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Meet our experts

Learn more about our clinical and research specialties by speaking with one of our experts:

To arrange an interview with one of our experts, please contact Audrey Kim, Advisor, Media Relations & Strategic Communications, at 416-226-6780 ext. 7089 or akim@stjohnsrehab.com.

 

Siobhan Donaghy, BSc (OT), OT Reg (Ont.), MSc (RS) (candidate)
Professional Practice Leader - Occupational Therapy

Ms. Donaghy has nearly 20 years of experience in Occupational Therapy with a special interest in neurological rehabilitation. In her role as Professional Practice Leader for Occupational Therapy, Ms. Donaghy advances clinical practice, professional competence and inter-professional education initiatives. At St. John’s Rehab Hospital, Ms. Donaghy has developed and implemented invaluable inter-professional decision-making tools to support hospital policies on topics such as safe patient lifts and transfers as well as consent to treatment.

Ms. Donaghy is an instructor at the University of Toronto in the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, as well as a peer assessor for the quality assurance program at the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario.

She has a B.Sc. in Occupational Therapy from the University of Toronto and is currently working on her Masters in Rehabilitation Science at McMaster University.

Areas of interest include:

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Dr. Joel Fish, MD, MSc, FRCS(C)
Plastic Surgeon, burn and electrical injury specialist

Dr. Joel Fish is an international expert in plastic surgery for survivors of severe burns and traumatic injuries. He is also the Medical Director of St. John’s Rehab’s specialized Burn Rehabilitation Program – the only one of its kind in Ontario. In 2003, he launched the hospital’s Electrical Injury Program, the only rehab program in Canada that works clinically and publishes research about electrical injuries. He is also the Medical Director of the Workplace Safety Insurance Board Specialty Burn Clinic.

Dr. Fish's research and investigation work includes the development of best-practice in burn rehabilitation, tissue engineering, electrical injuries, and patient safety reporting. His current research in burn treatment involves development of a Near Infra Red Light Probe to detect changes in burn wound depth in collaboration with the National Research Council of Canada in Winnipeg.

He has been involved on numerous hospital, association and government planning panels for traumatic and burn injuries, and has been a strong advocate for burn safety and prevention. His work has been published in six books and 45 peer-reviewed journals, and he has also made over 60 presentations at hospitals and universities throughout the world.

From 1996 – 2008, Dr. Fish served as Director of the Ross Tilley Burn Centre at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and the former Wellesley Hospital. Dr. Fish was Chief Medical Officer of St. John’s Rehab Hospital from 2008 – 2010.

In addition to his role at St. John's Rehab Hospital, Dr. Fish is currently the Medical Director of the Burn Program at the Hospital for Sick Children, and holds an Associate Professorship at the University of Toronto.

Areas of interest include:

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Dr. Manuel Gomez, MD, MSc
Director of Research

Dr. Gomez was appointed as Director of Research at St. John’s Rehab Hospital in 2008. As the hospital’s first Director of Research, Dr. Gomez has launched a progressive research program that aims to rebuild lives through innovative rehab care.

Under Dr. Gomez’s leadership, the St. John’s Rehab research program conducts in-depth, innovative research in the hospital’s rehab specialties such as recovery from organ transplants, burns, amputations, strokes and neurological conditions. Within the program’s first year, a study examining the relationship between the Nintendo Wii® and rehabilitation received national and international prominence.

Dr. Gomez's experience includes five years in clinical research at Toronto Western Hospital, 13 years at the Ross Tilley Burn Centre and an appointment as an Associate Scientist for Trauma Research at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.

Dr. Gomez is an Assistant Professor in the Plastic Surgery Division of the University of Toronto. He also has numerous peer-reviewed publications focusing on burn research.

Dr. Gomez obtained his medical degree from the University of Cauca, Colombia and his General Surgery Specialist degree from the Central University of Venezuela. He obtained both a Certificate in Community Health and a Master of Science degree from the University of Toronto.

Areas of interest include:

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Vida Hofmann, BSc (Hons.) Biochemistry, BSc Pharmacy
Director of Pharmacy, Infection Control and Lab/Diagnositcs

A registered pharmacist, Ms. Hofmann joined St. John’s Rehab Hospital in 2007 with significant experience in pharmacy management and clinical practice in different health care settings. As Director of Pharmacy Services, Infection Prevention and Control, Lab and Diagnostics, Ms. Hofmann provides leadership and expertise in advancing pharmacy services at the hospital. Committed to patient safety and providing the highest quality of pharmaceutical care available, she practices a philosophy of collaborative and interdisciplinary care. She has developed and implemented several initiatives to support patient safety, including integrating best practices in hand hygiene and the hospital’s falls prevention program.

Ms. Hofmann obtained a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Biochemistry and a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the University of Toronto. She specializes in pharmacy services for oncology, diabetes, cardiovascular care, anticoagulation management and psychiatry. Ms. Hofmann is also a member of the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists and the American Society of Health Systems Pharmacists.

Areas of interest within pharmacy services:

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Jennifer Shaffer, PT, BSc (PT), BSc, MSc (RS) (candidate)
Professional Practice Leader - Physiotherapy

As Physiotherapy Professional Practice Leader at St. John’s Rehab Hospital, Ms. Shaffer provides leadership to the advancement of physiotherapy clinical practice and professional excellence. She has over 12 years of clinical physiotherapy experience in the inpatient rehabilitation setting with a focus on orthopedics, multiple trauma and burns.

Ms. Shaffer joined St. John’s Rehab Hospital in 1995 as a staff physiotherapist in the orthopedic program. In 1997, she moved to the trauma and complex care program where she gained a wide range of experience working with burns, oncology, transplants, and other complex care patients. Currently, Ms. Shaffer is involved in an innovative research project which explores the therapeutic effects of the Nintendo Wii® in rehabilitation.

Ms. Shaffer has a B.Sc. in Chemistry, a B.Sc. in Physiotherapy from the University of Western Ontario and is currently working on her Masters in Rehabilitation Science at McMaster University. She is a member of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association.

Areas of interest include:

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Sara McEwen, PT, BSc (PT), MSc (RS), PhD (RS)
Research Scientist

Dr. McEwen is a physiotherapist and a rehabilitation scientist. Broadly, she is interested in investigating long-term meaningful outcomes in people living with chronic conditions. Her specific interests include exploring the links among cognition, motivation, and motor skill acquisition, and facilitating knowledge exchange between front-line health professionals and researchers.

Dr. McEwen joined St. John’s Rehab Hospital in 2010 as a research scientist. She also holds appointments as an Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, and a Research Associate with the Cognitive Rehabilitation Research Group, Washington University, St. Louis. Her current projects include a Phase II randomized controlled trial to investigate the efficacy of combined task-specific and cognitive-strategy training in people with sub acute stroke, as well as exploratory cancer rehabilitation work.

She obtained her B.Sc. in Physical Therapy and M.Sc. in Rehabilitation Science from McGill University, and PhD in Rehabilitation Science from the University of Toronto. In addition to her role as a researcher, Dr. McEwen has worked as a clinical physical therapist, educator, and project coordinator.

Areas of interest include:

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