Jan Colpaert is Assistant Chair Y-ESCP and consultant colorectal surgeon in AZORG Aalst, Belgium.
Name: Jan Colpaert
Current Position and Hospital: Consultant colorectal surgeon in AZORG Aalst, Belgium
ESCP Executive Position: Assistant Chair Y-ESCP
Main clinical and research interests: Colorectal cancer, IBD and proctology
Social Media Handles: LinkedIn Jan Colpaert
What made you want to specialise in colorectal surgery?
What appealed to me most was the broad range of pathologies that you can manage, being involved in both curative oncologic surgery as in quality-of-life restoring procedures for benign or functional pathologies means you can treat a varied and wide patient population. Equally compelling is the diversity of surgical techniques and procedures available to achieve this goal, from extensive open surgeries to the most minimally invasive techniques. Technically challenging and often innovative, meaning we are never done learning.
The diversity of colorectal surgery across pathology and techniques means no two days are the same and makes the clinical decision making both challenging and intellectually rewarding.
What is the best part of the job?
Surgery.
How long have you been involved in ESCP and what made you want to become involved?
I have been an ESCP member since 2020 ever since I had the chance (and honour) to work alongside David Zimmerman, who prompted me to join the Society.
The main reason I wanted to become involved was just to stay up to speed on everything that is happening in the rapidly changing (colorectal) surgical world and to have like-minded people to discuss ideas and complex cases with. Overall it is an amazing group of people all dedicated to wanting to improve our field and becoming more and more involved followed naturally from wanting to hear what everybody had to say.
What do you value most about being involved in ESCP?
All of the other people involved and their drive for continuous improvement across all aspects of colorectal surgery.
Tell us your best ESCP conference anecdote?
The best anecdotes are kept private for a reason! If there is one thing I can say, it's that you should come by the conference and enjoy both the interesting scientific content and even more interesting social events and interactions for yourselves.
What would your one bit of advice for younger surgeons starting their career in colorectal surgery be?
Approach this field with curiosity, commitment and patience. You will work closely with multidisciplinary teams, like-minded colleagues and develop long-term relationships with patience whose lives you have helped change. So embrace the work and invest fully in the specialty, because it will give back to you far more than you put in.