Department of Medicine 2025 Annual Celebration Awards
Education and Career Development Awards | Faculty Research Awards | Me2 Majumdar Research and QI Day Awards | Leaving a Leadership Role | Retirements | J. Charles Morrison Award | Teaching Awards | Academic Promotions | Clinical Promotions
Clinical Promotions
Assistant Clinical Professors
Dr. Jeffrey Bakal is a leader in health data science and patient-oriented research methodology. With a PhD in Statistics, he has published over 150 peer-reviewed papers and co-edited four major handbooks on translational medicine. His research has contributed to innovations in clinical trial design and access to health services data, supporting nearly $36 million in funded research projects and helping shape how we approach data-driven healthcare.
In addition to his research, Dr. Bakal is a dedicated educator, having supervised more than 30 graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. He designed and taught the “Big Data in Health” graduate course and provides critical methodological support for residents and fellows across the Department of Medicine.
Dr. Bakal also serves in several high-impact leadership roles, including Director of Research Data Services at AHS, co-lead of the SPOR Data Platform, and as a statistical editor for the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Dr. Rania Bedaba is a passionate advocate for equitable access to care, with a clinical focus on bariatric medicine. She serves as a clinician leader at the Adult Bariatric Surgical Clinic at the Royal Alexandra Hospital and is certified by the American Board of Obesity Medicine.
She is a dedicated educator, known for her commitment to clinical teaching and mentorship. Learners consistently praise her approachable teaching style, and she has adapted her methods based on feedback to better support trainee success.
In her administrative work, Dr. Bedaba has taken on leadership of the Clinical Assistant Program at RAH, where she is strengthening retention, curriculum, and support structures. She also plays a key role in operations and triage improvements within the Bariatric Clinic.
Dr. Marc Benoit is a cardiologist with a special interest and expertise in Cardiac Electrophysiology (EP). He has advanced the complex ablation program for atrial and ventricular arrhythmias and device therapy care at the 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø Hospital/Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute, and he is gaining a national reputation for his clinical skill.
He initiated and manages the Leadless Cardiac Pacing Program in Northern Alberta. He and his team successfully performed the first Micra AV leadless pacemaker implant in western Canada.
Dr. Benoit has four peer-reviewed papers and one abstract. He is the UAH Site Lead/Co-Director for the Edmonton Cardiac Arrhythmia Trials Group and Site PI for several grant-funded multicenter randomized controlled trials.
Dr. Mowad Benguzzi is a clinician at the 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø Hospital and the Edmonton Zone Virtual Home Hospital, and he has a private clinic. His outpatient focus includes stroke prevention, obesity medicine, and iron deficiency anemia. His contributions as a reviewer for the Edmonton Manual reflect his strong clinical reputation and expertise.
As an educator, Dr. Benguzzi is known for his dedication to learner success. He teaches across multiple clinical settings and serves as an academic advisor to both General Internal Medicine and Core Internal Medicine residents. His teaching excellence has been recognized with multiple awards, including Clerkship Preceptor Wellness Champion, and DoM's Undergraduate and Postgraduate Teacher of the Year.
Dr. Benguzzi has also contributed to educational leadership as interim Principal Teaching Physician at the 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø Hospital. He is also the lead physician for a province-wide telemonitoring initiative aimed at reducing adverse hospital events.
Dr. Anita Chan is a Nuclear Cardiologist practicing at both the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute and the Healthy Heart Institute in Red Deer. She serves as Medical Director of the Exercise and Nuclear Stress Labs, where she implemented new standard operating procedures that significantly expanded testing capacity. She also leads a specialized clinic focused on cardiac amyloidosis.
A dedicated educator, Dr. Chan teaches in both inpatient and outpatient settings and is the Academic Advisor for cardiology residents. She revised the Nuclear Cardiology curriculum to increase trainee engagement and was named Academic Presenter of the Year by the Cardiology Residency Program.
Dr. Chan is the site lead for the Canadian Registry for Amyloidosis Research.
She also serves as Vice-President of the Canadian Society of Cardiovascular Nuclear and CT Imaging and has co-chaired the 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø Cardiology Update.
Dr. Emily Christie is a nephrologist at the 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø Hospital and an integral member of the kidney transplant team.
Her clinical expertise includes the care of transgender and gender-diverse individuals with kidney disease, and the transition of pediatric transplant patients into adult care.
She has a master’s in health quality improvement and has played a key role in revising transplant intake and referral processes.
Dr. Christie is also the Renal Transplant Fellowship Program Director, where she developed a new curriculum and led the program through successful reaccreditation.
She teaches medical students, residents, and fellows, and she has contributed significantly to nephrology education at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
In 2024, she was appointed Education Chair for the Alberta Transplant Institute.
Dr. Christie sits on multiple committees focused on education, wellness, and transplant innovation.
Dr. Matthew Church is a cardiologist whose clinical work spans echocardiography, general inpatient cardiology, and outpatient consulting, with a particular focus on cardiomyopathy, cardio-oncology and dyslipidemia.
As the Level II Echo Training Director, he leads weekly didactic sessions and supports individualized learner assessments.
In research, Dr. Church has contributed to peer-reviewed publications in cardiovascular imaging and is currently developing an open-access echocardiography teaching site. He also co-founded a medical device company during his residency, earning international recognition.
Dr. Church serves in numerous leadership roles, including Chair of the Curriculum and Evaluation Subcommittee for the Adult Cardiology Residency Training Committee and Co-chair of Cardiology Grand Rounds.
Dr. Debraj Das is an interventional cardiologist whose work focuses on complex coronary procedures at the Royal Alexandra Hospital.
He contributes significantly to both inpatient and outpatient care and played a key role in the creation of the Edmonton Cardiology Risk Reduction Clinic.
In addition to being a skilled clinician, Dr. Das is an outstanding educator and mentor.
He teaches learners at all levels and serves as an academic advisor for the Cardiology Residency Program.
Dr. Das developed a nationally recognized continuing education workshop, “Tales and Mysteries from the Cath Lab”, which is now a fixture at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress.
Dr. Andrea Johnson is a full-time rheumatologist at the 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø Hospital and the Garneau Rheumatology Clinic.
She is widely recognized for her clinical excellence and education.
She works with learners at all levels, from undergraduate students to subspecialty residents.
Dr. Johnson developed Rheumatology OSCE exams, co-led the Alberta Rheumatology Education Symposium, and created the GROW program, a two-day recruitment and education event aimed at increasing awareness of rheumatology among trainees.
Dr. Johnson served as Acting Program Director for the Rheumatology Residency Program, successfully leading the 2024 CaRMS match and initiating preparations for the upcoming Royal College accreditation.
Dr. Jenny Lu-Song is a pulmonary physician whose clinical focus is on interstitial lung disease.
During her first year at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, she pursued additional advanced training in Calgary and France with the goal of enhancing ILD care at the site.
Her outpatient work at the Chest Care Clinic is already making an impact on clinical and academic excellence.
She is also an exceptional educator, supervising medical students and residents across inpatient, outpatient, and emergency settings.
Her teaching evaluations are outstanding, averaging 4.8 out of 5, and learners consistently describe her as an excellent mentor and teacher.
Dr. Lu-Song has also contributed to clinical research, serving as lead author on two peer-reviewed publications presented at national and international meetings, with a third currently under review.
Dr. Evan Martow is an Electrophysiology Cardiologist at the 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø Hospital, specializing in complex atrial ablations. He has quickly emerged as a leader in clinical innovation, redesigning workflows that have significantly increased procedural efficiency and improved patient access.
His initiatives, including streamlined ablation protocols and enhanced antibiotic regimens, have led to measurable improvements in outcomes and system performance. Notably, he transitioned a cardiac implant procedure from the EP lab to outpatient clinics, enhancing both patient experience and resource utilization. He also partnered with EMS to integrate out-of-hospital cardiac arrest data into Connect Care, strengthening continuity of care for patients with complex arrhythmias.
Beyond his clinical practice, Dr. Martow regularly presents at national cardiology conferences and is actively involved in research as a clinical trial investigator and peer reviewer.
Dr. Anna Rogers is a clinician-educator whose contributions to patient care, education, and system improvement are truly commendable.
She established a new multidisciplinary clinic that provides ongoing care for gender-diverse individuals, setting a new standard for inclusive healthcare in our community.
As a passionate educator, Dr. Rogers serves as a clinical block coordinator and has consistently received excellent evaluations for teaching, while also delivering lectures at local, national, and international events.
She is actively involved in a CIHR-funded clinical trial examining kidney function in transgender individuals, an area with significant implications for patient safety and evidence-based care.
In addition, Dr. Rogers has contributed to provincial health-care planning through advisory work on insulin pump therapy and coordination of resident education schedules.
Dr. Majid Sikosana is a nephrologist and transplant specialist whose clinical portfolio includes extensive outpatient care, pre- and post-transplant management, dialysis oversight, and living donor evaluations across both Edmonton and Red Deer.
He is an engaged educator, providing classroom and bedside teaching to learners at all levels, and consistently earning excellent evaluations for his contributions to medical education.
Dr. Sikosana recently completed a Master’s in Translational Medicine and has co-authored several peer-reviewed publications, including a white paper on xenotransplantation and a chapter in the Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology.
He also serves on both the Department and Faculty equity, diversity, and inclusion committees.
Dr. Sikosana also co-leads a longitudinal undergraduate program focused on physical examination skills.
Dr. Albert Vu is a clinician-educator who has quickly established a strong reputation in both endocrine oncology and academic leadership.
Dr. Vu is one of a small number of specialists in Edmonton managing patients with thyroid cancer and neuroendocrine tumours, leading two outpatient clinics and overseeing care for more than 400 patients annually.
In education, he serves as course coordinator for the undergraduate endocrine block, where he received both the Outstanding Faculty Lecturer award and the Systems Block of the Year recognition.
Dr. Vu’s research includes several peer-reviewed publications, including recent work as lead author on a clinical case series exploring a rare endocrine disorder.
Dr. Hardeep Kainth is a spinal cord injury specialist based at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, where he serves as Medical Lead for the SCI and General Neurology Program. Under his leadership, outpatient volumes increased five-fold, and he has introduced multiple clinical innovations, ranging from standardized spinal assessments to a new complex wound care clinic at the UAH, one of only two in Canada. His work has directly influenced Connect Care protocols and helped establish Edmonton as a provincial hub for spinal cord medicine.
In education, Dr. Kainth enhanced the spinal cord injury training experience for Physiatry and Neurology residents and plays a key role in undergraduate teaching, resident mock exams, and national review courses. He was awarded the Dr. L.A. Bellamy Teaching Excellence Award and nominated for the Thomas J. Marrie Mentorship Award.
Dr. Kainth also contributes to SCI research as site lead on clinical trials and co-investigator for Canada’s largest spinal cord injury registry. He was a keynote speaker at the 2023 Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals Conference and continues to be a recognized leader in the field.
Dr. Tyler Lamb is a cardiologist at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, where he serves as Director of the Echocardiography Lab and provides inpatient care in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit. He is a member of the Heart Function and Risk Reduction Clinics and plays a key role in the Edmonton Zone Aortic Disease Group, helping to expand access to specialized care for patients across Northern Alberta. He also contributed to the development of a provincial standard for managing Staph Aureus bacteremia through his work on the SAB Working Group.
An exceptional educator, Dr. Lamb has revised resident orientation materials, expanded echo rounds, and provides clinical teaching to learners across multiple disciplines. His teaching is consistently highly rated, and he serves as academic advisor and Competency Committee member for the Cardiology Residency Program. He is also developing a national CME series on hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with the Canadian Cardiovascular Society.
Dr. Lamb is the Alberta representative on the board of the Canadian Society of Echocardiography and continues to contribute to national working groups focused on advancing clinical echo practice in Canada.
Dr. Katherine Ross is a respected leader in Obstetric Medicine, where she provides inpatient and outpatient care with a focus on high-risk pregnancies and maternal heart health. She is the Medical Director for all Obstetrical Medicine ambulatory care and Co-Director of the Maternal Heart Health Clinic. Her work supports complex maternal health across Northern Alberta and has contributed to improvements in perinatal care through her involvement with the Provincial Perinatal Quality Assurance Committee.
Dr. Ross is a highly regarded educator, consistently earning outstanding evaluations from learners. She teaches across multiple levels—from undergraduate medical students to residents in Internal Medicine, General Internal Medicine, and Obstetrics and Gynecology. She also serves as Chair of the GIM Competency Committee and was instrumental in developing new assessment guidelines ahead of accreditation.
As Program Director for the Obstetric Medicine Fellowship since 2019, she has helped formalize training and elevate the program’s academic structure. Dr. Ross is recognized by her colleagues and learners alike as a thoughtful, effective educator and a strong advocate for patient care.
Dr. Daniel Sawler is a hematologist with a strong clinical presence at both the 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø Hospital and the Grey Nuns Hospital, where he led the implementation of clinical hematology services in 2023. He also established himself as a provincial leader in obstetric hematology, creating a new clinical pathway for early diagnosis and management of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.
A passionate educator, Dr. Sawler provides instruction across undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and his dedication to teaching has been recognized with nine awards, including multiple Postgraduate Teacher of the Year honours. He is known for his interactive, collaborative style and is the creator and moderator of the division’s Complex Case Rounds.
Dr. Sawler wears many leadership hats including Associate Program Director for Core Internal Medicine, Chair of the Hematology Competence Committee, and Co-Course Coordinator for MED 525. He has made sustained contributions to educational programs across multiple specialties.
Dr. Sudheer Sharma is a cardiologist whose practice spans inpatient care, outpatient clinics, and community-based cardiac health initiatives.
He is the Physician Lead at the CK Hui Heart Health Centre, where he expanded services and significantly reduced wait times, nearly doubling consultation capacity.
He also developed a rapid-access model for diagnostics and imaging, now supporting programs including maternal heart health and neuroendocrine tumour care.
Dr. Sharma is known for his expertise in atrial and ventricular strain imaging, and for his role in managing rare conditions like carcinoid heart disease.
He has also been deeply involved in community engagement, leading public education efforts focused on heart health and risk reduction in Edmonton’s South Asian population.
A dedicated educator, Dr. Sharma teaches learners across specialties and levels, from medical students to residents in Cardiology, Anesthesia, and Emergency Medicine.
He co-chairs the Cardiology Medical Education Committee at the Royal Alexandra Hospital and is a leader in CME programming.
Dr. Holly Hoang is a highly respected clinician and leader whose work has transformed infectious disease care and antimicrobial stewardship across Alberta. She provides consultation services at the Grey Nuns and 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø Hospitals and led the creation of a rapid-response model to manage Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia, an initiative that significantly improved outcomes and secured nearly $1 million in PRIHS funding to expand the program provincially.
As Provincial Medical Director of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program, Dr. Hoang leads interdisciplinary teams at all 15 AHS acute care sites. She has advanced clinical standards, developed high-impact educational tools, and implemented stewardship protocols that have reduced unnecessary antimicrobial prescribing.
Dr. Hoang is a dedicated educator, recognized for her innovative teaching methods and strong learner evaluations. She developed and leads Alberta’s antimicrobial stewardship rotation, and launched an advanced training stream in response to growing learner interest.
A respected researcher, Dr. Hoang has published in The Lancet, led COVID-19 clinical trial efforts during the early pandemic, and co-leads a provincial trial aiming to optimize care for serious bloodstream infections.
Dr. Sayra Khandekar is a cardiologist specializing in echocardiography and a recognized leader in quality improvement.
As the Lead Echocardiographer for the Structural Heart Program, she has advanced the use of innovative imaging techniques that have contributed to improved patient outcomes.
Her leadership in the Intellispace Cardiovascular Project and her regional efforts in optimizing contrast echo evaluation have modernized how diagnostic information is shared and interpreted.
She formerly served as the Interim Deputy Zone Clinical Department Head for Quality in Cardiac Sciences, where she initiated a new, collaborative process for reviewing complex cases across the zone. Her quality improvement efforts have been recognized with both the AHS CARES Award and a Young Leaders Champion Award.
In education, Dr. Khandekar is known for fostering a supportive, high-quality learning environment across both inpatient and classroom settings.
She supervises echo fellows, leads case-based teaching rounds, and delivers core lectures in the AFC program.
Dr. Gilllian Ramsay is a nationally and internationally recognized General Internist and leader in Obstetric Medicine, as well as the sole consultant in this subspecialty at the Grey Nuns Hospital. She maintains a busy inpatient and outpatient practice, while also leading innovative initiatives that improve care for pregnant patients, such as the development of the Obstetric Virtual Hospital to reduce emergency department visits in the postpartum period.
Dr. Ramsay’s passion for clinical excellence is matched by her commitment to education and physician wellness. She has served as a Principal Teaching Physician for over a decade, developed new teaching structures to support learners and launched a “Food for Thought” wellness curriculum for GIM subspecialty residents.
Dr. Ramsay’s teaching is consistently rated as outstanding, and her leadership in mentorship, narrative medicine and wellness programming has shaped the culture of her site.
She has also played a key role in national patient education efforts through the North American Society of Obstetric Medicine and served as a representative on the Canadian Society of Internal Medicine.
Dr. Jesse Siffledeen is a leader in gastroenterology whose clinical innovation, research impact, and leadership have shaped patient care across Alberta and beyond.
Dr. Jesse Siffledeen is a highly regarded Inflammatory Bowel Disease specialist who has led the development of two new therapeutic standards of care. Through his clinical leadership, he has significantly reduced hospital admissions, surgical interventions, and inpatient stays for patients with IBD.
He is also the founding director of a community-based research unit that has become internationally recognized for its contributions to IBD clinical trials. Dr. Siffledeen currently leads 14 active trials and has published in high-impact journals including JAMA and The New England Journal of Medicine.
In addition to his research and clinical work, he serves as President of a provincial gastroenterology society, sits on multiple advisory boards and ethics committees, and contributes regularly to continuing education at provincial and national conferences.
Dr. Siffledeen is also a dedicated educator and mentor, known for his practical teaching and outstanding evaluations from medical learners across all stages.
Dr. Christopher Sikora has led major regional initiatives addressing public health challenges ranging from infectious disease management and Indigenous health to drug poisoning prevention. His clinical leadership helped guide the COVID-19 response, advised municipal and provincial governments, and supported coordination across multiple sectors, including the successful installation of suicide prevention barriers on a major city bridge.
He is also an influential educator and mentor, coordinating public health rotations, precepting medical trainees for nearly two decades, and presenting at over 40 academic and CME events across the country.
In research, Dr. Sikora has co-led impactful studies, including a wastewater surveillance project that influenced national pandemic response policies and resulted in publications in top-tier journals and a Royal Society of Canada report.
Beyond his academic and clinical contributions, Dr. Sikora has served in several senior health system leadership roles and was recently appointed to national committees shaping medical education and public health ethics in Canada.
