Department of Medicine Annual Celebration Awards 2023

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We extend our heartfelt congratulations to each and every one of you being recognized this year. Your exemplary work, groundbreaking research, and significant contributions have set new standards of excellence in the medical community. Your achievements are a source of inspiration for future generations of physicians and researchers. 
- Dr. Narmin Kassam, Chair, Department of Medicine

 


Education and Career Development Awards  |  ME2 Majumdar Research & QI Day Awards  |  Faculty Research Awards | Leaving a Leadership Role | Retirements | J. Charles Morrison Award | Teaching Awards | Academic Promotions | Clinical Promotions 


EDUCATION AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT AWARDS

Portrait of Alim Hirji

The Jonathan B. Meddings Clinical Innovation Award recognizes scholarly clinical activity that provides enhanced patient care. 

Dr. Alim Hirji, with the Division of Pulmonary Medicine, received this award for the remote continuous telemonitoring program. The telemonitoring took place on more than 180 high risk patients, with nearly 1,000 clinically significant desaturation events detected and an impressive 176 episodes of inadvertent oxygen removal had been intervened upon, preventing clinical deterioration, ICU transfer, and/or death. 

Alim Hirji and Vijay Daniels

Portrait of Dr. Mohit Bhutani


The Thomas J. Marrie Mentorship Award recognizes the qualities of role modeling with integrity, generosity to others, and contributions to career and program development.

Several individuals who contributed to Dr. Mohit Bhutani's nomination provided examples of his "encouragement and optimism", "kindness", "unwavering support", "professionalism" and the profound impact he has had on their careers and lives. Dr. Mohit Bhutani was also described as an inspiring leader, excellent role model, incredible teacher, a straight shooter, and a friend who always remains kind and encouraging.


Mohit Bhutani and Vijay Daniels

Portrait of Dr. Ming Chan 

Kathleen O'Grady, Rajive Jassal, Lindsay Hubenig, Ming Chan, Vijay Daniels

From left: Kathleen O'Grady, Rajive Jassal, Lindsay Hubenig, Ming Chan, Vijay Daniels

The Cooperation, Collaboration and Teamwork Award recognizes groups who have been successful in creating environments where these professional characteristics (cooperation, collaboration and teamwork) are effective for teaching, research, patient care and/or administration, thus representing operational role models in the academic environment and/or the larger community.

This team of physicians and surgeons from many disciplines enabled the development of "innovative cutting-edge treatments, requiring skill sets and expertise that are not available from each individual specialty alone." Partnerships with external research institutions have led to the development of a ground breaking discovery: the only non-surgical treatment to date that has been shown to be effective in accelerating nerve recovery in the clinic.

Team members of the Central and Northern Alberta Adult Peripheral Nerve Clinic

Central and Northern Alberta Peripheral Nerve Injury Clinic Team:

  • Dr. Ming Chan, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
  • Dr. Adalberto Loyola-Sanchez, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
  • Dr. Alto Lo, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
  • Dr. Rajive Jassal, Neurology 
  • Dr. Lindsay Hubenig, Clinical Lecturer, Pediatrics 
  • Dr. Jaret Olson, Associate Professor, Surgery
  • Dr. Michael Morhart, Clinical Professor, Surgery
  • Dr. Joseph Bergman, Assistant Clinical Professor, Surgery
  • Dr. Andrew Jack, Assistant Clinical Professor, Surgery 
Portrait of Dr. Steven Katz

This award recognizes a medical education publication in a top-ranked journal or peer-reviewed compendium, with the work having been completed by a member of the Department of Medicine in the previous calendar year. 

Awarded Manuscript: Staff and resident perceptions on the introduction of a team based multi-specialty resident night shift system (published in PLOS ONE on May 19, 2022)

The adjudication committee was particularly impressed by how Dr. Katz took a scholarly approach to an important problem in the residency program and not only addressed it, but disseminated his findings for others to build on. In many ways, his work is a role model for medical education scholarship and is very deserving of this award!

Steven Katz and Vijay Daniels

ME2 MAJUMDAR RESEARCH & QI DAY AWARDS

Quality Improvement (QI) Awards

Portrait of Dr. Amanda Brost

Dr. Amanda Brost is a Senior Subspecialty Resident in the Division of General Internal Medicine. Her supervisor is Dr. Anca Tapardel. 

Awarded Presentation: Decreasing the Number of Patients Waiting to be Seen at the General Internal Medicine Kaye Edmonton Clinic

Amanda Brost and Elaine Yacyshyn

Dr. Crystal Liu standing beside her research poster.

Dr. Crystal Liu is a Core Internal Medicine Resident in the Division of Gastroenterology. Her supervisor is Dr. Sergio Zepeda-Gomez.

Awarded Publication: Timing of cholecystectomy after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in a tertiary centre: Evaluation of outcomes

Crystal Liu and Elaine Yacyshyn

Research Awards

Portrait of Maria-Areli Lorenzana Carrillo

Maria-Areli Lorenzana Carrillo is a PhD Graduate Student in the Division of Cardiology. Her supervisor is Dr. Gopinath Sutendra.

Awarded Presentation: TRIM35-Mediated Histone 2B Ubiquitination; An Epigenetic Modification that Reveals P53 Transcriptional Targets in Heart Failure

Portrait of Dr. Pallabi Sil Paul

Pallabi Sil Paul is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Division of Neurology. Her supervisor is Dr. Satyabrata Kar

Awarded Abstract: Inhibition of Amyloid β seed-induced tau aggregation by native PLGA nanoparticles and its significance in Alzheimer’s disease

Portrait of Dr. John Soleas

Dr. John Soleas is a Core Internal Medicine Resident in the Division of Gastroenterology.  His supervisor is Dr. Karen Madsen. 

Awarded Poster: Effects of empagliflozin on T cells from ulcerative colitis patients

Portrait of Dr. Karthivashan Govindarajan

The Ballermann Translational Research Fellowship Award is our most prestigious award. The DoM gives $24,500 to a trainee who has published an influential, high-impact paper in a translational research journal. This award was initiated over 10 years ago by our previous chair, Dr. Barbara Ballermann, and continues with the support of Dr. Kassam, both of whom believe in the importance of encouraging and supporting translational research. 

Dr. Karthivashan Govindarajan is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Division of Neurology. His supervisor is Dr. Satyabrata Kar.

Awarded Publication: Significance of native PLGA nanoparticles in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease pathology

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Department of Medicine Faculty Research Awards

Portrait of Dr. Mohammed Osman

This publication award is given to a scientist for a clinical investigation research publication in a top ranked journal, with the work completed at the U of A in the previous calendar year.

Dr. Mohammed Osman is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Rheumatology.

Awarded PublicationGenomic Instability in Early Systemic Sclerosis 

Portrait of Dr. Justin Chen

This award recognizes a clinical faculty member who is the senior or first author on a published work. This work could be original research, basic or clinical, reports on clinical trials or drug studies, or a major review article on papers published electronically and/or in hard copy in the previous calendar year.

Dr. Justin Chen is an Associate Clinical Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Alberta Hospital. 

Awarded Publication: Efficacy and Safety of Antimicrobial Stewardship Prospective Audit and Feedback in Patients Hospitalised with COVID-19 (COVASP): A Pragmatic, Cluster-randomised, Non-inferiority Trial 

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The purpose of this scholarship is to recruit superior students at the doctoral level who have the potential to contribute to the University of Alberta's community and research.

Dr. Kostiantyn Dmytriiev is a PhD Graduate Student in the Division of Pulmonary Medicine. His supervisors are Dr. Michael Stickland and Dr. Jason Weatherald.

Portrait of Dr. Jason Plemel

This scholarship recognizes a publication in a top-ranked journal, with the work having been completed at the University of Alberta and the award winner as the prinicipal investigator.

Dr. Jason Plemel is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Neurology.

Awarded Publication: Single-cell microglial transcriptomics during demyelination defines a microglial state required for lytic carcass clearance

Portrait of Dr. Ming Chan

This award recognizes exemplary research work that demonstrates creativity, imagination, and dedication. It honours excellence in outstanding research contributions in scientific research and medicine.

Dr. Ming Chan is a Professor in the Division of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. His work has resulted in numerous national and international research achievements.

Portrait of Dr.Gopinath Sutendra

This award recognizes a Department of Medicine member who has conceived and developed innovative products or processes, and achieved excellence in applied clinical scientific research. This member is actively engaged in research involving population or clinical epidemiology, health outcomes/health services research, or randomized control trials testing interventions or new discoveries.

Dr. Gopinath Sutendra is an Associate Professor in the Division of Cardiology. 

Portrait of Ritu Mann-Nuttel

The Paul Man Award which was named in honour of Dr. Paul Man, Division Director of Pulmonary Medicine from 1986 to 2001, for his exceptional contribution to translational research. Translational research brings scientific discoveries to life by turning them into practical applications. It accelerates the development of therapies, diagnostics, and preventive measures, improving healthcare outcomes and benefiting communities.

Dr. Ritu Mann-Nuttel is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Division of Pulmonary Medicine. His supervisor is Dr. Paul Forsythe.

Awarded Abstract: House dust mite allergen induces PAR-1 dependent CGRP release from cultured human pulmonary neuroendocrine cells

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Leaving a Leadership Role

Portrait of Dr. Steven Katz

We are incredibly fortunate to have exceptional leaders in our department, and Dr. Steven Katz is a shining example. Throughout the disruptions caused by the pandemic, particularly in the Core Internal Medicine program, Dr. Katz showed unwavering dedication and support.

From seamlessly transitioning to virtual CaRMS and managing hybrid meetings to ensuring resident coverage during the toughest times of the COVID crisis, Dr. Katz has been a champion. He consistently provided vital information, advocated for our residents, and tackled new challenges with practical solutions on a daily basis.

Training the next generation of healthcare professionals is paramount to the continued advancement of medicine and the provision of quality patient care. Dr. Katz spent countless hours investing in the education, mentorship, and professional development of our aspiring physicians.

Portrait of Dr. Jacques Romney

Dr. Jacques Romney stepped into the role of Interim Director with remarkable grace and effectiveness, providing guidance and stability during this transitional period. Despite the temporary nature of his position, Dr. Romney's commitment to the division and to the department and its success is unwavering.

His leadership style fosters collaboration and inclusivity, encouraging input from all team members and valuing diverse perspectives.

During this lengthy interim period, Dr. Romney's dedication to the division’s success was truly remarkable.

Portrait of Dr. Jan Willem Cohen Tervaert

As the leader in Rheumatology, Dr. Cohen Tervaert inspired and mentored colleagues, nurturing a collaborative and dynamic environment that encouraged intellectual curiosity and innovation.

Dr. Cohen Tervaert's impact extended far beyond the confines of his division. His research publications, numerous accolades, and international collaborations solidified his status as a respected authority in the global rheumatology community.

Dr. Cohen Tervaert is known for his exceptional medical achievements, but also for his kindness, compassion, and dedication to the well-being of his patients.

Portrait of Dr. Adrian Wagg

As the Associate Chair Finance, Dr. Adrian Wagg was a trusted advisor. He fostered open communication, working closely with teams from different divisions to align financial goals with our overall objectives.

But for those who know Dr. Wagg, you know it's not all serious business. He knows how to add a dash of humor to the numbers game. He can make budget meetings feel like comedy shows and always was able to put a fun spin on the toughest topics. Who knew spreadsheets could be so entertaining?

Dr. Wagg's dedication to excellence and to our department's success made him an invaluable asset to our leadership team.

Portrait of Dr. Chester Ho

As the Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation leader, Dr. Chester Ho was exceptional at guiding his team with expertise and compassion.

His passion for the division and his relentless pursuit of excellence have set a standard that inspires us all. We are grateful for his outstanding contributions and the positive impact he has had on our collective success.

Dr. Ho's remarkable leadership abilities, coupled with his compassionate approach and dedication to patient care, set him apart as an extraordinary individual. His exceptional qualities continue to inspire those around him.

Portrait of Dr. Raj Padwal

Dr. Raj Padwal's exceptional leadership and dedication have been instrumental in maintaining the Division of General Internal Medicine's excellence during the transitional period.

Dr. Padwal's commitment to providing outstanding patient care, fostering a collaborative environment, and promoting professional growth has been truly commendable. His guidance and expertise have inspired the team to continue delivering high-quality health care even during the darkest days of the pandemic.

We are grateful for Dr. Padwal's tireless efforts and steadfast commitment to upholding the division's standards of excellence. His leadership has been a source of inspiration and has contributed to the continued success and growth of the division.


Retirements

Portrait of Dr. Nicola Cherry

Dr. Nicola Cherry's academic journey has been nothing short of remarkable. She holds degrees in occupational psychology, medicine, and epidemiology, and she has conducted ground-breaking research at several institutions in the United Kingdom and in Canada, which covered a variety of topics in occupational health and beyond. This research has led to a great number of publications, often in high-impact factor journals.

Among these many research efforts are Dr. Cherry's work on occupational exposures in firefighters of the Fort McMurray wildfires, exposures and outcomes in men and women in the welding and electrical trades, and urinary incontinence in elderly women in Bangladesh. Her earlier work included estrogen therapy for the prevention of reinfarction in postmenopausal women and on mortality among Gulf War veterans.

The breadth of Dr. Cherry's academic interest is truly impressive. She has made a lasting impact in the careers of those who have worked with her and also in the lives of workers whose occupational exposures and circumstances she has investigated.

Portrait of Dr. Peter Hamilton

Dr. Peter Hamilton joined the Department of Medicine in 1990 as an assistant professor and general internist, at a time when general internal medicine was on the endangered species list. He has been a leader and educator ever since.

Dr. Hamilton has held many roles including vice president of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta in 2008, and he has just completed a term as Governor of the American College of Physicians for Alberta. He was Divisional Director and Section Chief for General Internal Medicine prior to announcing his retirement in 2021.

Dr. Hamilton has chaired the popular and successful Annual Update in Adult Medicine, which is now planning its 26th event.

Throughout his career, Dr. Hamilton has had an unwavering love for the practice of medicine and medical education, and in these endeavors, he has been generous, kind and supportive to patients and learners alike. So, it is not surprising that they have great admiration and respect for him. He has won over 20 awards for his teaching and advocacy; including the Prix d’excellence Award from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in 2011.

As a teacher and mentor to so many, Dr. Hamilton already leaves a clear legacy that will be remembered and appreciated.

Portrait of Dr. Stephen Aaron

This past March, Dr. Stephen Aaron ended a 40-year career as part of the Division of Rheumatology.  He served in many roles over that time, including the Medical Council of Canada, Gilbert’s Scholars Director, DoM's Associate Chair for Education, and recently as Interim Divisional Director.  

Dr. Aaron is not just a rheumatologist, but a physician who helped manage people as well as  disease. He was very good at that. This caring attribute and character is what made him not just such an amazing and passionate teacher, but also a mentor. 

Dr. Aaron has a good grasp of the big picture, and he always had the best in mind for those he worked with. As such, he has left an immense and lasting impact on the many rheumatologists who will come after him. His legacy will continue in Edmonton and beyond. Moreover, the Division of Rheumatology will honour him every year when they award the Stephen Aaron Rheumatology Teacher of the Year Award.


J. Charles (Chuck) Morrison Award

Portrait of Tina Barnard

Affectionately called the “Chuck Morrison Award”, this award recognizes a support staff member who brings the best of themselves to work every day and continually provides exceptional service to their colleagues. This individual has an innovative and enthusiastic approach to work and is an ambassador who contributes to a positive culture within the Department of Medicine. This award was named in honour of the decades of service that Chuck Morrison provided to the DoM as the former Director of Administrative Services.

This year’s recipient was nominated by the Adult Neurology Residency Program who were touched by Tina's huge heart and deep concern for all the residents.  They often joked that she was their local psychologist — consistently being available to the residents, figuring out ways to help them navigate complex issues, and advocating for their well-being. Tina was truly a huge source of support for them.

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Teaching Awards

Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME) Teacher of the Year Award

Every year, the undergraduate students vote and select a “Teacher of the Year” and “Honourable Mention” for each of the institutions in the Undergraduate program.  The UGME Teacher of the Year Award recognizes outstanding teaching to medical students.

Dr. Mowad Benguzzi

Dr. Andrei Fagarasanu

Dr. Julia Rouget

Dr. Janek Senaratne

List of Honourable Mentions for Teacher of the Year Award

 

Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME) Teacher of the Year Award

Each year, the residents in Internal Medicine vote and select a "Teacher of the Year" and “Honourable Mention” for each of the institutions participating in the Postgraduate Program. The PGME Teacher of the Year Award recognizes outstanding teaching to residents.

Dr. Mowad Benguzzi

Dr. Mark McIsaac

Dr. Rahul Mehta

Dr. Elliott Sprague

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Academic Promotions

Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure

Dr. Linda Sun

Dr. Linda Sun, Division of Hematology, is a Clinician Investigator and Medical Lead for the Northern Alberta Bleeding Disorders Program (adult division). Her research focus is bleeding disorders. She also has an interest in addressing systemic inequities in health care and identifying opportunities for quality improvement.

Dr. Sun led the development of an institutional clinical pathway for the diagnosis and management of suspected thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). This quality improvement project has attracted international interest and attention.

Dr. Stephanie Thompson

Dr. Stephanie Thompson, Division of Nephrology, is a Clinician Investigator who is recognized nationally and internationally as a leader in her field. She co-founded and co-chairs “Global Research in Exercise (GREX)”, a global network working to advance knowledge on the role of exercise in the management of chronic kidney disease.

Dr. Thompson has made a significant contribution to clinical innovation through development and implementation of Alberta Kidney Care-North’s first clinical exercise program for dialysis outpatients, one of only three such programs in Canada. The program has demonstrated clinically meaningful improvements in several functional measures and has gained international recognition.

 

Promotion to Professor

Dr. Steven Katz

Dr. Steven Katz, Division of Rheumatology, is a prolific innovator and an outstanding leader. As Program Director for the Core Internal Medicine Residency Program, he achieved impressive outcomes. For example, he implemented Competency-based Medical Education program,  one year ahead of Royal College requirements, and developed Competency by Design CIM EPA Pocketbooks which are now used nationally. He received the Competence by Design Innovator Award from the Royal College. In the clinical domain, his innovations have been recognized by competitive grants, awards, publications and presentations at national and international meetings.

He is creator and editor for AlbertaRheumatology.com and a suite of products, which have achieved international reach.

Dr. Penelope Smyth

Dr. Penelope Smyth, Division of Neurology, has demonstrated outstanding administrative leadership. In particular, her scholarly work as Associate Dean of Professionalism has been impactful and transformational, ensuring that steps taken by the FoMD to advance professionalism, psychological safety, and anti-racism culture were consistent in approach and accountability. This work has been disseminated in peer-reviewed publications, at national and international meetings, through education workshops and through invited speaking engagements. 

In addition, Dr. Smyth is recognized for her academic scholarship in the clinical area of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). She has contributed to the Canadian Treatment Guidelines for MS and is a member of national and international MS Vaccine Working Groups contributing to guidelines on COVID-19 and vaccinations for those with MS.

Dr. Adriana Lazarescu

Dr. Adriana Lazarescu, Division of Gastroenterology, is an award-winning Clinician Educator who is recognized nationally and internationally as an expert in GI motility. She helped create an international competency-based curriculum for neurogastroenterology and motility training for adult and pediatric gastroenterologists. She co-founded and is co-Director for the Canadian GI Motility Course for Gastroenterology Trainees. She is also Founder and Director of the Neurogastroenterology and Motility Fellowship Program at the University of Alberta.

Dr. Lazarescu co-authored national and international clinical practice guidelines and serves as Director of the GI Motility Lab at the University of Alberta Hospital, which is the highest volume motility lab in Canada.

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Clinical Promotions

Promotion to Assistant Clinical Professor

Dr. Molly Lin

Dr. Molly Lin, Division of Infectious Diseases, has a large volume HIV practice in addition to providing general Infectious Diseases care.

Dr. Lin provides clinical and didactic teaching, and she has senior-authored a case report in collaboration with her learners.

She serves as Co-Medical Director of Infection Prevention and Control for Covenant Health.

Dr. Mohammad Ashif Rahman

Dr. Mohammad Ashif Rahman, Division of Geriatric Medicine, provides clinical teaching and supervision for a range of learners and gives Academic Half-day lectures for Geriatric Medicine.

He is the UGME Clerkship Coordinator for Geriatric Medicine and a member of the Competence Committee for the Geriatric Medicine Residency Training Program.

Dr. Rahman also serves as an Academic Advisor within the Geriatric Medicine Residency Training Program.

Dr. Naheed Rajabali

Dr. Naheed Rajabali, Division of Geriatric Medicine, practices Acute Care Geriatric Medicine and has expertise in the care of older adults with movement disorders and perioperative care of older adults.

He has published peer-reviewed papers, obtained grant funding, and has supervised resident research projects.

Dr. Rajabali has also contributed to educational scholarship and is a member of the Geriatric Medicine Residency Program Committee. Nationally, he is a Test Question Developer and Member of the Medical Council of Canada MCCQE1 Medicine Test Committee and the Medical Council of Canada MCCQE1 2023 Test Form Approval Committee.

Dr. Namratha Sudharshan

Dr. Namratha Sudharshan, Divison of Neurology, founded and serves as Director for the Edmonton Neurology Clinic and EMG Laboratory, which sees between 3,000 and 4,000 patients annually. 

In addition to her sub-specialization in EMG, Dr. Sudharshan has developed an interest and expertise in treating chronic migraine and multiple sclerosis, as well as treats patients with Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders. She has been an OSCE and MCCQE examiner and an Interviewer for the MD Program.

Dr. Michael Zakhary

Dr. Michael Zakhary, Division of Preventive Medicine, is Medical Officer of Health in the Edmonton Zone and Associate Provincial Medical Officer of Health. He has made many contributions to quality improvement, clinical innovation, and public health disease management guidelines. He was involved in teaching and curriculum development for students in the MD program.

In addition to numerous administrative leadership roles, Dr. Zakhary is a member of CoVaRR-Net, a national network of interdisciplinary researchers which assists in the Federal Government’s strategy to address the potential threat of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Dr. Patricia Araneta

Dr. Patricia Araneta, Division of General Internal Medicine, received an Honourable Mention for Teacher of the Year, Sub-specialty, from the Core Internal Medicine residents in 2021-2022. She is a member of the Competence Committee for the GIM Residency Training Program and serves as an Academic Advisor to GIM subspecialty residents.

Dr. Araneta is the Student Principal Teaching Physician for GIM at the University of Alberta Hospital.

Dr. Crystal Chan

Dr. Chrystal Chan, Division of Pulmonary Medicine, has expertise in Interventional Pulmonary Medicine and was instrumental in establishing the sarcoidosis clinic at the University of Alberta. She is a member of the provincial Point of Care Ultrasonography (POCUS) Working Group and has several local administrative roles.

Dr. Chan was invited to speak at the 2021 CHEST conference about malignant pleural effusions and has published several peer-reviewed papers.

Dr. Stephen Ip

Dr. Stephen Ip, Division of Gastroenterology, has a special interest and expertise in caring for cirrhosis patients.  He serves as Site Chief in Gastroenterology at Grey Nuns Community Hospital.

He is an Academic Advisor for Internal Medicine residents and has co-authored peer-reviewed publications.

Dr. Ling Ling

Dr. Ling Ling, Division of Pulmonary Medicine, is a Clinical Immunologist and Allergist who has made significant contributions to clinical innovation, including development of outpatient clinics like the Adverse Drug Reactions Clinic and the Vaccine Allergy Clinic.

Dr. Ling serves as Medical Lead for the Edmonton Zone Allergy Call Service. She is also leading a number of Quality Improvement Initiatives and has made numerous administrative and leadership contributions, primarily at the provincial level.

Dr. Bohdan Savaryn

Dr. Bohdan Savaryn, Division of Infectious Diseases, is dually trained in Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. He has a clinical role as a Medical Microbiologist and the majority of his Infectious Diseases outpatient work is in high volume HIV care.

Dr. Savaryn has peer-reviewed publications, including a first-author paper in the journal, Clinical Infectious Diseases. He serves as Medical Director for the Northern Alberta Program for HIV Care.

Dr. Rukia Swalehe

Dr. Rukia Swaleh, Division of Endocrinology & Metabolism, provides clinical care primarily at the C-endo ambulatory clinic and the Indigenous Diabetes Clinic at Royal Alexandra Hospital, as well as Maskwacis Diabetes Clinic in Maskwacis, Alberta.

Dr. Swaleh is a Member and Community Representative in the Royal College Specialty Committee in Endocrinology and a Member of the Black Physicians of Canada Mentorship Committee.
She has peer-reviewed publications, including a senior author paper in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, which was first-authored by her trainee.

Dr. Jonathan Wong

Dr. Jonathan Wong, Division of General Internal Medicine (GIM), is a physician and a Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer who has special interest and expertise in Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS). He helped to launch the POCUS Procedural Service and serves as Lead for the POCUS Procedural Service at the University of Alberta Hospital. He helped develop the curriculum and learning objectives for the core internal medicine POCUS “superusers” group and also for the GIM resident POCUS elective rotation. He is a Member of the AHS Medicine Strategic Clinical Network POCUS Working group and, nationally, he is a Member of the Canadian Internal Medicine POCUS group. 

Dr. Wong has also peer-reviewed publications in The Ultrasound Journal. 

Promotion to Associate Clinical Professor

Dr. Nawaf Almajed

Dr. Nawaf Almajed, Division of Cardiology, has expertise in heart transplantation, advanced heart failure, and echocardiography. He has made several important contributions to clinical innovation, including helping to set up and launch the Cardiac Sciences arm of the Edmonton Zone Virtual Hospital.

Dr. Nawaf Almajed demonstrated outstanding leadership in several roles, including Medical Director of the Echocardiography Lab (MAHI), Medical Director of Cardiology In-Patient Units, Medical Informatics Lead for Cardiac Sciences in the Edmonton Zone, and as Chair of the Echocardiography Subcommittee for Connect Care.

Dr. Vasile Captan

Dr. Vasile Captan, Division of General Internal Medicine, has been recognized for his excellence as an educator with several teaching awards, including the University of Alberta Internal Medicine Resident Award for Best Ambulatory Care Experience in 2021. He serves as Principal Teaching Physician for the Department of Internal Medicine at Royal Alexandra Hospital. 

At the provincial level, Dr. Captan is the Fees Representative and a member of the Fees Committee in the Section of Internal Medicine in the Alberta Medical Association.

Dr. Wasif Hussain

Dr. Wasif Hussain, Division of Neurology, has expertise in post-concussion treatment and headache. He is the only Neurologist in Alberta who specializes in treating patients with prolonged effects of concussion. He developed a new clinic for the continuous care of these patients and helped to develop the 2023 Canadian Headache Society guidelines for headache prophylaxis. 

Dr. Hussain is Program Director for the Adult Neurology Residency Training Program where he has implemented innovations that have changed the culture of the program. He has been recognized for his excellence as an educator with several teaching awards.

Dr. Pen Li

Dr. Pen Li, Division of Pulmonary Medicine, has expertise in interventional pulmonary medicine and has contributed to clinical innovation in minimally invasive techniques.

He has published many peer-reviewed publications as the senior author, supervised research projects, and serves as a peer reviewer for an international journal.

Dr. Li is an excellent teacher and recipient of various teaching awards.

Dr. Jennifer Ngo

Dr. Jennifer Ngo, Division of General Internal Medicine (GIM), has an interest in the health needs of the Indigenous population and established a GIM outreach clinic on the Siksika Reserve on Treaty 7 territory. She participated in impactful Quality Improvement projects and published several peer-reviewed papers in international journals, all as first or senior author.

Dr. Ngo has made numerous contributions in the education domain and in administrative leadership, including her role as AHS Provincial Physician Trainer for the Connect Care Inpatient Admitting and Consulting Track.

Dr. Emad Saad

Dr. Emad Saad, Division of Pulmonary Medicine, is recognized locally and regionally as an expert in Cystic Fibrosis (CF). He created a local protocol to treat and follow up acute exacerbation of CF in the outpatient CF clinic, which has led to improvement in the standard of care for these patients.

Dr. Saad has published several peer-reviewed papers, participated in clinical trials, and supervised research projects. He provides clinical and didactic teaching to a wide range of learners and has been an effective coach for junior colleagues.

Dr. Peter Ao

Dr. Peter Ao, Division of General Internal Medicine (GIM), is a POCUS physician and a specialist in Hypertension. He has made valuable contributions to clinical innovation, including designing the Royal Alexandra Hospital GIM COVID-19 Vitals Protocol during the start of the COVID pandemic. This protocol is still in use to provide early warning of clinical changes.

Dr. Ao is the recipient of several teaching awards. He has made outstanding leadership contributions at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, including Co-deputy Facility Section Head for GIM, Director for GIM Ultrasound, Co-director for the Hypertension/Lipid Clinic, and Connect Care Superuser.

Promotion to Clinical Professor

Dr. Deena Hinshaw

Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Division of Preventive Medicine, served as Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health from 2019 to 2022. Although the COVID-19 pandemic was a major focus, she conducted her work within the context of the opioid crisis, the health impacts of cannabis legalization, and a provincial syphilis outbreak. She communicated with the public through hundreds of media appearances, and numerous interviews and town hall meetings. She provided public health advice at the national level as a member of the Canadian Special Advisory Committees on COVID-19 and monkeypox.

Dr. Hinshaw's clinical expertise in public health and preventive medicine has been widely recognized. She received several awards for her outstanding leadership, integrity and service, including the 2022 Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal. In addition, she is an outstanding teacher. She served as Lead Preceptor for the 8-week resident rotations in Public Health Policy and made commendable contributions to research.

Dr. Fraulein Morales

Dr. Fraulein Morales, Division of General Internal Medicine, has demonstrated outstanding leadership as the Site Chief for General Internal Medicine at the University of Alberta Hospital (2017-2021) and as the Zone Clinical Department Facility Chief for Medicine at the University of Alberta Hospital (since 2021), where she led the department clinical response to waves three to five of COVID-19.

Dr. Morales is an award-winning teacher who has made valuable contributions to educational scholarship and educational administrative leadership. She is a member of the Tribunal Council and Complaints Review Committee of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta. Internationally, she serves as a member of the Abstract Review Board for the National Abstract Competition of the American College of Physicians.

Dr. Minakshi Taparia

Dr. Minakshi Taparia, Division of Hematology, has expertise in allogenic bone marrow transplant and rare diseases, as well as myeloproliferative diseases. She has made significant contributions to clinical innovation, including the creation of new clinics and participation in the development of several provincial guidelines.

Dr. Taparia is Co-founder/Coordinator for Provincial Biweekly Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma Rounds, and she is a member of provincial, national and international committees. She has also co-authored peer-reviewed publications and has participated in more than 20 completed clinical trials. She is currently leading four active clinical studies as the Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PI.

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