Becoming a psychiatrist wasn’t always the obvious choice for Dr. Sarah Brandigampola. Interested in the arts from an early age, her passion for psychiatry emerged after a chance rotation during medical school. Today, she’s a psychiatrist in The Ottawa Hospital’s offsite On Track program for people experiencing early symptoms of psychosis, and she’s part of… Continue Reading Changing the narrative around psychosis

For many people, visits to the hospital are few and far between. But for others, trips to the hospital are much more regular. This is certainly the case for the patients with kidney disease that nurse Robin Laird works with at The Ottawa Hospital’s Riverside Campus Nephrology Clinic. Having worked in the unit for more… Continue Reading Dealing in dialysis since 1986: meet nephrology nurse Robin Laird

It was only a glimpse she caught, standing on the side of the Trans-Canada Highway as it curved along Lake Superior, but since then, Terry Fox has remained a source of inspiration for Dr. Rebecca Auer. His vision and determination helped motivate her to where she is today — an award-winning cancer clinician-scientist. Dr. Auer… Continue Reading From Terry Fox to Bruce Springsteen — this cancer researcher was “Born to Run”

Dr. Shawn Aaron never intended to go into research. Early in his career, the respirologist — a doctor who specializes in lung disease — saw his future as working directly with patients. But after falling in love with research at The Ottawa Hospital, Dr. Aaron became a senior scientist working at the intersection of research… Continue Reading Peaking early, early detection, and research as a team sport

Dr. Alvin Tieu has been driven to make a difference for patients since the start of his academic career. From an early interest in the scientific method to a realization that research has a tangible impact on patients, Dr. Tieu’s journey has been shaped by how he can help others.  After an undergraduate and master’s… Continue Reading The big bang and tiny particles

Dr. Colleen Webber didn’t always want to go into healthcare, and especially not into research. But after a placement in her masters, she fell in love with the process of looking for answers to life’s big questions. With two master of science degrees — one in occupational therapy and the other in epidemiology — and… Continue Reading Finding answers and asking the right questions

From clinician to researcher to administrator — Dr. Melissa Forgie’s career touches just about every area of healthcare as we know it. She’s treated patients, conducted practice-changing research, and now, as Vice President of Medical Education at The Ottawa Hospital, Dr. Forgie is shaping the next generation of healthcare providers. Continue Reading Wrangling research and smashing glass ceilings — meet Dr. Melissa Forgie, medical education icon

The former Chief of Orthopaedic Surgery at The Ottawa Hospital (2015-2021) has spent his career refining and redefining this art — specializing in the preservation and replacement of hips while maximizing patient outcomes. Continue Reading From Naval Officer to award-winning researcher: meet orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Paul E. Beaulé

When someone arrives to The Ottawa Hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU), saving their life is the number one priority. But that’s just the first step. A comprehensive team of physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals team up to help patients not just survive but also thrive. Michelle Cummings plays a critical role in helping make… Continue Reading A sprained ankle, ABBA, and hitting inanimate objects