About Dr. Pham

Dr. Tuan Pham didn’t start out with goals for becoming a surgeon. Instead, he initially planned to work as an engineer. It was during his college years, however, that he was also introduced to the medical field. “Over time,” he says, “I became convinced that it was my calling, as I learned more about medicine and surgery.” He enrolled in a dual MD-PhD program at University of Californnia at Irvine to become a physician scientist, completed a PhD in Electrical Engineering, and did a one year Fulbright Fellowship in Sweden. Soon after, he entered medical school, and earned his MD in 2002. He completed General Surgery residency at the Mayo Clinic, and did his Pediatric Surgery Fellowship at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.

Dr. Pham says he chose to enter the field of Pediatric Surgery because he wanted to make a positive impact in the lives of children. Today, he has the opportunities to provide broad scope of surgical care to children, and has the privilege to help children heal and recover well after surgery.

It’s these positive outcomes that drive him. “Children are resilient and forgiving,” he says, “and they can heal well. I give my absolute best to provide safe and compassionate care for children and their families, from the beginning to the end of their surgical needs.”

In his own words…

Who is or was the most influential person/role model in your life? My wife has been the most influential person in my life. My fellowship program director (Dr. Erik Skarsgard) is my role model.

What was your first job growing up? What do you remember about it? My first official job was cleaning school during summer break, and my unofficial job was helping my older brother to make jewelry. These jobs provided me with an allowance, but were not personally rewarding.

What is your favorite food? Movie? What was your best/worst subjects in school growing up?

Favorite foods: Pho, ramen, Vietnamese broken rice plate, and sushi

Movies: Star Trek, The Matrix, Lord of the Ring Trilogy, Avatar

Best subjects: Biology and Math

Worst subjects: English and philosophy

If you could sit down to dinner with anyone (alive or deceased), who would it be and why?  This is challenging. There are so many who changed the world for the better. To name a few: Benjamin Franklin, Luis Pasteur, Thomas Edison, Mahatma Gandhi, Joseph Lister, Carl Gauss, and the CRISPR inventors

In addition to medicine, what are you passionate about? What are your hobbies, interests?  I really enjoy learning science. My hobbies are watching movies, biking/kayaking, and household repair.  My interests include traveling, nature hikes, sightseeing, trying exotic foods/fruits, and growing herbs.

What is something most people don’t know about you? I have lived in Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, the USA, Sweden, and Canada.