Earlier this month, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital’s developmental subspecialty pediatrics residency and fellowship program, in partnership with University of Toronto’s Division of Developmental Paediatrics, held a special graduation ceremony for two of its residents. Taking place in the hospital’s Spiral Garden, Dr. Ayedh Alhajri and Dr. Madison Links were celebrated by a group of about 30 attendees including physicians, supervisors and family members.

 

Dr. Alhajri will return to his home country of Kuwait now that his training has been completed, to become the country’s first academic developmental pediatrician. He will also join the College of Medicine at Kuwait University as an assistant professor.

Dr. Links completed her undergraduate medical training at McMaster University and pediatric residency at Western University. As the lead resident for the program this past year, she was an advocate and spokesperson for her peers.

“To our graduates, Dr. Madison Links and Dr. Ayed Alhajri, you have made us incredibly proud,” says Dr. Golda Milo-Manson, vice president of medicine and academic affairs. “As ambassadors of this program, you are expanding the field of developmental pediatrics with your passion and commitment. You are also extending the reach of this important field to support more children and youth with disabilities and developmental differences. We hope that you take a part of Holland Bloorview wherever you go.”

During the evening ceremony, the Division of Developmental Paediatrics Faculty Teaching Awards were also presented to Drs. Alysha Ladha and Shannon Knights.

Building capacity

In Canada, there are 75 developmental pediatricians for every 100,000 children living with disabilities and developmental differences.

To address this acute shortage, Holland Bloorview has been training the next generation of developmental paediatricians through its subspecialty residency and fellowship program in partnership with U of T over the past two decades. Residents and fellows from across the country and internationally are enrolled in the two-year training program where they complete their core training rotations at Holland Bloorview as well as at other community sites. 

And thanks to a generous gift from The Slaight Family Foundation, the hospital will double its capacity to train developmental pediatricians to support the development and wellbeing of some of Canada’s – and the world’s – most medically and developmentally complex children and youth.

Both residents will join other esteemed alumni from the program, including Dr. Angela Orsino, program director and developmental pediatrician.

 “Our young graduates are joining the ranks of pediatric disability health-care leaders who are helping to transform pediatric care through research, teaching and learning, here at Holland Bloorview and beyond our walls,” says Dr. Orsino. “Congratulations to our graduates and to our award winners!”