Congratulations to Our New Residency and Fellowship Graduates

• Andrew Zakhari

• Suraya Saied Idriss
• Momina Zulfeen

• Mohamed Abdalla

• Ludmila Barcelos Porto

• Anna Blecher-Narbaev
• Mitchell Clark
• Julie Nguyen

• Ruth Ronn

• Nouf Alrowaily
• Eran Ashwal
• Harrison Banner
• Liran Hiersch
• Deirdre O'Connor
• Shiri Shinar

• Hala Gomaa
• Javier Mejia Gomez

• Courtney Jolliffe

• Alysha Nensi

• Dana Elborno

• Wendy Allen Davis
• Candice Chung
• Ernesto Figueiro Filho
• Homero Flores Mendoza

• Michal Dviri
• Jordana Mashiach

• Breffini Anglim

AAGL Current Graduate – Dr. Siddhi Mathur

Dr. Mathur is committed to MIS surgery and surgical education. She is particularly interested in surgical coaching, and has worked hard with our faculty and residents on this topic throughout her residency . She is an excellent surgeon already, and her upcoming MIS fellowship will provide her with the opportunity to become a leader in this field. Her calm and thoughtful leadership will be missed as she leaves residency.

AAGL Incoming PGY5 – Dr. Geoff Zeni

Dr. Zeni has been recognized by faculty and his peers as a skilled surgeon, especially laparoscopically. His recent surgical video was awarded the Best Video prize at CanSages. His surgical aptitude has encouraged him to consider an MIS fellowship in the future, an endeavour for which he is well suited.

Dr. Meghan Brown

Dr. Brown is being recognized by the staff at St. Michael's Hospital for demonstrating her incredible skills as chief resident. She is described as a great team leader who is respectful and patient, with excellent communication skills and a good bed side manner. She is known for looking after her colleagues, including her juniors. She is organized and a great teacher in the OR with good clinical and surgical judgement. The St. Mikes team was glad to have her!

Department of ObGyn Social Responsibility Award in Global Women's Health and Vulnerable Population

Dr. Rebecca Zur

Dr. Zur is desrcibed as having a beautiful and genuine passion for social issues. The hard work she puts into this area comes from a sincere place of wanting to help, and improve health and social outcomes for women. She always does this with humility - it is never about her.

Dr. Olga Kciuk

Dr. Kciuk has been described by her fellow residents as the "Pandemic Queen" due to her exemplary work during COVID-19. Her leadership during these uncertain times have greatly improved her colleagues' mental health and wellness, proving to be an amazing friend, colleague and leader. She has worked with the chief residents, the Residency Program Committee and PARO to ensure redeployment met the wellness needs of fellow residents, as well as developed a webpage with pandemic resources to assist in their academic, professional and personal lives. She is the ultimate advocate and her colleagues are very proud to have her as a part of the team!

Dr. Melissa Walker

Dr. Walker has been described by her fellow residents as a "blessing for the entire residency program". As a role model, mentor and teacher, Dr. Walker has taken the initiative in educating and assisting both medical students and residents in the program. She has been a constant emotional and clinical source of support for her colleagues, and has always encouraged others to reach their highest potential in obstetrics, gynaecology and research. Her calm, compassionate nature has proven to be a major contributor to the wellness of her colleagues, and they are so glad to have her on their team!

Dr. Siddhi Mathur

Dr. Mathur has been described as an extremely compassionate and empathetic person, both towards her colleagues and her patients. She goes the extra mile to ensure those around her feel heard and appreciated. Her compassionate nature is further complimented by her incredible clinical skills and unwavering professionalism. The dedication she shows to the health and wellness of her patients makes her a great role model in quality care and safety. Her colleagues are truly proud to have such an amazing mentor and advocate on their team.

PGY2

Dr. Anouk Benseler

Dr. Benseler has been described as "one of the smartest residents I have ever met". She is kind to patients and sets an excellent example for clerks, ensuring they have a positive learning environment. She demonstrates compassion and caring, and goes above and beyond with patients. Dr. Benseler has left medical students feeling inspired, motivated and excited to come to work.

Dr. Michal Sheinis

Dr. Sheinis has been described as "an absolutely EXCEPTIONAL resident in all ways a resident should be". Her teaching and mentoring style make trainees feel like valued members of the team, providing them with gentle guidance in their learning and a positive work environment to improve their medical skills and knowledge. Dr. Sheinis is not afraid to challenge her trainees to step outside their comfort zone and excel in tasks that are assigned to them. She also actively involves others in procedures that she herself is conducting, encouraging them to expand their skills in a hands-on way. Dr. Sheinis has left her trainees feeling heard and respected in the field.

PGY3

Dr. David Scholl

Dr. Scholl provides excellent patient care while prioritizing student learning. He is very approachable and actively involved in trainee education. Whenever possible, after seeing a patient Dr. Scholl takes the time to explain management principles and encourages students to practice their technical skills in a safe way. He is known for taking time to teach trainees on a variety of topics to ensure they get the most out of their education. Overall, Dr. Scholl is a dedicated and caring teacher who has made a great impact on trainees.

Dr. Azra Shivji

Dr. Shivji has been described as “an awesome teacher and a talented surgeon”. She takes the time to explain concepts and actively involves trainees in the care of patients, drawing their attention to interesting cases both on the ward and in triage. She has been described as knowledgeable and an effective communicator with a great attitude and approach to education. Medical students who have worked with Dr. Shivji feel that she is genuinely interested in their learning, and they thank her for her investment in their education.

PGY4

Dr. Rita Chuang

Dr. Chuang has been described as “one of the best residents I have come across during my ObGyn rotation". Empathetic and respectful towards patients, she is a role model for her trainees. Even when busy on rotation, she takes the time to answer every question, striving to understand individual goals to ensure the learning experience is a valuable one. She is a supportive and enthusiastic teacher who encourages discussion around course content, as well as work/life balance. Medical students appreciate her feedback and overall support in their education.

PGY5

Dr. Michael Chaikof

Dr. Chaikof has been described as an incredible teacher, a talented surgeon and a great role model. He demonstrates a commitment to the wellbeing of students, going out of his way to make them feel comfortable, and to create a supportive and helpful learning environment. Dr. Chaikof takes the time to explain concepts, as well as encourages trainees to think outside the box to reach their fullest potential. As one medical student noted, “he helped me gain confidence in myself as a clerk”.

North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynaecology's (NASPAG) Outstanding Resident Award

Dr. Meghan Brown

Dr. Brown is a very conscientious, caring and responsible resident. She shows remarkable empathy and strong commitment to patient population. She develops effective clinical relationships and successfully adapts her approach to paediatric care. She demonstrates the capacity to understand patient’s experience and is able to put patients at ease with her kindness, gentleness and nurturing approach to care. In addition, providers in other specialties and parents have expressed how impressed they were with Dr. Brown’s care. Her colleagues truly enjoyed having her as a part of their team.

Dr. Rebecca Zur

Dr. Zur has been described as diligent and committed to patient care with a sound knowledge base. Even with particularly difficult cases, Dr. Zur proves to be a strong and caring individual, managing situations in a mature and thoughtful way. Her colleagues are proud and have been happy to have her as an important part of their team.

Dr. Vishaal Gupta

Dr. Gupta has been chosen for this award by the staff at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre for his excellent skills in laparoscopic surgery and Minimally Invasive Surgery. The Sunnybrook staff were proud to have him as a part of their team. They wish him luck in the next chapter of his career!

Dr. Alisha Olsthoorn

Dr. Olsthoorn has been chosen for this award by the staff at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre for her excellent skills in vaginal surgery. The Sunnybrook staff were glad to have someone with her surgical skills on their team. They look forward to seeing where her career will take her next!

The University of Toronto Division of Gynaecologic Oncology Resident Award

Dr. Brenna Swift

Dr. Swift is described as an outstanding clinician and an excellent surgeon who clearly has strong surgical skills and intuition, as well as the clinical acumen to excel in the field of Gynecologic Oncology. Dr. Swift is intelligent, thoughtful, and a dedicated physician who provides compassionate care to patients and is well respected by colleagues. We look forward to her accomplishments in the years to come during her fellowship training.

CREOG National Faculty Award for Excellence in Resident Education

Dr. Nan Okun

Dr. Okun is receiving the Social Responsibility award for her tireless dedication to bring MFM training to Kenya; for always being thoughtful in her conduct; and for her collaborative and respectful leadership and approach. She is also involved in local initiatives supporting equity such as Canadian Doctors for Medicare.

The Neelam Sierra Resident Advocacy Award