Dr. Alhatmi was born and raised in Ibri, Oman, and earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from the National University of Science and Technology in Oman. In 2020, she was honored with the Community Service Award for her outstanding contributions to extracurricular activities and community service.
Demonstrating strong leadership skills, Dr. Alhatmi was elected Student Council President and representative during her medical studies. One of her notable initiatives was organizing TEDxNUScitech, reflecting her commitment to innovation and public engagement. As an active member and certified trainer of the International Federation of Medical Students' Associations (IFMSA), she made significant contributions to the development of her peers in the medical community.
Her interest in neurosurgery was further solidified through electives and clinical rotations, where she gained a better understanding of the field. She was later granted a scholarship to begin her residency at the University of British Columbia (UBC).
In her free time, she enjoys spending quality time with family and friends, practicing yoga, traveling to embrace new cultures and experiences, reading Arabic literature, and has a special interest in Arabic poetry.
Dr. Dhillon earned his medical degree (MD) and Bachelor of Science (BSc) from the University of British Columbia.
In medical school, Karan was involved in implementing changes within the medical curriculum. He met with the federal medicine review board to provide patient group perspectives regarding new drug guidelines. He was also involved in neuro-oncology and pediatric neurosurgery research. Prior to starting residency, he received the George W. Leroux Memorial Scholarship.
Karan enjoys playing ice hockey and watching the Vancouver Canucks. He also enjoys playing tennis and hiking."
Dr. Yang earned her MD, MSc in Neuroscience, and BSc in Physiology at McGill University. In graduate school, Angela studied the role of hippocampal inputs to the striatum in reward-processing behaviour in mice.
During medical school, she transitioned to clinical research focusing on neuro-oncology, in particular the role of early repeat resection in high grade glioma. During her free time, Angela enjoys travelling and going on road trips
Dr. Hounjet is a first-year resident in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of British Columbia.
Born and raised in rural Saskatchewan, she is of Metis and settler descent and is passionate about Indigenous health. She, along with her colleague Emily Green, spearheaded the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Report Card Project which provided a voice to Indigenous medical students across the country. She has had the privilege of acting as a consultant to the Federal Government during the National Dialogue on Indigenous Health. This year she was the honored recipient of both the Canadian Association of Medical Education Rising Star Certificate of Excellence for her work in improving Indigenous health education both at a local and National level, as well as the Dr. Graham Clay Presidential Prize.
She hopes to continue to work to improve access to safe medical care for Indigenous people, especially from a surgical perspective, as she continues through her residency.
In graduate school, Alex studied the relationship between head impact exposure and neurological function in football players. He was a recipient of the CIHR Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarship. During medical school, he received the George W. Leroux Memorial Scholarship and Florence E. Heighway Summer Research Award. He received multiple scholarships from the American Academy of Neurology and won Top Breakthrough Abstract at the Canadian Stroke Congress for his research regarding cognition and quality of life following stroke.
Alex previously played competitive soccer but now spends his free cycling and skiing. He also enjoys travelling, especially to surfing locales.
Dr. Rizzuto earned his MD from the University of British Columbia after completing a BSc. (Hons) in Kinesiology with a minor in Chemical Biology at McMaster University.
Michael acted as the president to the UBC Medicine Class of 2019 over the course of his medical studies. He served a two-year term on the board of the UBC Medical Journal as the Director of Publications. During his undergraduate studies, he was the recipient of an NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award at McMaster University, which allowed him to evaluate virtual reality head mounted displays as tools for ergonomic posture assessments. At UBC, Michael received research funding that allowed him to study microRNA biomarkers as they relate to the severity of spinal cord injuries.
Michael holds a 1st degree black belt in Taekwon-Do and has played competitive soccer for a number of years. He also enjoys skiing, baking, and occasionally dabbles in video games.