Dr. Fraser Rubens

Professor of Surgery, Division of Cardiac Surgery, University of Ottawa Heart Institute

When I wake in the morning some days, I feel truly blessed to have been given the honour to serve our community as a heart surgeon and to also serve my soul as a musician. When I perform, I am able to mount the shoulders of the great giants of music and peer into their emotions and the stories of their lives and to give this joy to the audience. I am convinced that my music training led me to the operating room and to the wonderful career that I have enjoyed. My patients are thrilled to share in this adventure and I know that it has given me a special gift to communicate with them in a way that is unique and nurturing for all of us.