Sean Grondin, MD, MPH, FRCSC

The Western Thoracic Surgical Association is saddened to announce the sudden and unexpected death of Sean Grondin, MD, MPH, FRCSC, the current WTSA Vice-President.

Dr. Grondin was a general thoracic surgeon at Alberta Health Services and Professor of Surgery at the University of Calgary Cumming School of Medicine in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He had a strong interest in educational efforts to enhance surgical leadership skills and research related to surgical workforce planning and physician wellness.

Dr. Grondin attended medical school and completed a general surgery residency at Dalhousie University. He completed his thoracic surgery residency at the University of Toronto, a thoracic oncology fellowship at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and a minimally invasive thoracic surgery fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh. He took his initial clinical appointment at NorthShore Hospital in Evanston, IL, prior to being recruited back to Canada to the University of Calgary.

Along with his leadership role within the WTSA, Dr. Grondin was the immediate past president of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and a Regent for the American College of Surgeons. He received numerous awards throughout his career, including “Mentor of the Year” award from the Royal College of Physician and Surgeons of Canada, and the James IV Association of Surgeons Canadian Traveling Fellowship award.

Sean and Cathy were regular attendees at the WTSA meetings, always with a warm smile, an entertaining joke and a kind word. He epitomized the WTSA core values of scientific endeavor in a collegial environment; education and progress; development of young surgeons; professionalism; and family and friendship. He will be greatly missed.

Dr. Grondin is survived by his wife Cathy, and children Kate and Ben.

❮ ❯