Brian Kwon’s business can change lives, but the doctor thinks his life is successful because of the people around him.
“I have great mentors,” said Kwon. “We’ve got a lot of people that contribute to spinal-injury care and spine research, and having that very dedicated team really helps a lot.”
Kwon said he became interested in spinal injuries during his residency at the University of British Columbia, after he earned a medical degree from Queen’s University in Ontario.
“That clinical problem really interested me, you know, they’re just horrible injuries,” he said.
Since then, Kwon has made a name for himself as not only a surgeon but also a researcher.
In the past five years, he has garnered more than $4 million in research funding from Canadian and international funding agencies.
In 2004, Kwon was one of six people to receive a New Investigator Award from Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and he has lectured about spinal-cord injuries at organizations all over North America.
As the province’s top referral centre for spinal-cord injuries, Vancouver General Hospital receives more spinal injuries than most other hospitals in North America, Kwon said, and that amount of work has had an affect on his family life.
“There’s no question that they make a lot of sacrifices for me to pursue those interests.”
Still, Kwon said he tries to keep his professional life balanced with his personal life, and one of his greatest strengths is his ability to function on very little sleep. •
