Summer 2025 (Volume 35, Number 2)

News from Newfoundland & Labrador

By Dr. Natalia Pittman

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Newfoundland Rheumatology Retreat 2023.
(Photo Credit: Dr. Paul Dancey)

We’ve had a few big changes in rheumatology in Newfoundland (NL) over the past few years. Dr. Sean Hamilton is now enjoying more travel and visiting his grandchildren since his retirement two years ago. His contributions to rheumatology in Newfoundland over the decades have certainly left a lasting impression.

Dr. Shaina Goudie and Dr. Natalia Pittman have a very busy community practice. Dr. Majed Khraishi has a part-time practice in the community. We have two hospital-based physicians,
Dr. Sam Aseer and Dr. Proton Rahman, and
Dr. Paul Dancey who is kept busy as our pediatric rheumatologist for the province.

There are some new additions to our group including Dr. Kristina Roche, our newest community rheumatologist, and Dr. Amjid Rashid, who came all the way from the UK and is hospital-based.

We have had two Newfoundland rheumatology retreats in 2023 and 2024 with a very interesting talk by Dr. Hamilton about the history of rheumatology in NL. We also had some excellent guest speakers. These events were very special as we don’t get all the rheumatologists in the province in one room very often!

We still face many challenges including long waitlists, increased administrative burden, and limited access to primary care, making specialty care more demanding. Despite this, we are happy to report that rheumatology in Newfoundland is continuing to grow.

Natalia Pittman, MD, FRCPC
Rheumatologist,
Grace Medical Specialists
St. John’s, Newfoundland