stage of their medical journey. His leadership in the MD Program (Undergraduate Medical Education) at Queen's University stands out for its excellence. In 2023, he assumed the role of Director of Interprofessional Education, a testament to his collaborative spirit. Driven by his vision, he is collaborating with Interprofessional Leads from the School of Nursing and School of Rehabilitation Therapy to pioneer a 20% shared interprofessional curriculum between the School of Nursing, Medicine, and Rehabilitation Therapy. Under their visionary guidance, Queen's University is set to become the vanguard of interprofessional education in North America.
Dr. Chung also serves as the Director of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Indigeneity, and Accessibility (EDIIA) in the MD Program. Under his leadership, he established the inaugural MD Program EDIIA Committee at Queen’s University, the first of its kind in North America, leaving a lasting legacy. This committee includes faculty and student representatives appointed from each of the eight formalized equity-deserving student groups: Black Medical Students Association, Indigenous Health Standing Committee, Muslim Medical Association of Queen’s, QueerMed, Queen’s Asian Medical Students Association, Queen's Jewish Medical Students Association, FrancoMed, and the Disability & Accessibility Subcommittee. Empowered to advise on curriculum, admissions, recruitment, mentorship, and wellness programming, the EDIIA Committee embodies the inclusive spirit of Queen’s University, advocating for increased diversity among students, faculty, and staff.
Dr. Chung's influence is felt profoundly in Postgraduate Medical Education. In 2022, he established the first Thoracic Surgery Fellowship Training Program at Queen's University and continues to shape its trajectory as the Program Director. His commitment to inclusive education is exemplified through his work with the Indigenous community and academics, where he is pioneering the decolonization and Indigenization of a Canadian surgical curriculum.
Dr. Chung has been honoured with numerous awards, including the Southeastern Academic Medical Organization (SEAMO) Endowed Scholarship and Education Grant in 2021 and 2022. He was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology in 2022. Furthermore, the Canadian Association for Medical Education recognized his commitment and passion for health professions education with the Rising Star Certificate of Excellence in 2022.
Dr. Chung's research lab employs a comprehensive range of research methodologies, including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods approaches. He oversees a dedicated research team of 5 fellows, 3 residents, 6 medical students, and 3 undergraduate students. As the Principal Investigator for the DICE Trial, a randomized controlled trial at KHSC, he explores the comparative outcomes of two primary treatments for empyema. Additionally, Dr. Chung leads the EndoFLIP Trial, investigating the potential of the EndoFLIP balloon catheter to enhance short- and long-term patient outcomes in hiatal hernia surgery.
In addition to these trials, Dr. Chung actively engages in numerous quality improvement initiatives and projects. His Ph.D. research focuses on identifying the barriers and facilitators of team resiliency in operating rooms. By understanding the factors that enhance team adaptability to unexpected threats or outcomes, including medical or procedural errors, his work aims to prepare healthcare teams for any unpredictability in the operating room. Dr. Chung’s philosophy is captured in his mantra: "Instead of doing less of something bad, let’s do more of something good.” This proactive approach transforms team dynamics and revolutionizes our approach to patient care delivery.