Antonino Spinelli is ESCP's General Secretary and newly elected President in Waiting. He is Director of the Colon and Rectal Surgery Unit at Humanitas Research Hospital and Full Professor of Surgery at Humanitas University.
Name: Antonino Spinelli
Current position and hospital: Director of the Colon and Rectal Surgery Unit at Humanitas Research Hospital.
ESCP Executive position: General Secretary
Main clinical and research interests: Minimally invasive surgery, rectal cancer, IBD surgery
What made you want to specialise in colorectal surgery?
I have always wanted to work in a dynamic area that was broad enough to keep stimulating my curiosity. Colorectal surgery was a natural choice.
How long have you been involved in ESCP and what made you want to become involved?
I started to attend ESCP meetings very early in my training and became part of the Programme Committee in 2016 under the guidance of Anna Martling. Contributing to the scientific programme means combining educational needs with dissemination of cutting-edge research, and this made me want to become even more involved in ESCP.
What do you value most about being involved in ESCP?
Being a Member of the Executive Committee, with the position of General Secretary, gives the broadest outlook on the Society and its activities, with the potential to boost education, collaborative research and integration of different know-hows and cultures.
Could you tell us about your best ESCP anecdote?
I have several. In the last two years ESCP has organised amazing parties with lots of potential for funny anecdotes. If you come to the next one, you will see what I am talking about!
If you had one bit of advice for younger surgeons starting their career in colorectal surgery, what would it be?
Always go outside pre-defined pathways and be curious. Don’t limit your creativity and always aim for the best even if it seems unreachable.