Fall 2023 (Volume 33, Number 3)
Rising Star:
Dr. Alex Legge
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When I first received the invitation
to contribute to a “Rising
Stars in Rheumatology” issue
of CRAJ, I was initially very surprised
and honoured to be thought of in this regard.
However, as I sat down to put pen
to paper, I quickly became horrified at
the prospect of writing an article about
myself and my accomplishments. I plan
to discuss this further with my therapist.
This exercise has proven to be a wonderful
opportunity for reflection on my
long journey to becoming a rheumatologist
and all of the people without
whom my success would not have been
possible. If I am to be considered a rising
star, it is only because they have allowed
me to shine.
I have always been proud of my
humble beginnings, growing up in a
small town in rural Nova Scotia. Most of
the credit for my early academic success belongs to my parents
for their unwavering love and support throughout all
of my endeavours. It is a blessing that my father was able to
see me graduate from Dalhousie University’s medical school
at the top of my class, shortly before his untimely passing.
My mother continues to be my #1 fan and she is ecstatic that,
after many years of training, I finally have a “real job”.
My mother was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis
(RA) when I was a teenager. Therefore, I entered medical
school with the uncommon knowledge that rheumatology
was, in fact, a real medical subspecialty, and not just a made-up
word. This led me to pursue a first-year elective in rheumatology
with a preceptor named Dr. Trudy Taylor. I could
not have asked for a better role model to introduce me to the
specialty — I wanted to be just like Dr. Taylor. Many years
later, nothing has changed!
During medical school, I developed an interest in clinical
research and, as I was preparing to start my residency
training in Halifax, I was introduced to a potential research
supervisor named Dr. John Hanly. Nearly ten years later, I
continue to benefit from his mentorship. He has provided
me with countless research opportunities, including supervising
my Master’s thesis in Community Health & Epidemiology,
for which I was awarded the Governor General’s Medal
in the Natural Sciences & Engineering by our institution. It
is a tremendous honour and privilege that he has entrusted
me to lead the Dalhousie Lupus Clinic and oversee the
Dalhousie Lupus Clinic Registry following his retirement
from clinical practice last year. Luckily for me, he remains
responsive to emails and available for Zoom calls even in
his retirement.
I have been fortunate to continue to
collect wonderful mentors throughout
my training. During my rheumatology
residency in Halifax, Dr. Volodko
Bakowsky supervised my longitudinal
clinic, and this is where I really discovered
my passion for mysterious clinical
cases. Last but not least, I am so glad that I finally parted
ways with the East Coast, if only for one year, to complete
a research fellowship in Vancouver with Dr. Diane Lacaille,
who has taught me so much.
Transitioning to practice is a challenge, and I tend to focus
on all of my shortcomings. Writing this article has given
me a chance to reflect on the successes of my first year in
clinical practice. Highlights include establishing an Arthritis
Research Canada centre in Halifax, becoming a full member
of the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics
(SLICC), and traveling to South Korea to speak at the 2023
International Congress on SLE. With the help of some amazing
research coordinators, our research program continues
to thrive, with ongoing projects in neuropsychiatric lupus
and investigating the impact of frailty on people living with
rheumatic diseases.
I remain indebted to the individuals mentioned above
for their ongoing support of my career, and I would be remiss
if I did not mention my wonderfully supportive husband
Davor and our Bernese Mountain Dog “Poppy”, who
fill my time away from work with so much joy.
It turns out that writing about myself was not as painful
as I thought it would be. I wonder what my therapist will say
about that.
Alexandra Legge, MD, MSc, FRCPC
Assistant Professor, Division of Rheumatology,
Department of Medicine
Dalhousie University
Halifax, Nova Scotia
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