Featured Member of the Month (May 2022): Tanja Ebanks

Dr. Tanja Ebanks attended the University in Bern and graduated with her medical degree in December 1997. Following her education at Bern, she went back to her hometown of Jegenstorf in Switzerland to attend a specialty program focused on general surgery and traumatology. In 1999, she and her husband moved to Western Samoa for a year, where she volunteered as a surgical registrar for a modest living and housing allowance. 

“Working as a volunteer was a great and very rewarding experience for me, something I would recommend to anyone in the medical field. To be exposed to medicine in a developing nation, where people have a different attitude towards life, illness, and death, is truly a character-building experience,” says Dr. Ebanks of her volunteer work. 

In addition to the two years spent in Grenchen and Biel, specializing in general surgery and traumatology, Dr. Ebanks completed a surgical residency in hand and plastic surgery in Lucerne. During her two years in Lucerne, she regularly attended to hand and burn emergencies that also required surgical attention. Working on these complex cases, she fine-tuned her microsurgical skills, including free flaps, replantation, and revascularization. Instead of pursuing specialties in hand and plastic surgery, Dr. Ebanks decided that her true passion was general surgery. For two years, she worked as a junior consultant in general surgery and traumatology in Delemont, the French-speaking side of Switzerland. In 2005, she received her Swiss general surgery title of FMH, followed by her registration as a general surgeon in the British GMC in June of 2006.

How and why did you start practicing in the field of vein/lymphatic care?

I am a general surgeon, and I was trained in Switzerland in basic vascular surgery doing stripping and miniphlebectomy in the 90s and early 2000s. After I moved to Cayman, the hospital acquired a laser for EVLT, and I was one of the doctors trained in it. Now, phlebology is about half of my general surgery practice.

When you are not at work, how do you spend your time? 

Be with my family and friends. I also enjoy diving, kite surfing, skiing and travelling as much as possible.

How long have you been a member of the AVLS, and why did you decide to join? 

I joined the AVLS (then the American College of Phlebology) in 2007 after completing the training for EVLT. Being part of a society was the next logical step since I was getting more busy with venous and lymphatic disease; having a network of colleagues who deal with the same problems is very valuable.

In what ways has the AVLS helped you as a vein/lymphatic care provider? 

The constant updates and access to a vast number of leading experts in that field is amazing. The daily discussions from the MAC that come in as an email are excellent and practical.

Any advice for your peers new to the field?

I suggest you join the Society, follow the guidelines, receive the daily newsfeeds, and join the Annual Congress meetings so you are up to date in an ever-evolving field of medicine and know that your patients are being well taken care of.

What resources does the AVLS provide that would benefit them?  

The Member Digest and Bulletin Board Digest from the MAC, Annual Congress, webinars, and access to an amazing group of colleagues, who are always very helpful and able to give you advice as needed.