2019 Ottawa Region's Cardiovascular Research Trainee of the Year

May 1, 2019
Dr. Ngu is a final-year Cardiac Surgery Resident at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI).

Dr. Ngu had a tremendous year in 2018-19. Her research success this past year was exemplified by several papers published in high impact, peer reviewed specialty journals.

Of note was a first-authored paper in the European Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery describing short and long term outcomes of bilateral internal thoracic artery skeletonization in coronary artery bypass surgery. As the junior principal author of the study, Dr. Ngu led the design of the research and made key contributions to many aspects of the project including complex data analysis. This project had led her to the Young Investigator Award at the European Association of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery Annual Meeting in Vienna. At the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress in the fall of 2018, Dr. Ngu was recognized with the prestigious Paul Cartier Resident Award. This honour is presented to a resident who has demonstrated the highest degree of research accomplishment during their training and a great potential for a distinguished career in cardiac surgery research.

Dr. Ngu mentors junior trainees and is involved with undergraduate medical student and cardiac surgery resident boot camps. She presently supervises an anesthesiology resident and a medical student, and serves on the Cardiac Surgery Residency Program Recruiting Committee. She stood on the UOHI Board of Directors' Quality of Care Committee for the last 4 years’. She has served as a reviewer for the Collins Surgical Research Day, the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress Abstract Review Committee, and the Journal of Thoracic Surgery. Dr. Ngu is a member of the International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery, Canadian Cardiovascular Society, Canadian Society of Cardiovascular Surgeons, and College of Physicians & Surgeons of Ontario. 

Dr. Ngu has published 21 peer reviewed papers in high impact journals including Circulation and the Journal of Thoracic Cardiovascular Surgery. She has presented 21 abstracts at local, national, and international conferences, and written a book chapter on Minimally Invasive Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery. 

Dr. Ngu's success to date is a testament to her dedication in balancing research and clinical training demands and overcoming challenges. In 2017, Dr. Ngu was interviewed on national television by CTV. This segment featured the inspiring story of Dr. Ngu who is continuing to overcome enormous obstacles to achieve her goals, including surmounting her hearing impairment with her gift of enhanced observation - a striking quality that sets her apart from others. Dr. Ngu is a leader and an inspiration for us all, having dedicated her life toward mending hearts and saving lives.

Watch Dr. Janet Ngu on CTV Ottawa: Destined to Heal | CTV News Ottawa

The inspiring story of a new resident at the Heart Institute who has overcome enormous obstacles to achieve her goals.