Dr. Michael Findlay

Dr. Michael Findlay is a consultant general surgeon at Academisch Ziekenhuis Paramaribo (AZP) — the Academic Hospital Paramaribo — and one of Suriname's most experienced operative surgeons. His surname reflects the Afro-Surinamese and Creole community, descendants of formerly enslaved Africans who form one of Suriname's major population groups, and whose presence in the professional class represents both historical resilience and the remarkable cultural tapestry of modern Surinamese society.

Dr. Findlay followed the Dutch medical training pathway, studying medicine at the Anton de Kom Universiteit van Suriname before pursuing his surgical specialty training in the Netherlands, where he earned Dutch board certification as a surgeon under the rigorous AIOS (arts in opleiding tot specialist) system. His time in Dutch academic surgical centers gave him exposure to high-volume, complex surgical cases — from colorectal cancer resections to complex hernia repairs and laparoscopic procedures — that prepared him well for the demanding role of leading general surgery at Suriname's only academic hospital.

At AZP, Dr. Findlay performs both elective and emergency surgery across the full scope of general surgery, handling cases referred from across Suriname. He is the hospital's primary surgeon for oncological procedures, including colorectal resections for cancer and mastectomy for breast cancer, coordinating with the oncology team to provide comprehensive cancer surgical care. He is equally skilled in minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery, having advanced Suriname's laparoscopic surgical capabilities since his return from the Netherlands.

Beyond his operative work, Dr. Findlay is a teacher and mentor at AZP's surgical training program and contributes to the medical curriculum at Anton de Kom Universiteit van Suriname. He is known for his direct, clear communication style — a hallmark of Dutch medical culture that has shaped his clinical approach — and his commitment to evidence-based practice even in resource-constrained environments.

Dr. Findlay earned his MD from the Anton de Kom Universiteit van Suriname (ADEK), Faculty of Medical Sciences. He subsequently traveled to the Netherlands for postgraduate surgical training, completing his general surgery residency and advanced surgical specialty training at a Dutch academic medical center under the Netherlands' rigorous specialist training program.

His Dutch surgical training encompassed the full scope of general surgery including abdominal surgery, colorectal surgery, breast surgery, endocrine surgery, and laparoscopic techniques. He earned Dutch board certification as a surgeon (Chirurg), which meets the standard of the European Union's specialist qualification framework. During his training, he completed an advanced laparoscopic surgery certification with particular emphasis on laparoscopic colorectal surgery and complex laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Dr. Findlay is an associate member of the Netherlands Association of Surgeons (NVvH) and a member of the Surinaamse Vereniging voor Chirurgie and the Société Internationale de Chirurgie (ISS/SIC), reflecting his engagement with both regional and international surgical communities.

Dr. Findlay's surgical practice covers elective oncological surgery, laparoscopic minimally invasive surgery, and emergency general surgery. His oncological surgery expertise includes colorectal resections (right hemicolectomy, left hemicolectomy, anterior resection) for colorectal cancer, mastectomy and axillary node dissection for breast cancer, and thyroid surgery. He coordinates closely with AZP's oncology and radiology teams for peri-operative management of cancer patients.

In laparoscopic surgery, he is highly proficient in laparoscopic cholecystectomy for symptomatic gallbladder disease, laparoscopic appendectomy, and laparoscopic approaches to colorectal resection — procedures that reduce post-operative recovery time and complication rates compared to open approaches. He performs both open and laparoscopic hernia repairs using mesh techniques.

For emergency surgery, Dr. Findlay manages acute abdominal conditions including perforated viscus, bowel obstruction, strangulated hernias, and appendicitis. He is on call for surgical emergencies at AZP, the only facility in Suriname capable of managing complex abdominal emergencies. His ability to transition between elective oncological surgery and acute emergency surgery in the same institution exemplifies the breadth required of surgeons in small national healthcare systems.

Dr. Findlay has contributed to surgical research examining cancer surgical outcomes at Academic Hospital Paramaribo, with a focus on colorectal cancer and breast cancer — two of the most prevalent malignancies requiring operative intervention in Suriname. His research examines perioperative outcomes, complication rates, and long-term survival data in the Surinamese context, generating locally relevant evidence that complements the predominantly European and North American surgical literature.

He has collaborated with Dutch surgical academic departments on studies examining outcomes for laparoscopic versus open colorectal resection in low-volume, resource-constrained settings — research that has practical implications for surgical programs across the Caribbean and small-nation healthcare systems globally. He has presented findings at the Société Internationale de Chirurgie and Caribbean surgical conferences.

Dr. Findlay conducts consultations in Dutch, English, and Sranan Tongo, enabling him to communicate with patients from across Suriname's multilingual community as well as international patients from Dutch- and English-speaking countries. Academic Hospital Paramaribo is the regional referral center for complex surgery in Suriname and can accommodate patients requiring elective surgical procedures who travel from neighboring Guyana, French Guiana, or other parts of South America.

For international patients, Dr. Findlay offers pre-operative video consultations to review imaging, pathology reports, and surgical histories before patients travel to Paramaribo. He provides comprehensive surgical care coordination, including pre-operative workup, the operative procedure, post-operative hospital management, and discharge planning. He is experienced in coordinating with oncology and other specialist services at AZP for patients requiring multi-disciplinary cancer care.

Dr. Findlay holds Dutch board certification as a surgeon, a qualification earned through the European Union's specialist training framework, which represents one of the most rigorous pathways to surgical qualification in the world. He is recognized within the Surinaamse Vereniging voor Chirurgie for his contributions to advancing surgical care in Suriname, and his associate membership of the Netherlands Association of Surgeons (NVvH) reflects his ongoing professional ties to the Dutch surgical community. His peers at AZP recognize him for his technical precision, his commitment to oncological surgery, and his role in building Suriname's laparoscopic surgical capabilities.