Dr Susan Nan-Hui Yao was born in Shanghai, China and grew up in Vancouver, Canada. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacology at the University of Toronto before moving back west to earn her Doctor of Medicine degree at the University of British Columbia. She is excited to head back east and looks forward to exploring the great Canadian outdoors while providing surgical care to Northern communities. She has a strong interest in both rural and global health, and is passionate about using technology to improve access to surgical care in underserved populations.

Outside of surgery, She loves traveling (22 countries and counting!), running, playing tennis and volleyball, snowboarding, dancing, crocheting, attending music festivals, and most recently learning how to cook!  

Dr Jalisa Kassam was born and raised in Edmonton Alberta. After briefly living in Atlanta Georgia for high school and undergrad, she moved home to Edmonton to complete her medical degree at the University of Alberta. She spent her final year in Grande Prairie, Alberta where she developed a deep appreciation for community general surgery and the broad scope of practice. Outside of surgery you can find Jalisa cheering for the Oilers, staying active through sports and exploring local cafes and restaurants. She also enjoys travelling,  and spending time with friends and family - especially with game nights!

Dr. Heather Wittick is a settler of Scottish heritage, born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba (Treaty 1). After completing a B.Sc. at University of Winnipeg (2015) and Masters of Physician Assistant (PA) Studies at the University of Manitoba (2017), Heather moved to northern Manitoba to work as a PA. During this time she affirmed her interest in medicine and subsequently applied to medicine at University of Manitoba. 

Heather is thrilled to call Thunder Bay her new home and join the team at NOSM! In her spare time Heather enjoys connecting with loved ones, biking, running, learning to DJ, and reading with her cat, Moneypenny.

Dr Kabeer Poonia grew up in Mission, BC and completed his bachelor's in biology at the University of Fraser Valley before completing medical school at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. He is very excited to be joining the NOSM general surgery team and exploring all that Northern Ontario has to offer. Outside of medicine, he enjoys hiking, playing sports (hockey, golf, skiing), camping, playing board games and spending time with friends and family.

Dr Alejandro Acuna Macouzet (Alex) was born and raised in Mexico City. He completed medical school at Universidad Anahuac and went on to train in general surgery. After finishing his residency, he moved to Canada in pursuit of new opportunities and challenges. Eager to continue learning and refining his skills, he was accepted into the General Surgery program at NOSM. Outside the operating room, he enjoys going to the gym, hiking, and playing video games.

​Dr. Abigale Kent grew up in the Sunshine City of Orillia, Ontario. She completed her bachelor’s degree in Applied Bio Molecular Sciences as well as a Master’s in Northern and Indigenous Health Sciences. She completed her medical school at NOSM U. Her third-year clerkship included eight months in Sioux Lookout as well as travel to several remote fly-in Indigenous communities across Northern Ontario.

Outside of Surgery, you will find her exploring new trails along Lake Superior or performing with her family band.

Dr. Kiran Singh was born in Cranbrook, British Columbia and grew up in Sarnia, Ontario. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences at Queen’s University before moving to Ireland to complete her medical degree at Trinity College Dublin. She is thrilled to return to her home province to join the NOSM U General Surgery program and looks forward to exploring and providing care in Northern Ontario.

In her spare time, Kiran enjoys swimming, hiking, travelling, reading, baking, and spending time with her family and two border collies.

Dr Ian Pierce grew up in Grimsby Ontario and completed his medical school in Monash University in Melbourne Australia, where half of his course was completed in rural and regional areas. He is now excited to join the NOSM U General Surgery program and has moved to Sudbury ON with his partner.

Outside of Surgery, he will be involved in his many out-door hobbies including hiking, snowboarding, mountain biking, stand up paddle-boarding, canoeing/kayaking, and cross country skiing.

Dr Vahid Mehrnoush completed his medical degree in Hormozgan University of Medical Science. He completed his MSc at UBC. He is now excited to join the NOSM U General Surgery program and has moved to Thunder Bay ON with his partner. Outside of Surgery, you will find him diving into a good book, writing poetic musings in Farsi, or strumming his guitar.

Dr Elise Maheux is from Sherbrooke but completed medical school in Quebec city. She is excited to be joining NOSM’s General surgery program. Outside of medecine, she enjoys being outdoors and praticing yoga. Family time is also precious; beside her parents she has 2 brothers, a dog Gaia and cat Celexa.

Born and raised in Quebec city, Dr. Raphaëlla Rosebush-Mercier completed her Doctor of Medicine Degree at Laval University in Quebec. She then welcomed the opportunity for a change of scenery to join the Northern Ontario School of Medicine’s General Surgery team of residents. Based in the bilingual city of Sudbury, her French speaking abilities would certainly come in handy and help provide inclusive care to all patients in the community.

Already out and about discovering Northern Ontario’s wonders, you can find her climbing, hiking, canoe camping and cross-country skiing during her free time. 

Dr. Ashmita Singh grew up in India, Libya and Canada! She completed her Bachelor's Degree in Physiology and Pharmacology at Western University and attended medical school at University of Toronto. Now, she is excited to call Thunderbay her new home. She is looking forward to being part of the NOSM General Surgery family, exploring and working in various communities in Northern Ontario.  Apart from surgery, Ashmita enjoys being outdoors, travelling, eating (yes! self declared foodie here), painting, crocheting, dancing and of course, spending time with her family and friends. 

Dr. Lydia Mychaltchouk hails from Montreal, Quebec. She holds a degree in Anatomy & Cell Biology from McGill and a degree in Anthropology with a focus in Ethnology from Université de Montréal. After working in research for several years, she attended medical school at McGill before joining us at NOSM as a PGY-1. Her interests include Trauma, Global Surgery and Sustainability. Outside the hospital, she is an avid reader (as evidenced by the extensive book collection she moved with her to Thunder Bay) and can also be found performing at the odd open mic when she is not on call.

Dr. Nurullah was born in the middle of the Sahara dessert in a small town called Al Kufra in Libya. She has lived in many countries, including Malta, Dubai, Bangladesh and then finally in Canada. She completed her undergrad at UBC, medical school at Dalhousie, and is now super excited to join the team at NOSM U to complete her surgical training. She has moved to Sudbury ON with her husband and daughter.

Outside of work her time is spent with her little family exploring all the outdoor activities here in Sudbury and Northern Ontario. 

Dr. Olajide hails from Nigeria and can recite definitions to all matters of hernias from Spigelian to Morgagni flawlessly. Surgery is natural for him and he knows that it is the specialty that will bring him career fulfillment and happiness. 

Dr. Jaime Wilson was born and raised in St. John’s Newfoundland where she completed both her Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Medical degree at Memorial University of Newfoundland. Jaime is very excited about joining the team at NOSM to complete her surgical training and further explore her interests in medical education and global health.

Outside of the OR Jaime loves to spend her free time swimming, dancing, and camping. She cannot wait to explore her new home in Northern Ontario!

Dr. Brynn Aucoin grew up in Grand Bay-Westfield, New Brunswick. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry at Mount Allison University in Sackville, NB before completing her medical degree at Dalhousie University’s New Brunswick campus. She is excited to complete her surgical training through NOSM and explore Northern Ontario.

In her spare time, Brynn enjoys camping, hiking, and skiing. She also enjoys team sports and has played soccer and field hockey for many years