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Smita Pakhale
Clinician-Scientist and pulmonologist, lead the Bridge Engagement center (community-based research center) works in partnership with vulnerable people
Smita Pakhale is a distinguished clinician-scientist and pulmonologist (respirologist) at The Ottawa Hospital, leading The Bridge Engagement Centre.13 She is an Associate Professor at the University of Ottawa and a Senior Scientist at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute.3 Dr. Pakhale's work focuses on health equity, health justice, and social cohesion, with a particular emphasis on community-based participatory action research projects involving vulnerable populations.
Research and Expertise
Dr. Pakhale's primary research areas include:
- Health inequities
- Lung diseases
- Tobacco and cannabis dependence
- Sickle Cell Disease
She is the founder and Principal Investigator of the Canadian Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) Registry.1 Her innovative approach involves collaborating with marginalized communities to co-develop and co-implement sustainable solutions to persistent health inequities.1
Academic Background
Dr. Pakhale's educational background is extensive:
- FRCPC in Respirology & Critical Care Medicine from the University of Manitoba
- Fellowship in Respirology, Cystic Fibrosis, and Lung Transplantation from the University of Toronto
- Internal Medicine (ABIM) from Columbia University in New York
- MSc in Epidemiology & Biostatistics from McGill University
Professional Achievements
Dr. Pakhale has made significant contributions to her field:
- Established the first severe asthma clinic for the Ottawa-Gatineau region5
- Led the Participatory Research in Ottawa, Management and Point-of-care of Tobacco (PROMPT) study5
- Received Emergency COVID-19 funding to investigate the pandemic's impacts on marginalized populations
- Holds a Chair in Equity & Patient Engagement in Vulnerable Populations2
Her work has been widely recognized, with over 35,000 citations to her research.4 Dr. Pakhale's dedication to improving the lives of vulnerable populations and her innovative approaches to healthcare have made her a respected figure in the field of respiratory medicine and health equity research.
