Division of Hematology & Thromboembolism

Trainees' Profiles

Many trainees who have completed residency training at McMaster go on to the McMaster Clinician Investigator program. This Royal College Certified program provides advanced training as a platform for Clinician-Researchers while they are completing their research training at McMaster.
 

Graduating
Year

 

2002

  

 
Dr. Howard Chan
Dr. Chan completed his residency training program in Hematology in June 2002. Dr. Chan was a fellow in the Transfusion Medicine Program and received his MSc in Medical Science in 2006. He is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hematology and Thromboembolism.
 
Dr. Sindu Kanjeekal
Dr. Kanjeekal completed her residency training program in Hematology in June 2002 and then undertook an additional year of training in Medical Oncology in Ottawa, Ontario. She is currently in clinical practice in Windsor.

2003

  
 

Dr. Donald Arnold
Dr. Arnold trained in Internal Medicine in Montreal, Canada before moving to McMaster University. Dr. Arnold completed his residency training in Hematology in June 2003, undertook a Fellowship sponsored by the Canadian Blood Services while enrolled in the Clinician Investigator Program, and completed the Masters Program in Health Research Methodology at McMaster University. He is now an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hematology and Thromboembolism and is involved in platelet disorders research. In 2008, Dr. Arnold was appointed Program Director for the Transfusion Medicine Residency Program and serves as the Mentorship Coordinator for the Hematology Residency Program.

 
Dr. Graeme Fraser
Dr. Fraser trained in Internal Medicine in London, Ontario before moving to McMaster to complete his residency training in Hematology. Dr. Fraser completed his residency training in Hematology in June 2003 and undertook a Fellowship sponsored by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research under the supervision of Dr. Ronan Foley. Dr. Fraser completed the Masters Program in Health Research Methodology while enrolled in the Clinician Investigator Program. He is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hematology and Thromboembolism. His research is focused on clinical trials testing novel dendritic cell-based cancer vaccines to treat patients with hematologic malignancies, specifically chronic lymphocytic leukemia. He is also involved in the development of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines, through the Cancer Care Ontario Practice Guidelines Initiative, Hematology Disease Site Group.
 

Dr. Wendy Lim
Dr. Lim trained in Internal Medicine in Toronto, Canada before moving to McMaster to complete her residency training in Hematology. Dr. Lim completed her residency training in Hematology in June 2003 and completed a Fellowship under the supervision of Dr. Deborah Cook and Mark Crowther. Dr. Lim received her Masters of Health Research Methodology while enrolled in the Clinician Investigator Program. Dr. Lim’s research interests include thrombotic disease and anticoagulant use in patients with renal insufficiency, and the significance of elevated cardiac troponin in critically ill patients. She is also interested in systematic review and meta-analysis methodology. She is currently an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hematology and Thromboembolism.

 
Dr. Ahmed Al-Sagheir
Dr. Al-Sagheir trained in Internal Medicine in Winnipeg, Canada before moving to McMaster to complete his residency training in Hematology. Dr. Al-Sagheir completed his residency training in Hematology in June 2003 and undertook a Fellowship sponsored by the Saudi Cultural Mission. Dr. Al-Sagheir practices Clinical Hematology-Oncology in Saudi Arabia.

2004

  
 
Dr. Blair Ernst
Dr. Ernst trained in Internal Medicine in Kingston, Canada before moving to McMaster to complete his residency training in Hematology. Dr. Ernst completed his residency training in Hematology in June 2004 and currently practices in Mississauga.

2005

  
 

Dr. Lisa Christjanson
Dr. Christjanson trained in Internal Medicine in Hamilton before beginning residency training in Hematology in July 2003. Dr. Christjanson completed a one year Clinical Fellowship in Hematology following completion of her residency and is now in clinical practice in Burlington.

Dr. Fat hia Al-Qurashi
Dr. Al-Qurashi is a resident of Riyad, Saudi Arabia who completed a one year fellowship focusing on Coagulation and Thromboembolism.Dr. Al-Qurashi completed a Clinical Fellowship in Oncology in British Columbia and has returned to practice in Saudi Arabia.

2006

  
 

Dr. Gregory Lo
Dr. Lo trained at McMaster University in Internal Medicine prior to starting his Hematology Residency at McMaster in July 2004. Dr. Lo undertook further training in Medical Oncology following completion of his Hematology training. He is now working in Oshawa.

Dr. Roseann Andreou
Dr. Andreou trained in Internal Medicine at the University of Western Ontario prior to starting a Hematology Residency at McMaster in July 2004. Dr. Andreou undertook a one year Clinical Fellowship in Thrombosis at the Henderson Hospital following her completion of her Hematology training. She now has a practice in Toronto.
Dr. Koushi Paramsothy
Dr. Paramsothy trained in Internal Medicine at the University of Ottawa prior to starting her Hematology Residency at McMaster in July 2004. She is in clinical practice in Oshawa.
Dr. Mona Al-Rasheed
Dr. Al-Rasheed trained in Internal Medicine at the University of Toronto; she began her Hematology residency at McMaster in November 2004. After completing her training at the end of October 2006, Dr. Al-Rasheed returned to Kuwait.

Dr. Henry Ddungu
Dr. Henry Ddungu is an Internist from Kampala, Uganda who was at McMaster University as part of an outreach program sponsored by the Sisters of St Joseph and the Ugandan Ministry of Health. Dr. Ddungu undertook an intensive 12 month training program in Hematology and is currently in clinical practice in Kampala, Uganda. He has maintained close ties with our program and is a Visiting Professor.

2007

  
 

Dr. Ali Mullah Ali
Dr. Mullah Ali is a Pediatric Hematology trainee. Between July 2004 and June 2005, Dr. Mullah Ali undertook the PGY-4 year rotations in Hematology, which are common between the Adult and Pediatric training programs. He has returned home to clinical practice.
Dr. Elianna Saidenberg
Dr. Saidenberg began her Hematology residency training at McMaster in January 2006 after completing her Internal Medicine Residency at McMaster University in 2005. Following her Hematology residency, Dr. Saidenberg transferred to Ottawa to complete her Transfusion Medicine Residency. She has a obtained a position at the Ottawa Hospital.

Dr. Ahmad Al Rustamani
A resident of the United Arab Emirates, Dr. Al Rustamani began his Hematology training at McMaster in July 2005. After completing his residency, Dr. Al-Rushtamai undertook an additional six months of training in malignant hematology before returning home to Dubai.

2008

  
  Dr. Elizabeth Krakow
Dr. Krakow began her Hematology residency in July 2006 after completing her Internal Medicine training at Duke University. During her second year as a Hematology resident, Dr. Krakow was awarded 1st prize in the Clinical Poster category at the Department of Medicine’s Annual Resident Research Day. She enrolled in the Clinician Investigator Program and pursued her MSc in Medical Sciences following completion of her residency. She has accepted a fellowship in bone marrow transplantation in Montreal.
Dr. Cynthia Wu
After completing her residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Alberta in 2006, Dr. Wu transferred to McMaster University for her Hematology training. Dr. Wu was awarded 3rd prize for her original research at the Department of Medicine’s Annual Resident Research Day in 2007. She is currently a Clinical Scholar in Thromboembolism. Following completion of her fellowship in Thromboembolism, she will assume a faculty position at the University of Alberta.
Dr. Khalid Al Saleh
Dr. Al Saleh began his Hematology residency in July 2006 after completing his Internal Medicine training at McMaster University. Following his Hematology residency, Dr. Al Saleh accepted a position in the Medical Oncology training program at McMaster University. He will be starting a combined clinical fellowship in lung cancer and lymphoma at the Juravinski Cancer Centre in Hamilton. Dr. Al-Saleh is enrolled in the Clinician Investigator Program and the MSc Health Research Methodology Program at McMaster University. His research interests are role of transplant in lymphomas especially low grades, using clinical markers to predict outcome in malignancy and exploring cost effectiveness of new targeted treatment in cancer therapy.
Dr. Hani Al Hashmi
Dr. Al Hashmi trained in Internal Medicine at the University of Western Ontario prior to his Hematology residency. Following his Hematology residency, Dr. Al-Hashmi transferred to the University of Calgary for additional training in transplantation.

2009

  
 

Dr. Irwin Sandhu
Dr. Sandhu began his Hematology residency in July 2007 following successful completion of his Internal Medicine residency at the University of British Columbia. Following his Hematology residency, he obtained a faculty position in Edmonton. 

 

Dr. Madeleine Verhovsek
Dr. Verhovsek entered the Hematology Residency Program after completing her Internal Medicine training at McMaster University. In 2008, Dr. Verhovsek was awarded 2nd prize at the Department of Medicine’s Resident Research Day and a PSI Foundation Resident Prize. Following completion of her Hematology training, Dr. Verhovsek will obtain additional training in hemoglobinopathies at Boston University.

2010

  
 

Dr. Sadiya Kukaswadia
Dr. Kuksaswadia entered the Hematology Residency Program from the Internal Medicine Program at McMaster University in 2008. After completion of her Hematology residency, she plans a career in community hematology.
 

Dr. Blair Leonard
Dr. Leonard is a graduate of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at McMaster University.
 

Dr. Christopher Sharpe
After completing his residency in Internal Medicine at Dalhousie University in 2008, Dr. Sharpe transferred to McMaster University for his Hematology training. He plans to return to Newfoundland following his Hematology residency.
 

Dr. Musa Waiswa
Dr. Waiswa is an Internist who graduated from Mbarara University in Uganda. He is pursuing a modified Hematology residency at McMaster University as part of an outreach program sponsored by the Sisters of St Joseph and the Ugandan Ministry of Health.

2011

  
 

Dr. Kylie Lepic
Dr. Lepic entered the Hematology Residency Program from the Internal Medicine Program at McMaster University in 2009.

 

Dr. Andrea Lee
Dr. Lee commenced her Hematology Residency at McMaster University in 2009, following completion of her residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Western Ontario.
 

Dr. Vinai Bhagirath
After completing his residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Western Ontario in 2009, Dr. Bhagirath transferred to McMaster University for his Hematology training.