Dr. James Drake appointed Surgeon-in-Chief and Chief of Perioperative Services

The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. James Drake to the position of Surgeon-in-Chief and Chief of Perioperative Services, effective immediately, for a five-year term.

"I am delighted to once again recruit world-class talent from within SickKids," says Dr. Mike Apkon, President and CEO of SickKids. "James is an extraordinary talent whose many clinical, research, academic and leadership contributions are widely recognized locally, nationally and internationally. He has been an outstanding member of the SickKids community for more than 30 years and has been an exceptional leader as Head of the Division of Neurosurgery and Director of the Centre for Image-Guided Innovation and Therapeutic Intervention.”

Dr. Drake is one of the preeminent world experts in the field of hydrocephalus and is one of the pioneers in the field of neurosurgical endoscopy. His clinical interests relate to the investigation and management of hydrocephalus, including the use of endoscopy, image-guided surgery for brain tumours and epilepsy, and the management of complex spinal disorders. His primary research interests relate to engineering applications for neurosurgery, image-guided surgery and robotics. Dr. Drake has over 300 peer-reviewed publications.

Born in London, Ontario and educated at Princeton University, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, University of Toronto and Royal College of Surgeons of Canada, Dr. Drake is Head of the Division of Neurosurgery, Chairholder of the Harold Hoffman Shoppers Drug Mart Chair in Paediatric Neurosurgery, and Director of the Centre for Image-Guided Innovation and Therapeutic Intervention (CIGITI) at SickKids. He is a Senior Associate Scientist in Neurosciences & Mental Health at the SickKids Research Institute and a Professor of Surgery at the University of Toronto.

Dr. Drake joined the Division of Neurosurgery at SickKids in 1988 and has been on the surgical staff since then.

“There is no place I’d rather be. SickKids is a world-class organization, where talent runs deep. It's where you learn from the best and become your best,” says Dr. Drake. “It’s an honour and a privilege to lead the Department of Surgery. We are at a critical point in our history, as we embark on a transformational redevelopment project. It’s a time to be inspired, bold and innovative.