Build Innovative Models of Care.

“At Lakeridge Health, physicians can provide expert specialized care in areas beyond the typical hospital setting.”

As head of the Infectious Diseases Division and Medical Director of the Positive Care Clinic, I have had the opportunity to expand my career in ways that I had not previously expected. The Positive Care Clinic has been able to establish relationships with community organizations to provide outreach care to the Durham Region community as we work towards goals of eliminating Hepatitis C and ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic as a public health threat.

We have successfully opened an outreach satellite clinic in Peterborough to provide care outside of the Durham Region community and have recently established a high-resolution anoscopy clinic in Ajax—one of the very few established clinics in Ontario to screen and manage individuals at high risk for anal cancer.

The Infectious Diseases Division is also involved in a number of research and quality improvement initiatives. We recently established a community research partnership with the University of Toronto to develop protocols to diagnose and respond to emerging infectious diseases as part of future pandemic planning (PRECISE Trial).

The ability to provide care in such diverse settings, integrate community and academic medicine, and provide an outlet to expand care to individuals and areas that are often neglected is truly unique. I am proud to be a part of the Lakeridge Health Community.

Dr. Jeffrey Craig, Division Head, Infectious Diseases and Medical Director, Positive Care Clinic

Career Journey

• Medical Student
• Resident
• Early Career Physician
• Established Physician
• Preceptor & Educator
• Researcher & Faculty Member
• Medical Leader & Mentor

How We Support Your Growth

• Early exposure, onboarding, and career support.
• Structured transition through every career stage.
• Continuing professional development and lifelong learning.
• Teaching, research, and academic advancement opportunities.
• Leadership development and system-wide engagement.
• Mentorship, coaching, and peer collaboration.

Physicians Who Changed Career Direction.

My journey into medicine began with the obstetrician who delivered me. Growing up, I often saw Dr. Henderson on the sidelines of my dad's rugby games, and he generously offered advice about a career in medicine at a time when I knew very few people in the profession.

Like many aspiring physicians, I initially planned to study Health Sciences. However, after attending a nursing information session with a friend, I realized there were many rewarding paths into healthcare. Nursing appealed to me because it combined science with hands-on patient care from the very beginning, and it allowed me to build meaningful relationships with patients while gaining valuable clinical experience.

After graduating, I worked in the Emergency Department at Lakeridge Health before moving to Australia. There, I spent time working in a remote hospital where challenging situations helped me develop greater autonomy and confidence in clinical practice.

Those experiences ultimately strengthened my desire to pursue medicine. Returning to Canada to attend McMaster Medical School was a dream come true. During my Family Medicine residency in Newcastle, I met Dr. Kassirer, who demonstrated the breadth of full-scope family medicine—a passion of mine that has remained throughout my career.

Today, I'm fortunate to have shared office space with Dr. Kassirer for more than a decade and to have delivered hundreds of babies. It truly feels like coming full circle—from being born in this community to caring for families here.

I'm grateful to Lakeridge Health for the opportunity to share my story because there are many pathways into medicine. My nursing background provided a unique perspective that continues to shape the physician I am today.

Dr. Kate Newton, Physician Who Changed Career Direction.

Physicians Who Changed Career Direction.

“At Lakeridge Health, physicians can use their unique career journeys to build a rich practice that leverages their strengths from diverse pre-medicine experiences.”

When graduated my undergraduate degree in Immunology at the University of Toronto, I, naively, thought I was going to eventually “cure cancer” and pursued an academic career and PhD studying ovarian cancer stem cells in a research lab at the University of Toronto. Upon realizing the limitations of the system to accomplish this goal, I decided to change career trajectory and apply to medical school, which I completed at Queen’s University.

In medical school, I leveraged my love for “all of the things”, including women’s health, care of the elderly and palliative care, to establish a career in Family Medicine. At Lakeridge Health, I was able to find my place of belonging with a comprehensive practice in family medicine and palliative care.

Then, just when I thought my academic career had ended, Queen’s University partnered with Lakeridge Health to start a unique six-year medical school program with guaranteed residency in Family Medicine. Through my connections at Queen’s University, I was approached to be involved in the delivery of the first-year biostatistics course, allowing the skills developed during my graduate degree to be put to good use.

I have been able to supervise student research projects and help engage them in the process of research. Since then, I have taken on a leadership role overseeing clerkship for students at our local Queen’s–Lakeridge Medical School.

Through this varied practice at Lakeridge Health, I am given the great privilege of caring for patients while teaching the next generation of comprehensive Family Doctors.

Dr. Jocelyn Stewart, Physicians Who Changed Career Direction.