Our Faculty

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Dr. Rod Lim, Professor, Medical Director, Paediatric Emergency Medicine 

Dr.-Rod-Lim.jpgDr. Lim is an associate professor and Site-Chief of the Paediatric Emergency Department at the Children’s Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre. He began his training at Queen’s University in Kingston Ontario where he completed his B.Sc in 1992 and M.D. in 1995 at Queen's University. In 1995, Dr. Lim joined Western University for his Paediatric Residency training. Upon completing his residency in 1998 he stayed on at Western for his fellowship in Paediatric Emergency Medicine.

Dr. Lim has enjoyed teaching all levels of learners and has been thankful to be awarded multiple teaching awards including Undergraduate Teacher of the year, Postgraduate Teacher of the Year, Paediatric Emergency CANMEDS Teacher of the year and the USC Teaching Honour Roll Award of Excellence.

He has been the co-founder of an annual Advanced Paediatric Life Support Course, as well as a new course named CLASSiC, the Canadian London APLS based Simulation course.

Dr. Lim's is currently involved with the Royal College Specialty Committee in Pediatric Emergency Medicine serving as Vice Chair, and in the past as regional representative. He has also served as the past chairperson for the Pediatric section of the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians (CAEP). Dr Lim is a founding member of the Wellness Emergency Medicine Committee at CAEP and has a strong interest in Physician Wellness.

Dr. Lim as well is the current Standards Lead for the Pediatric Special Interest Group at the International Federation of Emergency Medicine and is helping developing international standards for Paediatric Emergency Medicine in developed and developing countries.

Dr. Lim is an Associate Scientist at the Child and Health Institute and has various research interests. He has been fortunate to have authored numerous peer-reviewed publications. His main areas of research interest include: Paediatric Emergency clinical trials, Physician Wellness, and educational research.

Email: rod.lim@lhsc.on.ca
Twitter: @rodlim00

Dr. Gurinder Sangha, Simulation Lead

G-Sangha-web.jpgDr. Sangha completed his Doctor of Medicine at the University of Toronto and then completed his Paediatric Residency and Paediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship at Western University.   
 
Dr. Sangha joined the Division of Paediatric Emergency Medicine as a consultant in 2009.  He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Paediatrics.  He is the Medical Director of the Paediatric Simulation Program at Children’s Hospital, LHSC.
 
Dr. Sangha’s academic interests are in the areas of Paediatric trauma, resuscitation and medical simulation.

Dr. Sheena Belisle, PSQI Lead 

Sheena.jpgDr. Belisle completed her Doctor of Medicine at The Northern Ontario School of Medicine and her paediatric residency and emergency medicine fellowship training at Western University. She is an assistant professor in the Department of Paediatrics.  She has an interest in quality improvement and patient safety and is currently completing her Masters of Science in Healthcare Quality from Queens University.

Dr. Krista Helleman, Associate Professor 

Krista-Helleman.jpgDr. Helleman received her Doctor of Medicine degree, with Distinction, from The University of Western Ontario in 1998. She then completed her Pediatrics residency and Pediatric Emergency Medicine fellowship training at this same institution. Currently, Dr. Helleman is a practicing Pediatric Emergency Medicine Consulting Physician at the Children’s Hospital in London, Ontario and is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Western. Dr. Helleman was the Lead in Interprofessional Education for the Undergraduate Medical Program at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry from 2013 to 2016. She has a strong interest in undergraduate education and mentoring. She is also interested in global health and is involved with the Training, Service and Access Model project in Rwanda.

Dr. Victor Istasy, Associate Professor 

Istasy Dr. Victor Istasy is first and foremost a leader in Point of Care of Ultrasound in Paediatric Emergency Medicine. He has been teaching POCUS since 2014, and has revolutionized Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry with his vision to promote the application of POCUS in Paediatrics on all levels. This has been through the development of the Paediatric POCUS for Emergency fellows. In addition to this, he is very active in research, particularly in furthering the applications of ultrasound in paediatric medicine. Finally, he is very involved in undergraduate education, such as the development of a miniature Simulation Course emphasizing resuscitation and teamwork skills that are normally difficult to teach in an undergraduate setting. He also regularly gives back to society, through volunteering in a medical capacity overseas.

Dr. Gary Joubert, Associate Professor 

Joubert,-Gary.pngDr. Joubert is currently a career rank of Associate Professor. He has was in the role of Director of the Pediatric Emergency Department from 1991-2019. Dr. Joubert was City-Wide Chair/Chief for the Department/Division of Emergency Medicine at the London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph’s Health Care from 2004-2014.

Dr. Joubert is skilled in the use of POCUS and his research interests are in the areas of POCUS utilization, health care utilization by pediatric patients in the emergency care system, pediatric pain management in the emergency department, and emergency treatment of pediatric respiratory diseases.

Dr. Anna Kempinska, Associate Professor, Wellness Lead

Kempinska,-Anna.pngDr. Anna Kempinska is a pediatric emergency care specialist at the Children's Hospital (LHSC) whose clinical interests mainly concern resuscitation and sepsis. She has often collaborated on research investigating physician wellness and aspects of medical education. 

Dr. Jennifer Kilgar, Associate Professor

Dr. Charisse Kwan, Associate Professor, Ultrasound Lead

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Dr. Charisse Kwan is a paediatric emergency care specialist at the Children's Hospital (LHSC). Dr. Kwan completed medical school at McMaster University followed by paediatric residency at Queen's University, paediatric emergency medicine fellowship at SickKids Hospital, Toronto. Subsequently, she was one of the 1st Pediatric Point of Care Ultrasound Fellows in Canada at Sickkids Hospital. Dr. Kwan worked as an attending physician and Associate Professor at SickKids for several years and also the Director of the Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Program for the Paediatric Emergency Department and the Program Director for the PEM POCUS Fellowship.
Since moving to London, Ontario, Dr. Kwan has been leading the POCUS initiative within the Children's Hospital. She currently serves as the Director of the POCUS Program for the Paediatric Emergency Department and the program director for the PEM POCUS Fellowship.
Research interests include clinical research and medical education research within the PEM POCUS.
PEM POCUS Program:
Paediatric Emergency medicine point-of-care ultrasound (PEM POCUS) is a rapid, bedside imagining technique used by healthcare providers in the paediatric emergency department to diagnose and manage various medical conditions in children. This non-invasive tool allows for real-time visualization of internal organs, structures, and fluids, aiding in the assessment of conditions such as abdominal pain, respiratory distress, shock, and trauma. The clinical impact of PEM POCUS is significant, as it enhances diagnostic accuracy, expedites clinical decision-making, and reduces the need for more invasive procedures and radiation exposure from traditional imaging methods. By providing immediate insights, PEM POCUS improves patient outcomes, streamlines care, and increases the overall efficiency of Paediatric Emergency Medicine.
At the Children's Hospital at LHSC, the PEM POCUS program provides quality assurance, education, and training (including a fellowship program) to Health Care providers looking after paediatric patients.

Dr. Helen Levin, Associate Professor, Director of PEM Postgradute Education

Dr.-Helen-Levin---160-200.jpgDr. Levin is a paediatric emergency medicine physician. Dr. Levin completed medical school at Queen’s University followed by paediatric residency and paediatric emergency medicine fellowship at Western University. Following this, she completed a simulation fellowship in the KidSIM program at the Alberta Children’s Hospital.

Dr. Levin is a leader in simulation based education; she is the current paediatric emergency medicine simulation director. Dr. Levin’s simulation interests include faculty development, CPD, and interdisciplinary simulation. Her research interests centres around the use of simulation in undergraduate and post-graduate teaching.

Dr. Eman Loubani, Associate Professor 

Dr.-Eman-Loubani.jpgRaised in the beautiful Maritime provinces, Eman completed her undergraduate medical training at Western University before going on to complete a Paediatric residency at the IWK Hospital in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She later obtained her fellowship training in paediatric emergency medicine at Western University. Eman has worked at both McMaster Children's Hospital and London Health Sciences Hospital as a Paediatric Emergency physician where she enjoys teaching and handing out stickers to her patients.

Dr. Tim Lynch, Deputy Medical Director

Dr.-Tim-Lynch.jpgDr. Lynch joined CHWO in 1999.  He completed his B.Sc at the University of New Brunswick in 1990 and his M.D. at the Memorial University of Newfoundland.  In 1994, Tim entered Paediatric residency training at Janeway Child Health Centre within the Memorial University of Newfoundland system.  Following completion of his general paediatric residency, he entered a fellowship in paediatric emergency medicine at Montreal Children’s Hospital.

Dr. Lynch is currently at the rank of Assistant Professor.  He has been in the role of Program Director of the Paediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship Program since September 2003.  In 1999, Tim was awarded the UWO Undergrad Teaching Award, in 2000 the UWO Postgraduate Teaching Award and in 2002-03 he received the Department of Psychiatry Teaching Award.  Dr. Lynch’s research interest is in paediatric pneumonia.
 
Dr. Lynch’s administrative responsibilities include Chair of the Paediatric Emergency Medicine Education Committee, Paediatrics PGE, Paediatric Critical Care PGE, and UWO PGE committee member.  He is also a member of the Paediatric Trauma Committee and course Director of APLS and PALS courses.

Dr. Shruti Mehrotra, CPD Lead

Mehrotra,-Shruti-112x150.jpgDr. Shruti Mehrotra is a fellow of the Royal College of Physician and Surgeons of Canada for Paediatric Emergency Medicine and Paediatrics. She received the Doctor of Medicine from Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario in 2005.  She completed her Pediatrics residency at the Hospital for Sick Children (University of Toronto), Toronto, Ontario, in 2008.  She then completed the Pediatric Emergency Medicine fellowship training at Children's Hospital and Western University in 2010.  Currently, Dr. Mehrotra is a practicing Pediatric Emergency Medicine Consulting Physician at Children’s Hospital in London, Ontario and is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Western University.   She is the Continuing Professional Development director for the Paediatric emergency department, which oversees the Continuing Medical Education courses offered by the Paediatric Emergency Department at Children's Hospital, LHSC.  Dr. Mehrotra is an active member at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.  She has a strong interest in local, regional and national Continuing Medical Education and professional development as well as postgraduate medical education.  

Dr. Amita Misir, Associate Professor - CBME Lead

Dr.-Amita-Misir.jpgDr. Amita Misir is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Paediatrics at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, Canada.  She is also an attending physician in the Division of Emergency Medicine at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC), London, Ontario, Canada.  She received her Honours’ Bachelor of Arts and Science from McMaster University (2002) and her Doctor of Medicine degree from Western University (2006).  Following this, she completed her post-graduate training in general paediatrics at McMaster University (2010) and her fellowship in paediatric emergency medicine at University of Ottawa (2012).  She is currently also a candidate in the Masters of Health Research Methodology (MSc HRM) program in the Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact (HEI), McMaster University, Canada.

Dr. Misir’s interests and experience cover a broad range of areas in education, research and administration.  She has a particular interest in education, knowledge translation and global health.  Currently, she is the Post-graduate Director for the Division of Paediatric Emergency Medicine where she oversees the training of over 100 post-graduate resident physicians that rotate through the Paediatric Emergency Department annually.  In 2017 she received a Division of Emergency Medicine Award of Excellence for her leadership and work implementing a new simulation based curriculum and evaluation innovations. She recently received a grant for further curriculum development for advanced learners that come through the department.  She was also one of the founders and continuing contributors of the regional Pediatric Emergency Medicine Refresher Course held in London, Ontario (inaugaral meeting 2014) which continues to draw over 100 healthcare providers annually.

Her long-standing interest in global health dates back to medical school where she was active both at home and abroad.  During her paediatrics residency, she was co-investigator and shared the first authorship in a clinical trial in Lusaka, Zambia that studied the prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission during pregnancy and breastfeeding.  The published results of the trial have since been used to inform World Health Organization (WHO) policy.  Currently, she is part of a project team titled ‘Training, Support and Access Model (TSAM) in Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH) in Rwanda and Burundi’.  This project is a partnership between the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University and the University of Rwanda.  It focuses on addressing an education and training gap for emergency care related to maternal, newborn and child health.  It is sponsored by an $8.9 million grant from Global Affairs Canada (GAC) under their Partnerships for Strengthening Maternal, Newborn and Child Health program.

Dr. Naveen Poonai, Professor - Research Lead 

Naveen160-200.jpgDr. Naveen Poonai completed his Doctor of Medicine at the University of Toronto and his paediatric residency and emergency medicine fellowship training at Western University. He also holds a Masters of Science in Health Research Methodology from McMaster University.

Dr. Poonai joined the Department of Paediatrics in the Division of Paediatric Emergency Medicine in 2009 and is cross-appointed to the Department of Medicine. He is an Associate Scientist at the Child Health Research Institute and serves as the Research Director of the Division of Paediatric Emergency Medicine. He serves on the Health Sciences Research Ethics Board, the Children’s Health Research Collaborative Council, and the Children’s Health Research Institute Operations Committee.

On a national level, he is the Paediatric Section Lead for the Best Evidence in Emergency Medicine (BEEM), the Pain Assessment Toolkit Lead for the Canadian Association of Paediatric Health Centres, a member of the Pediatric Emergency Research Canada (PERC) Executive, and a Pain in Child Health (PICH) faculty member.

His research interests include procedural sedation and management of acute pain in children. Recognitions include the Young Investigator Award from the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) in 2017 and the John Dreyer Research Excellence Award from the Division of Emergency Medicine in 2017.

Dr. David Warren, Associate Professor 

Dr. Warren completed his B.Sc. at Western University in 1978 and his M.D. at UWO in 1982. He completed Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine training in 1985 and attended as a general emergency physician in London and Strathroy. He subsequently returned to paediatrics residency as chief resident in 1989 and paediatrics emergency fellow in 1990. He has done additional M. Ed. educational and child abuse training.

Dr. Warren is currently at the career rank of Associate Professor. He is a consultant in Paediatric Emergency medicine at Children’s, LHSC. He is also a consultant and Medical Director for the Child Protection Service at LHSC. He has served as UWO Medical Evaluation Chair, Paediatric Trauma Director, Paediatric Emergency Fellowship Director.His national interests have been in the formation of Paediatric Emergency as a RCPSC subspecialty, creation of the Child Maltreatment section of the CPS, and paediatric lead of the national working group for emergency medicine triage CTAS.

Dr. Warren has been invited to speak at many conference on child abuse, triage, emergency medicine, trauma and violence to children. He is a consultant to the regional Children's Aid Societies, CAEP, CPS emergency sections, Child Maltreatment CPS sections, police departments and crown attorneys.

Dr. Marcia Edmonds, Associate Professor 

Dr. Justin Garabon, Assistant Professor

 Mehrotra,-Shruti-112x150.jpgDr. Justin Garabon joined the Department of Paediatrics in the Division of Paediatric Emergency Medicine in July 2025. He completed his Bachelor of Forensic Science and Master of Science in Biochemistry at the University of Windsor.

Following this, Dr. Garabon completed medical school, Paediatrics residency, and Paediatric Emergency Medicine (PEM) fellowship at Western University. He is currently completing a PEM point of care ultrasound (POCUS) clinical fellowship at Western University. Dr. Garabon’s research interests include POCUS, quality improvement, and resuscitation. Future plans include additional training in healthcare integration of artificial intelligence, with a focus on applications for POCUS. 

Dr. Charlene Bularan, Assistant Professor 

Dr.-Helen-Levin---160-200.jpgDr. Bularan joined the Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine in July 2025. She finished her Medical Degree from The University of the City of Manila and completed her Pediatric Residency and Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship (PEM) in University of the Philippines- Philippine General Hospital.

She did further training in PEM as a clinical fellow at The Hospital for Sick Children and completed Fellowship in Area of Focused Competence- Point of Care Ultrasonography from the Department of Medicine, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto.

Currently, Dr. Bularan is a PEM-POCUS Staff at LHSC-Children’s Hospital and an Assistant Professor at Western University Schulich School of Medicine. She is one of the leads in clinical teaching on the application of POCUS in improving patient management. She is also involved as an active faculty in POCUS Fellowship.

Dr. Bularan has strong interest in medical education, research and training with future goal of continuing the integration and advancement of POCUS in these areas.

Dr. Tasuku Takadera, Assistant Professor 

Dr.-Helen-Levin---160-200.jpgDr. Tasuku Takadera is a Pediatric Emergency Medicine Staff Physician and Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Faculty at Children’s Hospital, London Health Sciences Centre, and an Assistant Professor at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University. He joined the department in October 2025.

He graduated from Niigata University School of Medicine in 2011 and completed his initial postgraduate clinical training and pediatric residency in Japan by 2016, followed by a pediatric critical care fellowship at Kobe Children’s Hospital in 2018 and additional training in adult emergency medicine, prehospital care, and radiology. He is board certified in both pediatrics and emergency medicine and earned a Master of Science in Paediatric Emergency Medicine in 2021.

After coming to Canada in 2023, Dr. Takadera completed fellowships in Pediatric Emergency Medicine and Pediatric Emergency Simulation at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto. He also holds the Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS) credential in Pediatric Sonography. His interests include POCUS in simulation-based education, ultrasound in resuscitation, and global outreach.

Dr. Mohamad Halabi, Assistant Professor - Trauma Lead