Dr Edward Tong

Residency

Before gaining entry into fellowship training in general surgery, Dr. Tong had undergone quite broad medical experience, as an intern and resident in Liverpool – rotating through terms from Alice Springs, Tweed Heads, ICU at Liverpool Hospital and medical and also surgical terms. This was from a period from 2002 to 2007. Again the balance of local experience and country experience particularly in Alice Springs highlighted differences in practice based on local demographics, resources and how sometimes clinical care really do need to be individually tailored to culture and the specific needs of the patient. This period had certainly cemented a firm belief that irrespective of socioeconomic background, patient centred care really is a universal right that is a responsibility of our medical profession. 

Accredited Training

From 2008 to 2014, Dr Tong underwent specialist surgical training in general surgery in Victoria. This was through the Southern Health hub under the supervision of Professor Bruce Waxman. He has worked in Dandenong Hospital, Monash Medical Centre, Casey Hospital, Moorabin Hospital, Warragul Hospital and Traralgon Hospital. Dandenong Hospital is known for its Colorectal Services whereas Monash Medical Centre is a Upper Gastrointestinal Centre performing highend liver resections, and oesophageal and gastric resections. Warragul and Traralgon were country hospitals which offered quite a full range of general surgical services delivered in a rural context. Dr. Tong had rotated through a number of terms through these hospitals including i) Colorectal ii) UGI iii) ASU iv) Breast and endocrine v) General Surgical at Moorabin, Casey Warragul and Traralgon Hospitals. He completed his fellowship exam in General Surgery in 2014, and has completed his general surgical training in September 2014. 

Fellowship years

In 2015, Dr. Tong worked at Nepean Hospital as the ASU fellow under the supervision of Dr. Huong Nguyen.  This was an opportunity to further consolidate emergency general surgical skills. The ASU service in Nepean Hospital was one of the first ASU units in NSW. The Acute Surgical Unit is a system of delivering emergency surgical care, whereby emergency surgical patients are all admitted under a specific ASU team, with onsite consultant supervision and dedicated ASU operating list. It reduces afterhours operating and facilliates better consultant supervision. This role has helped Dr. Tong consolidate general surgical skills and emergency surgical care. He was in Nepean Hospital as the ASU fellow for a year. 

In 2016, Dr. Tong took a year off to undergo a Masters of Surgery with the University of Sydney.  During that year, Dr. Tong further refined his skills with research undertaking subjects including Biostatistics, Public Health and Research methodology. The goal of this has been to further refine skillsets in research. This was completed in Dec 2016. 

Bariatric training

In 2017 and 2018, Dr. Edward Tong had completed 2 further additional years as the UGI fellow in Gosford Hospital and St George Hospital in Kogarah. At Gosford Hospital, Dr. Tong has worked under the supervision of Dr. William Munro, where he has been involved in oesophageal resections, sleeve gastrectomies and mini-gastric bypasses. Dr. Tong were also provided emergency surgical services at Gosford – participating in a regular consultant oncall roster, reviewing and operating on emergency surgical services. His time at Gosford Hospital allowed consolidation of general surgical skillsets, but have allowed some further training into UGI work. 

The bariatric unit at St George Hospital is a well known service and it is considered widely to be a centre of excellence in metropolitan Sydney. Dr. Edward Tong has worked there in 2018 under the supervision of Professor Michael Talbot. St George hospital offers a wide range of procedures in the UGI sphere including POEM for achalasia, endoscopic stents, laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, laparoscopic gastric bypasses particularly Roux-en Y gastric bypasses. Under the supervision of Professor Talbot, Dr. Tong has been involved with at least over 100 bariatric procedures. 

Current employment

Currently, Dr. Edward Tong is working as a staff specialist at Campbelltown Hospital. He is working as an ASU General Surgeon which focuses on the delivery of emergency surgical care at Campbelltown Hospital. He has taken on a heavy administrative role including the organisation of oncall rosters both for the surgical registrars and consultants. He is also heavily involved with the supervision and training of registrars and provides regular teaching sessions for the registrars. He also consults at Campbelltown rooms in 4 Hyde Parade Campbelltown and also Chipping Norton Medical Centre. He operates also at Campbelltown Private and also Sydney Southwest Private at Liverpool.