Meet our 2023 Incoming Fellows

Alasdair Barrie (He/Him/His)

Hometown: Cornwall, United Kingdom 
Fellowship: Foot & Ankle Adult Reconstruction

I am honoured to be undertaking my fellowship with the Foot & Ankle team at St. Paul’s Hospital. I am excited for the opportunity to train with and learn from a group of extremely experienced surgeons and make some lifelong friends along the way. I also hope to make the most of living in British Columbia and get my kids confident on the slopes during the winter!

Anick Nater (She/Her/Hers)

Hometown: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Fellowship: Neurosurgical & Orthopaedic Spine

I am thrilled to be one of the 2023-24 fellows of the Vancouver Acute Adult Spine Service. This is a unique opportunity to deep dive into the world of Spine surgery integrating both the Neurosurgical and Orthopaedic perspectives. I am convinced that this fellowship program will provide the mentorship I am seeking to consolidate and acquire the knowledge and skills to address the breadth of spinal conditions, especially in the field of Oncology.

Faisal Alfayyadh (He/Him/His)

Hometown: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Fellowship: Adult Reconstruction, Hip & Knee

Faisal graduated with honors from King Saud University’s College of Medicine in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and is a board-certified Orthopaedic Surgeon. He trained at McGill until 2023, earning awards for teaching and patient care. Currently pursuing an Adult Hip & Knee Reconstruction fellowship at the University of British Columbia, Faisal aspires to practice orthopaedic surgery in Riyadh. Beyond medicine, he’s an audiophile who enjoys running and staying updated on tech trends, with a diverse taste in music.

Hamad Alenezi 

Hometown: Aljahra, Kuwait 
Fellowship: Adult Reconstruction, Hip & Knee

I’m honoured to be joining the UBC hip and knee reconstruction Fellowship Program. It’s a great opportunity to improve my surgical skills and gain further experience from the distinguished orthopaedic team in UBC.

Julien Zaldivar (He/Him/His)

Hometown: Reclere, Switzerland 
Fellowship: Neurosurgical & Orthopaedic Spine

I’m a Swiss-Mexican National. I was born and raised in Mexico and moved to Europe when I turned 18. I did my medical and neurosurgical training in Switzerland and France. Coming to Vancouver has been in my mind for probably 6 years. The mountains, the ocean, the wilderness, and a world renown Spine Team. What’s missing?  I’m thrilled to be here for a fellowship in spine surgery. Can’t wait to learn all that I can learn and explore British Columbia.

Malek Alshammari (He/Him/His)

Hometown: Kuwait
Fellowship: Reconstructive Arthroscopy 

I hold a 2011 degree from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and completed Orthopaedic Surgery residency in Kuwait by 2018. My training includes Hip and Knee arthroplasty Fellowships at McGill University (2022) and the University of British Columbia (2023), with my current role focused on reconstructive arthroscopy at UBC. I specialize in complex joint reconstruction of adult knees and hips, as well as hip and knee reconstructive arthroscopy. Upon completion of my training, I aim to practice as a skilled surgeon specializing in comprehensive hip and knee arthroplasty and arthroscopy back in Kuwait.

Michael Bullen  (He/Him/His)

Hometown: Melbourne, Australia 
Fellowship: Hand & Upper Extremity  

Since completing my training in Australia 18 months ago, I have done a trauma fellowship and am currently working in Melbourne doing a mix of trauma and elective work. My career aspiration is to work in regional Australia, and I’m looking forward to the breadth of upper limb practice at UBC.

Nikolaus Koegl (He/Him/His)

Hometown: Vienna, Austria  
Fellowship: Neurosurgical & Orthopaedic Spine

Until recently, I was working in Innsbruck, which looks like a tiny version of Vancouver, but without the beautiful sea. I can’t wait to join the UBC Department of Orthopedics, in particular the Spine Unit, which is known for its excellence worldwide. I aspire to gain as much knowledge as possible and to improve surgically in order to fit into this great group of people. I’m looking forward working with you all.

Panayiotis D. Megaloikonomos (He/Him/His)

Hometown: Athens, Greece
Fellowship: Adult Reconstruction, Hip & Knee

I completed my basic orthopaedic training at the University of Athens, Greece, before pursuing subspecialty training in Sports Medicine and Adult Reconstruction in Germany and Canada. I have also successfully undertaken several prestigious fellowships at renowned institutions. I joined the Hip and Knee Reconstruction Fellowship of the Department of Orthopaedics of UBC, aiming to sharpen further my surgical skills and explore new research endeavours.

Rashed Al Ahmed (He/Him/His)

Hometown: Kuwait 
Fellowship: Pediatric Orthopaedic Spine

I completed medical school in Aberdeen, Scotland and I completed my Orthopaedic residency training and spine fellowship in Ottawa.  I’m so excited to join the paediatric spine fellowship at UBC!

Sandeep Goud (He/Him/His)

Hometown: India
Fellowship: Reconstructive Arthroscopy

I hail from India, where I completed my education at Manipal University and specialized in Orthopedic Surgery at Manipal Hospital Bangalore. My journey led me to the Bahamas, now my home, where I merged my sports passion and medical expertise. Holding a Postgraduate Diploma in sports medicine from the International Olympic Committee, I currently serve as the team physician for the Bahamas National Football, Athletics, and Cricket Team, alongside playing for the Bahamas national cricket team. Beyond sports, I relish diverse cultures through travel. Enthusiastically, I anticipate expanding my skills at UBC to enhance athlete care through innovative arthroscopic techniques.

Suroosh Madani Pour (He/Him/His)

Hometown: London, England
Fellowship: Adult Reconstruction, Hip & Knee

I am very excited to be joining the world renowned hip and knee reconstruction unit at UBC and living in the beautiful city of Vancouver.

William Chu Kwan (He/Him/His)

Hometown: Lima, Peru; Montreal, Canada 
Fellowship: Neurosurgical & Orthopaedic Spine

I am excited to be joining the Department and continuing my training through UBC’s combined Neurosurgical and Orthopaedic Spine Fellowship Program. As a graduate of Toronto’s surgeon-scientist program, I am eager to continue developing my surgical and research skills among the many global leaders who practice here. I look forward to meeting new colleagues, collaborating on exciting projects, and supporting the stellar reputation UBC has built.

Aly Alsaifan (He/Him/His)

Hometown: Kuwait 
Fellowship: Adult Reconstruction, Hip & Knee

I completed medical school at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin. I then completed resdiency in Orthopaedic Surgery at UBC, Vancouver. I’m excited to move on to the next step in my career and complete my fellowship training at UBC. Looking forward working with everyone!

Drew Armit (He/Him/His)

Hometown: Townsville, Queensland, Australia
Fellowship: Pediatric Orthopaedics 

I am currently living in Brisbane but hail from Townsville, North Queensland – nestled right on the coastline cloaked by the Great Barrier Reef. I am following a well-worn path of fellows from Brisbane who have come to BC Children’s Hospital to see the complex and interesting paediatric cases, learn from the experienced faculty, and return home to Queensland with advanced skills that will help to improve the quality of life for the children we treat. I have a special interest in foot and ankle as well as lower limb reconstruction so look forward to seeing as much of this as possible. Can’t wait to join the team and get started!

Gourav Jandial (He/Him/His)

Hometown: New Delhi, India 
Fellowship: Pediatric Orthopaedics 

I am a paediatric orthopaedic surgeon from New Delhi, India currently working as a paediatric orthopaedic fellow at BC Children’s Hospital, Vancouver and will continue on the same position for another year. My interests in paediatric orthopaedics are deformity correction, paediatric sports medicine and hip preservation. I enjoy listening to Indian music and travelling. I am looking forward to further learn the above mentioned interests and explore the natural beauty of Vancouver.

John Steyn

Hometown: Durban, South Africa 
Fellowship: Foot & Ankle Adult Reconstruction

I am a UBC Orthopaedic residency grad and I hope to have a practice mixed with Foot and Ankle, and Hip and Knee arthroplasty in the future. I have found a family in the foot and ankle group at Footbridge and I am excited to spend this year learning from the best. I also look forward to another great year being part of the UBC Orthopaedic Department. 

Karim Kantar (He/Him/His)

Hometown: Melbourne, Australia  
Fellowship: Pediatric Orthopaedic Spine 

I’m an Australian Orthopaedic Surgeon based in Melbourne with a practice focused on Spinal Surgery.  My wife and I are excited to spend the year in Vancouver, BC!  At a professional level, I look forward to working with & learning from the world class team at BC Children’s Hospital. Personally we plan to explore as much as we can of the great Canadian & North American outdoors before returning to our home across the Pacific.

Mathew Clarke (He/Him/His)

Hometown: Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada  
Fellowship: Pediatric Orthopaedics

I am very excited to join the Department to complete my peds fellowship at BC Children’s Hospital. I’m originally from Saskatchewan and just finished my residency in Edmonton. When not at work, I love to cook, golf, and explore local breweries. The Peds Ortho team at BC Children’s is incredible and I am very fortunate to be able to learn from them and translate my new skills to a community practice.

Mohammad Arafah (He/Him/His)

Hometown: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 
Fellowship: Foot & Ankle Adult Reconstruction

Mohammad, a Saudi Board of Orthopaedic Surgery graduate, completed 1.5 years of Orthopaedic Oncology fellowship at King Faisal Specialist Hospital. With a strong desire to excel in foot and ankle and musculoskeletal oncology surgery, he aims to address the shortage of expertise in these areas in the Middle East. His ultimate goal is to uplift healthcare standards in Saudi Arabia through his acquired knowledge. Beyond his medical pursuits, Mohammad finds joy in football, particularly as a goalkeeper, and is a devoted Real Madrid supporter. He embraces cooking, travel, and exploring diverse cultures with his wife. Eager to immerse himself in Canadian culture, he’s enthusiastic about his journey at UBC and looks forward to forming new friendships and learning from accomplished mentors.

Onyedikachi Eseonu  (He/Him/His)

Hometown: Glasgow, Scotland 
Fellowship: Pediatric Orthopaedics

I went to the medical school at the University of Glasgow, and after two years of foundation training in Aberdeen, I returned to the West of Scotland to complete my orthopaedic training on the West of Scotland orthopaedic training program. My rotation through the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow sparked my interest in paediatric orthopaedics. I am excited to be doing my fellowship with the Paediatric orthopaedic department at UBC due to the excellent reputation of the department and the fellowship. From the recommendations I received from mentors, and from speaking to others who did their fellowship here, I know this will be the best place to develop my skills and knowledge.

Philip Hache (He/Him/His)

Hometown: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 
Fellowship: Orthopaedic Trauma – Vancouver Acute

I am incredibly excited to be joining the UBC orthopaedic trauma fellowship program at Vancouver General Hospital. The team has developed a world renown reputation in providing complex trauma care and leading practice changing research. I look forward to the diversity of exposure and approaches to complex peri-articular and pelvic trauma that the fellowship has to offer. I have also been fortunate to work with the UBC Branch for Global Surgical Care in the past, and look forward to continuing to explore how we can provide high quality trauma care more broadly. 

Saesol Stallard (She/Her/Hers)

Hometown: Wellington, New Zealand  
Fellowship: Pediatric Orthopaedics

I am very excited to join the BC Children’s hospital’s Orthopaedic unit as a fellow. The unit has an excellent reputation and I look forward to working with different surgeons to further my knowledge of Paediatric Orthopaedics. I have travelled over with my husband Trent and baby Noah and we hope to spend time exploring the beautiful city of Vancouver and the wider province.

Shuyuan Li (She/Her/Hers)

Hometown: Denver, USA   
Fellowship: Foot & Ankle Adult Reconstruction

I am an orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeon holding M.D. and Ph.D. degrees, along with extensive research experience. My interests lie in providing medical care, education, and conducting research. I am actively involved in international orthopaedic societies, serve as an associate editor and reviewer for prominent journals, and have authored numerous papers and book chapters. Additionally, I lead Steps2Walk, a non-profit organization that educates and aids individuals with foot and ankle deformities globally. I am thrilled about my upcoming fellowship at UBC Ortho and look forward to an enriching and dynamic year with an exceptional team.

Thomas Robinson (He/Him/His)

Hometown: Yorkshire, England   
Fellowship: Adult Reconstruction, Hip & Knee

I am truly delighted to join the UBC adult reconstruction team as a fellow for the year. To learn from such world class, high volume surgeons and enjoy their expert teaching is a fantastic opportunity. I am looking forward to each of the challenges the year brings and every opportunity to develop my skills both surgically and academically. And to do so in such a beautiful, vibrant city such as Vancouver couldn’t be better.  

Zoe Rubin (She/Her/Hers)

Hometown: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Fellowship: Orthopaedic Trauma – Vancouver Acute

I am very excited to be joining the UBC Orthopaedic Trauma Fellowship and working alongside such a high esteemed group of surgeons, residents and co-fellows. Living in BC has always been a dream for my husband and I, and we are looking forward to all the learning and adventuring this year has to offer!