Mind over Matter How a Brain Injury Led Dr.

Matt Eagles to a Career in Neurosurgery

Dr. Matt Eagles traded his hockey sweater for surgical scrubs. After concussions forced him to end his competitive hockey career, he developed a passion for helping others with brain injuries. He is now a chief neurosurgery resident in Calgary.

“I got interested in brain injury through hockey,” the former Tommie and Moncton Wildcat said. “I had three concussions in 10 months that really put an end to my competitive hockey days, and so I had an emotional investment in brain injury.”

While in his final year of medical school at Memorial University, he chose to specialize in neurosurgery post-graduation. He was matched with the University of Calgary’s neurosurgery program, where he is about to begin the sixth year of his residency.

“I think being an athlete, I was certainly drawn to surgery. The stakes are high and there’s an element of adrenaline flow that happens to you when you’re operating, similar to when you’re playing a sport. So I got interested in neurosurgery.”

He spends his days caring for patients who are in the hospital with neurosurgical conditions, from meeting patients in the emergency room, to taking care of them on the floor, to operating on them, to caring for them postoperatively.

Despite his interest in concussions leading him to this career, he says he seldom treats patients with concussions.

“I do see a lot of head injuries, but typically not something you would classify as a concussion. It's ironic because I got interested in brain injury because of concussions. For the most part, those are taken care of by primary care and emergency physicians,” he said.

“The head injuries that I see are typically more severe. I see a lot of brain trauma and am quite familiar with the effects that this can have on patients and the long-term implications that it can have on their lives.”

Eagles said his job is extremely fulfilling, but also very taxing on him and his family. He is appreciative of the support he receives from his wife, who is also a resident physician. He and his wife have an 18-month-old daughter, Anne-Marie.

“This is very humbling work. The brain is what gives us our sense of humanity and determines who we are,” he said.

“It’s not uncommon for me to take care of patients who have lesions in their brain next to their speech centre. You feel a great deal of responsibility to protect that area because language is such an important part of our humanity. If somebody wakes up and they can’t communicate, that’s certainly not a good outcome. I guess those stakes were what drew me to this, and I feel very fortunate to be able to do it.”

Following his residency, Eagles will be doing a fellowship in Chicago in cerebrovascular and skull base surgery. •

by Eric Lewis