Chief Residents
Meet our Resident Leaders
Dr. Adam Fogel, Chief Resident, Department of Family Medicine
Where were you born and raised?
I was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. I immigrated to Canada when I was 4 years old and was raised in Thornhill, Ontario.
Where do you practice medicine and in what scope?
I am currently a second year Family Medicine Resident. My home site is Victoria Family Medicine Centre. My main preceptor is the amazing Dr. Anna Pawelec-Brzychczy.
What are your research interests?
Most of my research interests are in health informatics and quality improvement in health systems and technology. My current research interests are more specifically focused around emergency medicine.
Why did you choose to pursue Postgraduate degree in the Department of Family Medicine at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry?
I chose the Department of Family Medicine at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry as my training centre because I enjoyed the program layout and even more importantly the people who make up the staff, faculty, and residents. I came to Western as an elective student and had an excellent experience which helped sell me on completing my training here at Western. I wanted a program that was both well put together but also had flexibility for me to grow as a person and resident. Western was an obvious choice for me.
Can you tell me about your experience in the program?
I have had an outstanding experience in my Family Medicine program. I have had the opportunity to explore the breadth of medicine in a fantastic learning environment. I am privileged to be at a great training site with an excellent preceptor and 4 other outstanding physicians with whom I have worked closely. All of them have helped shape my experience in the program. I enjoyed the flexibility in the program to pursue my academic and professional interests.
What has been your greatest challenge?
The greatest challenge for me was learning a new health system. I trained in Ottawa for medical school and was very familiar with the processes and resources available within the community. When I came to London it was a steep learning curve to become familiar with our local health system. I was fortunate enough to overcome this challenge with the help of time and a great preceptor. I have tried to make things easier for my colleagues by creating a website that assists them in finding London’s local resources and physicians (check it out https://londonreferral.com)
What has been your greatest experience to date in your study/practice/research?
I find it hard to pinpoint one particular experience. That being said I find one of the most rewarding parts of being a Family Medicine Resident is building a long term relationship with your patients and the people with whom you work on a daily basis. Being responsible for a patient roster is one of the best learning experiences that I have been afforded as a resident.
What inspires you in your work?
The patients and the people with whom I work on a daily basis inspire me in my adventure of medicine. Every day is a new and exciting day with a ton of learning involved. Every day I make a difference in someone’s life – big or small – and it always inspires me to keep learning and advocating for my patients.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In 10 years I hope to continue on my path to being a physician leader. I see myself as a family medicine physician also practicing in the emergency department. I see myself leading a department and hopefully one day a healthcare organization that provides excellent compassionate care to patients and their families.
What special interests or hobbies do you have?
I really enjoy working with and helping animals in need. I am a longtime volunteer in the dog rescue world (specifically Chihuahuas). Apart from that I enjoy watching movies and seeing friends.
What three words best describe you?
Leader, compassionate, logical
Dr. Peter Chehade, Chief Resident, Department of Family Medicine
Tell me a bit about yourself.
I am a PGY2 family medicine resident here at Western. My main hobbies are soccer, working out, and watching movies. My favourite TV show is Game of Thrones (I'm obsessed). In my spare time I also like to hang out with friends and go hiking.
Where were you born and raised?
I was born in raised in London, Ontario.
Where do you practice medicine and in what scope?
I am currently a resident at Mount Brydges, where I work in a family medicine clinic, ER shifts, nursing home, and some palliative care duties.
What are your research interests?
I am currently doing a Quality Improvement project in osteoporosis screening in men over the age of 65. Otherwise I have no particular research interests.
Why did you choose to pursue Postgraduate degree in the Department of Family Medicine at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry?
I chose family medicine because I believe it best fits my lifestyle and interests. It’s a very open field, and there are so many different paths that you can branch off from. I love having a wide spectrum of knowledge in many aspects of medicine. I was also enticed by the thought of really getting to know my patients, and being able to help them throughout their lifetime.
Can you tell me about your experience in the program?
My experience in this program has been very positive. Working alongside many different doctors in a variety of environments has really helped me gain knowledge, and have a view of what my future could look like. Each day I learn something new and get to experience what daily life looks like in the working field of family medicine. I’ve had the chance to meet many amazing individuals who inspire me to be the best family doctor I can.
What has been your greatest challenge?
My biggest challenge has been finding the right balance between work, study, and leisure. The two years of residency go by very quickly and it is important to learn as much as we can. This can be challenging especially when we are changing blocks every four weeks, to a completely different field each time. It takes time to get up to speed with the new surroundings and often takes several hours of studying to become proficient. This can sometimes take a toll on balancing personal life and recreational activities outside of family medicine.
What has been your greatest experience to date in your study?
My greatest experience has been my time at Mount Brydges family medicine clinic. The staff are awesome, and there is a real family-like environment where I feel very comfortable. Also, seeing patients on my own and reviewing with staff only if needed was a great difference between being a medical student and resident, and it allowed me to develop confidence quite quickly.
What inspires you in your work?
The thing that inspires me most in my work, is seeing positive changes and results in patients. It’s a good feeling to know you are helping people physically and mentally. I am also inspired by receiving positive feedback from patients, as well as the people I work with.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In 10 years I hope to be in a stable working environment, either owning my own practice or in a family medicine clinic. I could also see myself working in a Nursing Home part time, perhaps half a day per week.
What special interests or hobbies do you have?
One of my main interests is soccer. I love watching the sport (especially FC Barcelona) as well as playing it. In my spare time I like to be active, spend time out side, and watch movies. I love to travel, especially going to places with lots of history and good food.
What three words best describe you?
- Outgoing
- Dedicated
- Respectful
Dr. Dema Kadri, Chief Resident, Department of Family Medicine
Where were you born and raised?
I was born and raised in Windsor Ontario, the Southern most city in Canada.
Where do you practice medicine and in what scope?
I am a resident at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry Windsor Site.
What are your research interests?
I am interested in mentorship and medical education, as well as resident and physician wellness. I am not very involved in extra research apart from my QI project which has to do with annual health exams in the 6-17 year old age group. Though I believe that research in Medicine is very important.
Why did you choose to pursue Postgraduate degree in the Department of Family Medicine at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry?
I did my medical school training through Schulich School of Medicine Windsor Campus. When it was time to choose a residency program staying at Schulich was a no brainer and the fact that I could continue my training in Windsor, Ontario, was even better. Schulich has excellent faculty and a great community environment that fosters collegiality. The added bonus is that I am able to continue to train in a community that has given me so much and invested into my learning. Hopefully I can give back to the community by providing care and teaching future medical trainees.
Can you tell me about your experience in the program?
My experience as a resident at Schulich Medicine has been fantastic! I have been able to interact with the amazing preceptors and continue to learn and grow as a physician and a medical educator. I have been able to mentor medical students and other residents. Furthermore I have some of the most fantastic co-residents that are so bright and full of life and all around great individuals that I am proud to call my colleagues.
What has been your greatest challenge?
The greatest challenge I have found in medicine is that there are so many amazing opportunities to work in fields that are interesting to me that it can sometimes become overwhelming. Its important to learn to balance things that are important to us.
What has been your greatest experience to date in your study?
My greatest experiences have been interacting with patients. I have learned through patient care that patients are so strong and insightful and we can learn so much from our patients by listening to them. They have such amazing lives and stories that extend far beyond our exam room walls, that extend years beyond the time we are seeing them. By listening to patients we can learn about ourselves, we can learn more about medicine, but most importantly we learn more about the person we are treating so that we can cater each treatment plan to them, their life goals, their family situation.
What inspires you in your work?
I LOVE to speak with individuals of different ages, stages of life, and life situations and I really enjoy helping others and to me medicine has allowed me to do both in the most fulfilling way possible. Its an amazing career where I will be able to constantly grow and change and gain new skills and that is so exciting to me. I am inspired by my patients and their stories, their successes, their struggles and being able to help them through it all. I am inspired by my community and the hard working individuals I have encountered who are so enthusiastic and innovative, they inspire me to work harder.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In 10 years I hope to be practicing comprehensive Family Medicine. I see myself teaching and mentoring medical students and residents and giving back to my community and being involved in community initiatives.
What special interests or hobbies do you have?
I enjoy baking and often test out my recipes on my colleagues, and they always eat it (even when I decide to substitute regular flour for quinoa flour… a tip I would not recommend). I also love to travel and experience new cultures and languages ( but I am a very picky eater so don’t ask me for food recommendations). I enjoy rollerblading and I dabble in online shopping, and am the self proclaimed best amazon.com customer. If it exists on amazon.com I have probably found it and may or may not have purchased it.
What three words best describe you?
Dedicated, Fun, Laughs-at-own-jokes, Hardworking ( I know this is 4 but one is not a word…)
