Northern Exposure

Dr. Frosk is a medical geneticist and Assistant Professor at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg. He completed a PhD in biochemistry and medical genetics at the University of Manitoba. Dr. Frosk then moved to Calgary for medical school and a part-time postdoctoral fellowship in medical genetics at the University of Calgary. He completed residency at the University of Manitoba in Medical Genetics and Genomics. He is active in research with grants to investigate the pathophysiology of the Cree PRUNE1 neurodevelopmental disorder, the pathophysiology of the Mennonite GLX5 founder mutation, and unplanned pregnancy loss.

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Dr. Lisa Bahrey is an Associate Professor and Staff Cardiovascular Anesthesiologist and Intensivist at the Toronto General Hospital and is the current Postgraduate Program Director for the Department of Anesthesia, University of Toronto (UofT). She completed medical school at McMaster University, Anesthesia residency at UofT, and fellowship training in Cardiovascular Anesthesia and Transesophageal Echocardiography at the Toronto General Hospital. Dr. Bahrey is a leader in medical education: she completed the Stepping Stones Educator Program and graduated from the Education Scholar’s Program at UofT’s Center for Faculty Development. Dr. Bahrey has held numerous academic roles in Medical Education throughout her career, was a member of the Examination Board for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in Anesthesia for 6 years and is currently a Surveyor for the Royal College Accreditation Committee.

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Dr. Catherine Patocka is an emergency physician in Calgary, and a Clinical Assistant Professor at the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary. She completed her BSc Honours in pharmacology at the University of Alberta, followed by medical school and 5-year Royal College residency in emergency medicine at McGill University. She is the Program Director of the emergency medicine specialty residency training program at the University of Calgary and is actively involved in medical education research. She completed her Masters in health profession education at Maastricht University examining the impact of spaced learning on long-term retention of pediatric resuscitation skills. Beyond her research interests, she is broadly engaged in the emergency medicine community locally, nationally (where she is a board member and treasurer of the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians) and internationally (as a task force member for the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation [ILCOR])

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Dr. Onye Nnorom is a Family Doctor and a Public Health & Preventive Medicine specialist. She is the Associate Program Director of the Public Health & Preventive Medicine Residency Program at the University of Toronto, and is the Black Health Theme Lead for the Faculty of Medicine there. Dr. Nnorom completed her medical degree at McGill University, followed by her Masters of Public Health (Epidemiology) and residency training at the University of Toronto. Being of Nigerian and Trinidadian heritage, she is particularly interested in Black community health and wellness, and racism as a social determinant of health. Dr. Nnorom is the President of the Black Physicians' Association of Ontario, a clinical consultant for the Nicotine Dependence Clinic at Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and the host of the podcast Race, Health & Happiness.

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Dr. Thalia Field is a Stroke Neurologist at Vancouver Coastal Health and Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia. She completed medical school at Dalhousie University followed by residency training in adult neurology at the University of British Columbia; fellowships in Stroke, Vascular Neurology, and Clinical trials at UBC and the University of Calgary; and a Master’s of Health Science in Clinical Epidemiology from UBC. As a clinician-researcher, she is the principal investigator on several clinical trials including the Study of Rivaroxaban for CeREbral venous Thrombosis (SECRET). She is also a leader in education—developing the postgraduate stroke fellowship at the Vancouver Stroke Program and currently serving as its program director.

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Dr. Neil Isaac is a Staff Radiologist and the Division Head of Cardiac Imaging at North York General Hospital, as well as the President of York Radiology Consultants. He completed medical school and Diagnostic Radiology residency at Dalhousie University, followed by a fellowship in Cardiovascular Imaging at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Isaac works to increase the representation of Black students in medicine through his role with the Black Physicians' Association of Ontario, and participation on the Anti-Black Racism Committee at North York General Hospital. He is an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Toronto and serves in a number of other leadership roles at North York General and the Ontario Medical Association.

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Dr. Kristin Wadsworth is a community obstetrician gynecologist practising in Cambridge, Ontario. Her practice includes general obstetrics and gynecology as well as urogynecology. She grew up in Markham, Ontario, completed her undergraduate degree at McMaster University and attended medical school at the University of Toronto. Dr. Wadsworth completed residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Queen’s University, followed by a fellowship in urogynecology and reconstructive pelvic surgery at Mount Sinai at the University of Toronto. She has 2 sons and a very helpful husband, and loves spending time exploring the outdoors with her family.

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Dr. Michael Kirlew is a family physician practicing in the remote community of Moose Factory, Ontario. He completed medical school and residency training at the University of Ottawa before dedicating his career to Northern Ontario’s medically underserved communities. He first practiced in Sioux Lookout for 12 years before moving to Moose Factory, beginning his work with the Weeneebayko Area Health Authority. Dr Kirlew is passionate about rural and remote healthcare and Indigenous issues and is particularly interested in raising awareness and dismantling systemic racism in healthcare. He holds academic appointments at Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Queen’s University, and the University of Ottawa. Recently he was awarded the Jean-Pierre Despins Award from The Foundation for Advancing Family Medicine in recognition of his outstanding advocacy work.

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Dr. Maia von Maltzahn is a geriatrician at Nova Scotia Health Authority, Assistant Professor at Dalhousie University, and Program Director for the Geriatric Medicine program at Dalhousie. She completed her undergraduate degree at Mount Allison University and medical school at Dalhousie. Dr. von Maltzahn is a testament that going “unmatched” in the first round of CaRMS is not a predictor of future successes: she went on to complete Internal Medicine residency at the University of Saskatchewan, where she was awarded the Dr. Ian Holmes Senior Resident Professionalism Award. She then completed further residency training in geriatric medicine at the University of Toronto, where she received multiple first place awards for her residency research projects. Currently, Dr. von Maltzahn is the Halifax site Principal Investigator for COMPASS-ND, which is a multi-site, national longitudinal study on dementia. She is also completing a Master’s of community health and epidemiology at Dalhousie.

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Dr. Yamashita is a Cardiac Surgeon and Assistant Professor at the University of Manitoba, the Director of Complex Thoracic Aortic Surgery, the Surgical Co-Director of Heart Failure – ECMO program, and the Director of the Manitoba Thoracic Aortic Diseases Clinic. He completed medical school at McGill University and Cardiac Surgery residency at the University of British Columbia. Dr. Yamashita completed Fellowships at UBC in Transapical Aortic Valve Replacement and VAD/Transplant, as well as at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago in Advanced Valve Repair, Minimally Invasive Valve Surgery, Atrial Fibrillation Surgery and VAD/Transplant. Finally, before coming to Winnipeg he completed a one-year Fellowship in Aortic and Endovascular Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic. His research interests include aortic disease, heart failure and outcomes post-cardiac surgery. He has co-authored a number of peer reviewed papers in major journals and has 5 published book chapters.

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Dr. Shamon is a Family Physician in Cambridge, Ontario. In addition to outpatient general practice, she works in Long-Term Care and is part of the Palliative Care team in her community. She is also an assistant professor with McMaster University in affiliation with the Department of Family Medicine and the Division of Palliative Care and enjoys teaching medical students. Dr. Shamon is passionate about Palliative Care and the application of Trauma-Informed Care principles in medicine. Growing up in a war zone has influenced many of her career decisions and how she practices now. Dr. Shamon’s experience working in outbreak long-term care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic and her role as a board member with the Ontario Long Term Care Clinicians has provided her with ample opportunities to advocate for enhanced long term care reform.

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Dr. Gupta is an Associate Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at Dalhousie University. He works full-time at the Victoria General Hospital as a surgical retina specialist. Dr. Gupta grew up in St. John’s, NL, and did his undergraduate studies in biochemistry at the Memorial University of Newfoundland. He completed medical school at the University of Toronto, Ophthalmology residency at the University of Ottawa and a 2 year fellowship in the surgical and medical treatment of retinal diseases at McGill University. Dr. Gupta is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and is American Board certified. He is actively involved in research and has published in several of the most important peer-reviewed journals in ophthalmology. He regularly presents his work at national and international meetings. Dr. Gupta is passionate about teaching medical students and residents about the exciting field of ophthalmology, and has received several awards for his work in medical education.

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Dr. Lewis is a Pediatric Neurologist and Clinical Neurophysiologist with expertise in epilepsy. He completed Medical School and Pediatric Neurology Residency at the University of Ottawa, and Clinical Neurophysiology and Epilepsy fellowships at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami and the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. Dr. Lewis is the Founder & Director of the Neurology Centre of Toronto, and is an Assistant Professor with the Department of Pediatrics at the Hospital for Sick Children at the University of Toronto. He sits on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Child Neurology’s Resident/Fellow Section and is an ad-hoc reviewer for the Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences and Paediatrics & Child Health. His research and special interests include cannabinoids in the treatment of epilepsy and other neurological conditions, concussion, epilepsy, headache and teleneurology. Dr. Lewis is an advocate for the use of teleneurology to reach the underserved areas of Ontario.

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Dr. Angel is an Otolaryngologist at Eastern Health in St. John’s and a Clinical Assistant Professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN). He completed medical school at MUN before moving to Ontario for residency training in Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery at Western University. Following residency, Dr. Angel completed fellowship training in Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery and Microvascular Reconstructive Surgery before returning to Newfoundland. Outside of medicine, Dr. Angel is a classically trained pianist.

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Dr. Kinloch is the division head for Anatomic Pathology for the Saskatchewan Health Authority in Saskatoon and is a subspecialty pathologist and clinical assistant professor at the University of Saskatchewan in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. She completed medical school in Dublin, Ireland, residency in General Pathology at the University of Saskatchewan, and fellowship in Gynecologic Pathology at the University of British Columbia. Dr. Kinloch’s research is primarily on the molecular classification of endometrial carcinoma, and quality improvement and standardization work within anatomic pathology, including tissue preservation in lung biomarker assessment in patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma.

Locally, Dr. Kinloch sits as the co-chair for anatomic pathology in the province, the vice president for the Saskatoon Regional Medical Association, and volunteer chair for the Women Leading Philanthropy campaign for the Royal University Hospital Foundation. Her work nationally is through her role on the executive of the Special Interest Group for Gynecologic Pathology and as a board member for the Canadian Association of Pathologists. Internationally, Dr. Kinloch is a member of the education committee for the International Association of Pathology.

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Dr. Grennan is the Physician Lead for the Provincial HIV/STI Program at the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control and a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of British Columbia. He completed medical school at McMaster University, Internal Medicine residency at the University of Toronto, and Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology training back at McMaster. Following this, Dr. Grennan earned a CIHR Canadian HIV Trials Network postdoctoral fellowship examining human papillomavirus (HPV) in HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM). His research and clinical work currently focuses on HIV and STI prevention, as well as HPV and anal cancer screening, with a particular focus on MSM. He is currently co-principal investigator on the CIHR Team Grant “HPV Screening and Vaccine Evaluation in HIV-Positive MSM”.

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Dr. McCarroll is a family practice anesthetist. Originally hailing from St John, New Brunswick, Dr. McCarroll completed medical school at Dalhousie University before moving to Prince George, BC to complete rural family medicine residency at the University of British Columbia. Following graduation, Dr. McCarroll worked in Iqaluit and as a locum in BC before completing a PGY3 in Family Practice Anesthesia at UBC in Vancouver. Since then, Dr. McCarroll has practiced as a family practice anesthetist in a variety of settings in BC including his current job in Revelstoke, a small town located almost equidistant between Calgary and Vancouver. Dr. McCarroll is also the lead of the Rural Coordination Centre of BC Family Practice Anesthesia Network. Outside of medicine, Dr. McCarroll enjoys skiing, snowboarding, kayaking, canoeing, and rafting with his family.

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Dr. Simpson is a Pediatric Hematologist-Oncologist at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) and an Assistant Professor at the University of Ottawa. She completed medical school at McGill University, Pediatrics residency and Pediatric Hematology/Oncology fellowship at the University of Toronto, and a Master’s of Public Health from Johns Hopkins in the United States. Dr. Simpson is currently the Medical Director of the Sickle Cell Program and Interim Director of the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Training Program at CHEO. Her area of research interest centres on improving the outcomes for individuals with Sickle Cell Disease.

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Dr. Williams is a forensic pathologist at the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service’s Provincial Forensic Pathology Unit in Toronto and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Laboratory and Pathobiology at the University of Toronto. He completed Medical School at Western University, Anatomical Pathology residency at Dalhousie University, and Forensic Pathology training at the University of Toronto. In addition to his clinical work, he enjoys supervising and teaching medical trainees, lecturing on forensic pathology, and is engaged in research at the national and international level.

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Dr. Edwards is a psychiatrist focused on treating mental illness and psychological struggles in elite and high-performance athletes. She has offices in Guelph and Burlington, ON, and uses an online platform to support athletes wherever they are in the world. She was a decorated varsity volleyball player while she completed her undergraduate and Master’s degrees in Chemistry at Mount Allison University. She completed medical school at Memorial University of Newfoundland and psychiatry residency at McMaster University. Dr. Edwards is the Clinical Education Coordinator of the Waterloo Regional Campus at McMaster’s Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine. She has spent time throughout her career focused on emergency psychiatry and crisis stabilization, outpatient child and adolescent psychiatry and athletes of all ages.

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Dr. Boyd is a plastic and reconstructive surgeon at the University of Ottawa. Her clinical focus is in peripheral nerve surgery, with additional interests in aesthetic surgery, hand surgery and microsurgery. Dr. Boyd completed medical school at Queen’s University and plastic surgery residency at Western University. She subsequently completed fellowships in Microsurgery at the University of Ottawa; Breast Reconstruction at the University of Toronto; and Hand, Microsurgery and Peripheral Nerve Surgery at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. She is currently an Associate Professor at the University of Ottawa, the Program Director for the residency training program in Plastic Surgery, and the co-director of the Peripheral Nerve and Trauma Clinic. Dr. Boyd serves as Director of the Board for the Canadian Society of Plastic Surgeons and the President of the Group for the Advancement of Microsurgery (GAM) in Canada.

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Dr. Beecroft is an Emergency Medicine physician practicing in the Niagara region in Ontario. Prior to beginning medical school, he received a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph and worked as a veterinarian for 7 years. He completed his MD, Family Medicine residency, and post-graduate year 3 in Emergency Medicine at McMaster University. He is an Assistant Clinical Professor at McMaster’s Department of Family Medicine and the Regional Education Leader in Emergency Medicine and Simulation Lead for McMaster Medicine’s Niagara Regional Campus.

Dr. May Sanaee is a urogynecologist in Edmonton, Alberta. She was a member of the inaugural McMaster University Medical School’s Niagara Regional Campus class and completed Obstetrics and Gynecology residency at McMaster University. She then completed a fellowship in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery in Vancouver at the University of British Columbia and earned a Masters degree in Health Professionals Education from McMaster. Currently, she is a clinical assistant professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Alberta, and her recent clinical practice includes a full-time academic urogynecology practice in Edmonton, emergency on-call urogynecology coverage, gynecology oncology on-call coverage and OB labour and delivery shifts. She also works as an OBGYN locum in BC and Alberta.

Lieutenant Commander Dr. Ikede is a Military Physician currently working in Ottawa, Ontario. Prior to medical school, Dr. Ikede was a Naval Officer with the Canadian Armed Forces. He completed medical school and family medicine residency at Dalhousie University followed by residency in aerospace medicine at the US Air Force School of Medicine. He holds a Master’s degree in Public Health from Wright State University and is currently a Medical Investigator at the Royal Canadian Air Force Directorate of Flight Safety in Ottawa.

Dr. Abdulla has a blended medical and aesthetic dermatology practice at Dermatology on Bloor in Toronto. She earned her medical degree from the University of Ottawa where she was recognized with the Dr. André Peloquin Award for excellence in patient care. She went on to complete her dermatology residency and a fellowship in Dermatologic Laser Surgery and Aesthetic Medicine at the University of Toronto. Dr. Abdulla is a double board-certified dermatologist in Canada and the US, and her areas of clinical interest include acne, rosacea, psoriasis and eczema.

Dr. Greatheart is a Family Physician providing team-based care to the 5% most complex patients in Vancouver, and a clinical instructor at the University of British Columbia. He completed his MD at McMaster University and Family Medicine residency at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, with the University of British Columbia. Prior to this, Dr. Greatheart worked as an outreach worker with AIDS Vancouver Island, a research coordinator with BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, and, after completing his masters in social work, as a social worker with Providence Health Care. His clinical practice specializes in addictions, mental health, eldercare, and LGBT health. Dr. Greatheart is also the author of the book “Transforming Practice: Life Stories of Transgender Men that Changed How Health Providers work”.

Dr. Marshall is a McMaster Family Medicine based Palliative Care Physician entering her 31st year of practice. After completing undergraduate, graduate and palliative care training at McMaster, Dr. Marshall joined the Faculty of Health Sciences there in 1990, and has held a number of academic leadership roles, including Undergraduate Director for Family Medicine, and Assistant Dean, Faculty Development for the Faculty of Health Sciences. In 2003 Dr. Marshall helped create the Division of Palliative Care at McMaster and was its founding Director. She examined Palliative Care as Public Health during her sabbatical in 2013, and since then has focused much of her academic work on Public Health Palliative Care. She is currently the Medical Director of the Niagara West Palliative Care Team and McNally House Hospice.

Dr. Khemani is an Anesthesiologist at Niagara Health and an Anesthesiologist and Assistant Professor at McMaster University. She completed her MSc, MD, and residency at the University of Toronto, after which she worked as a clinical associate at SickKids completing additional training in Quality Improvement and Patient Safety. She has presented and authored numerous papers on this topic, and is an associate editor for BMJ Open Quality. In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Khemani works as a Quality Improvement Specialist, mentors students, and developed the first fellowship program for medical residents in Quality Improvement and Patient Safety in Canada.

Dr. Kyeremanteng is a Critical Care Physician at the Ottawa Hospital and Montfort Hospital, a Senior Clinician Investigator at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, and an associate professor in the division of Palliative Care at the University of Ottawa. He completed medical school at the University of Alberta, Internal Medicine residency and Palliative Care fellowship at the University of Ottawa, and a Master’s of Health Administration at Dalhousie University. Dr. Kyeremanteng’s area of research interest is resource optimization in the ICU, and he is the host of the podcast “Solving Healthcare”.

Dr. Beder is a psychiatrist in Toronto. She completed her medical school at McMaster University, followed by her psychiatry residency at the University of Toronto. Her work is focused on improving the system for, and providing care to, people who experience severe mental illness, homelessness, substance use, criminalization, and immigration related difficulties. She is the Mental Health Lead for Inner City Health Associates, the Social Justice Postgraduate Education Lead for the Department of Psychiatry, and an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto. Dr. Beder is also a community organizer working together with allies at Health Providers Against Poverty and the OHIP for All Campaign, and on issues of immigration detention.

Dr. Howard is an Emergency Physician in Yellowknife and a clinical associate professor at the University of Calgary. She completed medical school and family medicine residency at the University of British Columbia, followed by an additional year of training in emergency medicine at McGill University. Dr. Howard’s experience with Doctors Without Borders in Djibouti, where she learned about the devastating impact of climate change on health, profoundly impacted her and manifested as a career including significant advocacy and scholarship on this topic. Currently she is a candidate for the leadership of the federal Green Party of Canada.

*Please excuse the sounds of birds and float planes in the background - Dr. Howard lives on a beautiful lake in Yellowknife, which Anne and Hanna would very much like to visit someday!

Dr. Phan is an orthopedic spine surgeon at The Ottawa Hospital and an associate professor at the University of Ottawa. He completed medical school at the University of Ottawa, orthopedic surgery residency and PhD in biomedical science at University of Montreal, and orthopedics spine fellowship at Harvard University. Dr. Phan’s areas of research focus are in prediction of spinal injury and surgery outcomes, and use of artificial intelligence for analysis of large surgical databases.

Dr. Michael Goldfarb is a cardiologist at Jewish General Hospital in Montreal and an assistant professor of Cardiology at McGill University. He completed medical school, internal medicine residency, cardiology fellowship, MSc in Experimental Medicine and the Clinician Investigator Program at McGill University before training in Critical Care medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He is the Director of the Quality of Care and Safety committee in the Division of Cardiology at Jewish General Hospital and is an active member of the Canadian Cardiovascular Critical Care Society.

Dr. Rycroft is a Family Physician practicing in Beamsville, ON. Her practice includes both inpatient and outpatient care, and her areas of interest include low risk obstetrics, palliative care, care of inpatients, women’s health, and breastfeeding support. She completed her MD and rural family medicine residency at McMaster’s Niagara Regional Campus, and is currently a Regional Education Lead there.

Welcome to Northern Exposure, a guide to Canadian physician careers. In this introductory episode, we want to introduce ourselves and explain a bit about why we are starting this podcast.