Feature: Dr. Nida Khawaja

Last month, I had the privilege of sitting down with Dr. Nida Khawaja - a member of the Department of Mental Health & Addictions - to learn about her background, passion for serving some of the most vulnerable members of our community and plans to begin an innovative Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Clinic at BCHS this year! I am thrilled to introduce her to our staff, professional staff, and volunteers in this month’s Chief of Staff Feature.

Dr. Khawaja grew up in Whitby and headed off to Dominica to attend medical school. While she wasn’t sure what field of medicine she wanted to specialize in as she progressed through her clinical rotations, she began volunteering as a crisis phone line operator for victims of human trafficking while she awaited a residency position. Working with individuals who had experienced such significant trauma sparked her interest in mental health care and set the path for her future career.

Dr. Khawaja completed her residency in adult psychiatry in Mississippi, a very different setting from Ontario. There, she had the opportunity to learn about not only medicine – which she found to be similar to that which is practiced in Canada – but also socioeconomic factors that impact patients’ health and wellbeing. During her residency training, she became interested in child and adolescent psychiatry, realizing that many adult psychiatry patients have childhood trauma that informs their conditions. Dr. Khawaja felt that by addressing such issues earlier, there is an opportunity to have a greater impact for patients later in life.

To advance her training in alignment with this interest, Dr. Khawaja then moved to Buffalo, where she completed a two-year fellowship in child psychiatry.

“I always wanted to come back home,” she says, and she did so in 2021, when she took a position as an outpatient psychiatrist at Joseph Brant Hospital. There she met Dr. Steven Selchen, the former BCHS Chief of Mental Health and Addictions, and took on an inpatient psychiatry position at BCHS. Since then, she has been working at both organizations, and plans to transition her practice full-time to BCHS in mid-February.

Brantford, and BCHS have been a great fit for Dr. Khawaja. “I love the community in Brantford and Brant County,” she shared, describing the family-like atmosphere that exists at BCHS, particularly amongst the staff on the inpatient mental health unit. “I feel good coming to work and am so supported and welcome here.”

Dr. Khawaja’s work in Brantford will soon include a brand-new Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Clinic (CAPC), where she will provide consultative care for children and teens ages 5 – 17 with a range of mental health concerns, including depression, anxiety, ADHD, and psychosis. Throughout her career, Dr. Khawaja has found that community-based resources for child and adolescent mental health care are scarce, leaving patients, families, and primary care providers at a loss when it comes to treating young patients with these needs.

Before coming to Brantford, Dr. Khawaja read about the the tragic death by suicide of a young girl in this community. She, along with BCHS staff and Patient and Family Advisors (PFAs) are now responding to the family’s call to action for more access to mental health care for children. Dr. Khawaja hopes that the CAPC will be a resource to the community that will save lives. In time, the clinic’s offerings will also include educational materials for parents to talk to their children about common topics including sex education, addictions, and mental health. Dr. Khawaja’s goal is to work with patients and family physicians to improve quality of care for a group of patients who have historically faced difficulties in achieving equitable access. She hopes to volunteer her services to patients across the world with Doctors Without Borders, providing mental health support to countries that have limited access to care services.

Outside of work, Dr. Khawaja is passionate about unwinding and tending to her own mental health – which for her, includes spending time with family and friends, and travelling all over the world. “When you’re going through medical school and residency, it’s hard to do things because you’re broke!” she says, laughing. She now relishes the opportunity to see different cultures and try new cuisines and tries to travel three or four times every year. Her favourite trips have included the Maldives and Croatia, and in the future, she hopes to visit Thailand, Singapore, and Greece.

She recognizes the heavy burden healthcare providers carry in their daily work and encourages her colleagues to also prioritize their own wellness: “As physicians we work so much and take care of our patients. It is so important to also look after yourself and do things that you enjoy doing.”

We are very fortunate to have a physician of Dr. Khawaja’s caliber in our organization and community. As we continue to build a culture of excellence BCHS in 2024, I am thrilled to welcome her into her full-time role and thank her for her commitment to those we serve as we celebrate the launch of the CAPC on February 23, 2024!