2004: Paul Sergeant, Leuven, Belgium

Paul T. Sergeant, MD PhD, Full Professor in Surgery at the KU. Leuven Belgium, Chef of Clinic in cardiac surgery at the Gasthuisberg University Hospital, Leuven Belgium. Dr Sergeant received an international medical and surgical training at the University of Gent (Belgium), at the University of Aarhus (Denmark), at Petah Tikva (Israel), at the University of Milwaukee (USA) and at Antonius Nieuwegein (Netherlands). He became, after his military service, a staff surgeon in cardiothoracic surgery at Gasthuisberg University Hospital in 1980. His medical expertise covers all aspects of adult cardiac surgery but focuses on coronary surgery; his academic expertise on the use of mathematical modeling in medicine with specific interest on very long term mathematical predictions. This work was developed over twenty years in collaboration with the University of Alamaba (prof Kirklin and Blackstone). His Ph D thesis in 1988 was titled "Hazard Analysis in CABG". His academic mission is the development and stimulation of mathematical modeling in medicine. He is an international medical quality auditor. He has also a business management degree. He is the author of more than 150 peer-reviewed manuscripts and has given more than 700 lectures. He has been associate editor of many international cardiological and cardio-surgical Journals (currently the EACTS Interactive Journal). Dr Sergeant was a co-founder of CTSNet worldwide in collaboration with Bob Replogle, Tom Ferguson and Peter Greene. He later stayed on the CTSNet Board for fifteen years including the responsibility of Treasurer and President. He has been active within different committees of the EACTS, as EACTS information officer, as member of the EACTS Council and President of the EACTS. His clinical activities focus on off-pump coronary artery surgery and has organized 450 three-day individualized seminars attended by more than 1000 international surgeons and anesthetists. Recently Dr Sergeant has focused his non-clinical activities on all aspects of the creation and distribution of knowledge and skills. He organizes contests in the creation and distribution of low fidelity simulators, and also simulation courses worldwide on a monthly basis. He is a honorary member of the Indian and the Brazilian cardio-thoracic surgical societies. He is currently launching a project on distant technical learning.