Listed in order of submission
Electoral Group : Toronto CFPC |
Positions : 7 |
Currently Running : 14
Dr. Jacky Lee
PGY-1 | Toronto | Family Medicine-
Bio
Hello everyone!
My name is Jacky (he/him) and I am excited to run to be your PARO representative! I am a PGY1 FM resident at the Toronto Western Hospital site, a hiker, a runner, a skier, a camper, and everywhere else in between. It comes to no surprise that I love to learn new things from other people which is why I am a candidate.
My platform comprises three main pillars:
1. Communication: Residency is an experience like no other. Ever had to list your occupation in a drop-down menu and fill “other” as the most appropriate option? I want to ensure everyone understands the Collective Agreement and can make the most out of the program through a condensed, “contract 101” guide. Additionally, there are many administrative policies and as your representative, I will be available to help you navigate your contract as well as UofT PGME policies should any questions arise.
2. Community: When talking with others, I noticed many residents were interested in meeting other residents from different sites and programs. As your representative, I hope to work with PARO to organize opportunities to bring residents together, such as a potluck, sports night, and a cross-site coffee chat.
3. Collective Advocacy: Finally, I want to be an advocate for you! You will be the captains of this ship, not Jack(y) Sparrow. I will listen to your concerns and address them up to the relevant committees. I will push PARO’s ongoing work on improving compensation and benefits further such as call pay, while creating work environments that allow residents to be their best.
I bring in years of organizational leadership experience from groups such as the Canadian Doctors for Medicare and Canadian Federation of Medical Students. As VP External for our medical school’s Aesculapian Society, I represented over 600 medical students across national and provincial bodies. Through these roles, I have demonstrated the ability to navigate systems and bring tangible change.
I would love to have the opportunity to advocate for residents, help navigate the duality of being a learner and employee, and most importantly support each other through this journey. I hope you consider me for your vote.
Dr. Mikey Atalla
PGY-1 | Toronto | Family Medicine-
Bio
I'm Michael Atalla, though almost everyone calls me Mikey. I'm a Family Medicine resident at the University of Toronto, and I'm running to be one of your voices at PARO.
My take is simple. From overbooked clinics to overnight call to the charting that follows us home, residents hold this system together, and all those extra hours shouldn't be free labour. Fair call, wellness support that's more than a poster in the lounge, and contract wins that actually show up in our pay and our schedules. So here's what I'll actually do: message me and you'll hear back within 48 hours. If you think you're owed a call stipend, meal allowance, or lieu day, I'll help you figure out how to claim it. And if you bring me a problem, I won't let it disappear into a committee.
My medical training spanned four countries: first year in England, second in Grenada with St. George's University, third in New York, and fourth across the US and Canada before coming home to the GTA for residency. Coming back wasn't easy. More exams, applications, and hoops than I can count, but home was worth every one of them. That's how I'll approach PARO too: if the first answer is no, I'll keep looking, keep asking, and keep jumping through whatever hoops it takes. Nobody handed me a map, so I know what it means when someone shows you the shortcuts.
Outside the hospital, I can't sit still. I've got a pilot's licence and a skydiving licence, I scuba dive whenever I'm near warm water, and I tried heliskiing once, which was equal parts glorious and terrifying. And still, nothing spikes my heart rate like LeBron in a close fourth quarter. If you need someone to talk basketball with on call, I'm your guy.
The way I work, in medicine and everything else: prepare well, stay calm, and know when to ask for help. If something about residency is bugging you, tell me. Hallway, call room, or over coffee, name attached or not. I'll listen, and the coffee's on me, as long as they've got cold brew or matcha.
Thanks for reading. It'd mean a lot to have your vote. Let's get to work.
Dr. Ishaan Singh
PGY-2 | Toronto | Family Medicine-
Bio
Hello everyone!
My name is Ishaan Singh and I’m excited to run for PARO General Council. I’m a PGY2 Family Medicine resident at the University of Toronto. Last year, I served as the Sunnybrook PGY1 Site Representative, and I currently serve as Communications Representative for the Family Residents Association of Toronto.
Through these roles, I’ve seen that residents need representatives who are visible, approachable, and willing to follow through. Residency can be confusing, especially when navigating contracts, call, vacation, evaluations, and the balance between learner and employee. Therefore I am to approach leadership and representation with a simple framework: listen first, explain clearly, and make systems easier and clearer to navigate.
If elected, my goals would be practical and resident-centred:
1. Improve communication: I will make PARO updates, contract information, and PGME policies easier to understand in plain language. Residents should not have to dig through long documents to know their rights, benefits, or who to contact.
2. Be a responsive advocate: I will make myself available to hear concerns, bring them to appropriate channels, and close the loop so residents know what was done.
3. Strengthen mentorship and community: I will support opportunities for residents across sites and programs to connect, ask questions, and learn from one another — through cross-site coffee chats, informal mentorship, or practical guides for common questions.
4. Push for a better resident experience: I will advocate for day-to-day issues including call-related concerns, benefits, wellness, and clearer administrative processes, while focusing on realistic and meaningful changes.
I would be grateful for the opportunity to represent residents on PARO Council and to help build a resident community that feels informed, supported, and heard.
Thank you for reading, and I am excited to work with you!
Dr. Daniel Marinescu
PGY-2 | Toronto | Family Medicine-
Bio
My name is Daniel Marinescu, and I am excited to be running for PARO General Council. I am a PGY2 Family Medicine resident at the University of Toronto's Orillia site, where I've had the opportunity to train in diverse clinical settings and work alongside outstanding residents, physicians, and allied health professionals. These experiences have reinforced the importance of strong resident advocacy and the need for representatives who are approachable, responsive, and committed to meaningful change.
Residency is incredibly rewarding, but it also brings challenges; from balancing clinical responsibilities and education to navigating contracts, benefits, scheduling, and wellness. I believe effective representation begins by listening to residents, communicating clearly, and advocating for practical solutions that improve our daily training experience.
If elected, I will focus on improving communication by making PARO resources, resident rights, and important updates easier to understand and access. I will advocate for resident concerns, ensure they are brought forward thoughtfully, and work toward practical improvements that support resident wellness, reduce unnecessary administrative burdens, and promote healthy learning environments.
As a resident training in a distributed Family Medicine program, I understand the importance of ensuring that residents from all programs and training sites have a voice. Every resident's experience matters, and I am committed to representing those perspectives while working collaboratively to strengthen our residency experience across Ontario.
It would be an honour to represent you on PARO General Council. Thank you for your time and consideration. I would sincerely appreciate your support.
Dr. Dev Singh
PGY-1 | Toronto | Family Medicine-
Bio
Hi, Devsharan Singh here, an IMG UoT PGY1 in Family Medicine at Mt Sinai.
Starting residency has been everything I expected and more—exciting, overwhelming, and at times uncertain.
But for me, it also carries a deeper meaning. This isn’t my first career in Medicine. It’s my second chance to return to something I’ve always felt drawn to: caring for people and being part of a profession that asks us to keep growing, even when it’s hard.
That path hasn’t been straightforward, and I’m grateful for that. It’s taught me resilience, but also humility & reminded me that what matters most isn’t titles or recognition, but how we show up for others—especially when things are difficult. I’ve learned that the people who make the biggest difference are often the ones who listen carefully, build trust over time, and follow through quietly.
I’m running for PARO General Council because I care deeply about the resident experience—not just in theory, but in the day-to-day realities we all navigate. Whether it’s wellness, education, equity, workplace concerns, or simply feeling heard, I believe every resident deserves thoughtful, honest representation. I will use my prior experience to listen closely, ask the right questions, and work to turn concerns into meaningful action.
Family medicine strengthens the values that brought me here: compassion, collaboration, advocacy, and service. These aren’t just ideas to me—they’re things I try to practice every day, with patients and with colleagues. If elected, I would bring that same approach to representing you. I won’t have all the answers, but I will show up, speak honestly, and work hard on behalf of residents across all specialties and training sites.
My goal is simple: to leave residency better than I found it. I’ve learned that change doesn’t come from one person having all the answers—it comes from people being willing to listen, support each other, and keep moving forward together.
Residency in Canada gave me a second chance. If elected, I would be honoured to use that opportunity to help make residency a little better for everyone who comes after us.
I stand for diversity and inclusivity and would truly appreciate your support.
Dr. Daniela Mora
PGY-1 | Toronto | Family Medicine-
Bio
Whether you matched as an IMG or a CMG, at the end of the day, we are all residents, and I am ready to fight fiercely for every single one of us. As a family medicine resident at the U of T Schulich FMTU (Hennick Humber River Hospital) and a mother of two, I am running for PARO to ensure that residents from all walks of life are protected, valued, and heard.
Bringing high-level corporate expertise to the bargaining table from my time as the Director of Clinical Operations for Passport Health across Canada and Mexico, I possess the advanced negotiation skills, sharp understanding of funding systems, and strategic resource knowledge needed to deliver real results. I will bring business acumen in our ongoing contract negotiations to maximize our pay, expand our comprehensive benefits, and safeguard our mental and physical well-being. Having balanced international corporate leadership with experience in research and the grueling daily demands of residency and motherhood, I live the reality that our needs are diverse.
I am deeply committed to securing robust, practical PARO supports for peers navigating complex life responsibilities, whether you are raising young families, supporting aging parents, or balancing non-traditional training pathways.
Let’s bring executive experience and fierce, lived-experience advocacy to our leadership. I will ensure your time is respected, your well-being is prioritized, your learning is high quality and your rights are unyielding.
Dr. Jennifer Khil
PGY-1 | Toronto | Family Medicine-
Bio
Hey y'all!
I'm Jenn and I'm a PGY-1 at Mount Sinai. I'm so excited at the prospect of being one of your PARO representatives!
I know and believe that accurate and effective representation is crucial to making needed changes, rather than just treading water. Any group of residents needs good sets of eyes that are proactive and notice what's working and what's not, identify and bring up potential issues before they become larger, and make sure we are staying a good course and tackling any needed adjustments in a timely fashion as they come up!
I strongly believe in the need for representatives that are actually representative of our diverse cohort, and who are approachable, proactive, and responsive. As your representative I will strive for continued awareness of the experience of all of our members, always keep an open ear without judgment, communicate clearly, and pursue the practical solutions and changes that improve our day to day life and training experience.
Some areas of focus I've identified thus far are: improving awareness around what PARO does and could potentially do for you, clearer and more effective communication around PARO resources and residents' rights and responsibilities, and continuously working to reduce administrative burden throughout our training.
I care deeply about the residency experience, not just from the focus of our wellbeing, but also from the lens that two years is a short time and I want us to be able to squeeze out the most optimal teaching and learning experiences, as well as life experiences, that we can. I am excited for the opportunity to work to uphold the wellbeing of our village! :)
Dr. Sameera Khalid
PGY-1 | Toronto | Family Medicine-
Bio
Hey everyone!
My name is Sameera and I'm currently a PGY-1 in Family Medicine at the Credit Valley site.
Outside of medicine, you'll usually find me searching for the best matcha spot in the GTA, trying new restaurants, or convincing friends to sign up for a fitness challenge together. I'd love to use PARO as a platform to bring residents together through shared interests and build connections beyond the workplace.
Throughout medical school, I’ve always sought opportunities to turn feedback into action, and I’m excited to bring that same energy to PARO. I served as Academic Director on my medical school class council for two years, where I advocated for my classmates on issues ranging from curriculum changes to attendance and assessment policies. As the liaison between students and faculty, I participated in official Undergraduate Medical Education meetings, working to ensure policies were fair, transparent, and reflected learner needs. Wellness has always been another passion of mine. As coordinator of our medical school's Peer Support Program, I spearheaded wellness initiatives and arranged support for junior and senior colleagues alike.
My platform:
1. Non-performative resident wellness: Wellness should be more than mandatory modules or one-time retreats. I will advocate for initiatives that address the root causes of burnout — fair call stipends, ensuring call limits are respected, and creating accessible channels for continuous resident feedback.
2. Equitable policies: Our resident community is diverse, and our policies should reflect that. I will work to create transparent, standardized processes around religious holidays, accommodations, and other important personal or cultural needs.
3. Collaboration: I want to work closely with site representatives across Family Medicine programs and FRAT to create opportunities that directly benefit residents, including financial wellness sessions, transition-to-practice resources, and mentorship opportunities.
If elected, would be honoured to represent your voice on PARO General Council and work alongside you all to create meaningful, lasting improvements for residents across our program!
Dr. Inna Ushcatz
PGY-1 | Toronto | Family Medicine-
Bio
Hi everyone! My name is Inna, and I am a PGY-1 at North York General Hospital. I am excited to be one of your PARO representatives. Like many others, I took a non-linear path to medicine, but throughout it all I've stayed grounded through art, yoga, and a love of baking. I believe our residency program is strengthened by the unique experiences and perspectives each of us brings, and it would be a privilege to represent your voices.
Family Medicine is a large program, with residents across many training sites. Although opportunities to connect can be limited, I want to be someone you can reach out to with a question, an idea, or a personal concern. If additional support is needed, I will help connect you with the appropriate resources and advocate alongside you. Residency can feel isolating, and I want every resident to feel they are part of a supportive community, especially during challenging or uncertain times.
Our program is fortunate to have seven PARO representatives, making collaboration one of our greatest strengths. I want to foster strong communication among our representatives so we can advocate in a coordinated and thoughtful way while recognizing the unique challenges faced by residents across different training sites.
I am comfortable advocating for meaningful change and understand that improving our training environment requires thoughtful planning and persistence. Through my work on organizational committees, including the first Hockey Fights Cancer charity game, I have learned to identify common concerns, evaluate feedback, and turn ideas into practical, actionable solutions. My goal is to ensure resident concerns are not only heard but also lead to meaningful, lasting improvements.
While each of us has a unique journey, we are united by our shared commitment to medicine and our desire for a supportive, enriching residency experience. Whether advocating for expanded wellness resources or addressing barriers to resident success, I am committed to listening, learning, and working toward continuous improvement.
I look forward to getting to know everyone over the coming years!
Dr. Amrit Brar
PGY-1 | Toronto | Family Medicine-
Bio
Hi everyone! I'm Amrit, a PGY1 Family Medicine resident at the Credit Valley Hospital, and I'm excited to be running for PARO General Council.
I've spent much of my life playing basketball and volleyball, including serving as a captain of several teams. Through those experiences, I learned that good leadership isn't about always having all the answers. It's about listening first and making sure everyone feels heard, supported, and represented. That's a mindset I've carried into medicine, whether through learner advocacy with the CFMS (Canadian Federation of Medical Students) or mentoring junior learners.
If elected, I'll bring that same approach to PARO. My commitment is to be approachable, to listen, and to follow through. Whether it's advocating for resident concerns, communicating important updates clearly, or making sure your voice is heard, I want to be someone you can rely on.
I'd be grateful for the opportunity to represent our resident community. Thank you for your support!
Dr. Jessica Chu
PGY-2 | Toronto | Family Medicine-
Bio
Residency is challenging, and having a strong community can make a meaningful difference to our well-being. I believe PARO plays an important role not only in advocating for residents, but also in creating opportunities for us to connect, support one another, and feel less alone throughout training. Serving on General Council during my PGY1 year showed me how impactful that work can be, and I would be excited to continue contributing.
If elected, my priorities would be twofold. First, I want to continue building a stronger sense of community within our Family Medicine program. As one of the largest residency programs with trainees spread across multiple GTA sites, it can sometimes feel difficult to connect with colleagues. This year we had socials ranging from theatre nights to relaxing at Othership to getting our steps in at Activate/Barry's/sweat and tonic. I made it a priority to attend PARO events because I value the relationships they foster. I hope to continue being a friendly, approachable face who helps create opportunities for residents to connect and feel supported.
Second, I am committed to advocating for residents on the issues that shape our everyday training experience. Whether it's call schedules, vacation rights, resident amenities, parking and transportation, or other workplace concerns, I want to ensure Family Medicine residents' voices are heard and represented.
Beyond residency, I have been involved in leadership through undergraduate student councils, residence life, and the Canadian Federation of Medical Students. Through event planning, fundraising, conference management, and advocacy, I developed strong skills in collaboration, organization, and representing diverse voices, all experiences I am excited to bring to PARO General Council.
Outside of medicine, you'll usually find me exploring Toronto's cafes in search of the best matcha, staying active through weekly run clubs, or escaping the city for nature hikes and backcountry camping in Algonquin. I'd love to meet more of you throughout the year, whether on rotation, or at a PARO event! Please don't hesitate to say hello, and I hope to earn your support!
Dr. Michael Geurguis
PGY-2 | Toronto | Family Medicine-
Bio
Hello everyone,
My name is Michael Geurguis, I am a second-year Family Medicine resident at the University of Toronto, and I am excited to be running once again for a PARO position for the 2026-2027 academic year.
My mission remains simple: create an environment where learners feel they can advocate for themselves and for others without consequences or barriers. I grew up in the Mississauga area, and my love for the diverse communities around the GTA led me to pursue my training in Toronto. Throughout my journey, I've learned that decisions regarding our training, our well-being, and our learning environments should not be made without our input and insight.
This past year serving with PARO was genuinely influential for me. It taught me tangible ways to advocate for residents, and I put that learning into action. I joined the Resident Advisory Committee to ensure UofT residents' voices were heard in decisions that affect them. I advocated for call room changes at my hospital site, pushing for improvements that directly impact resident wellbeing. Day to day, I made myself available to fellow residents navigating the challenging landscape of residency, always ready to answer questions and offer support.
As Chief Resident this year, I created a PARO FAQ for incoming residents, so new colleagues would never feel alone in understanding their rights and resources from day one.
These experiences confirmed what I already believed: advocacy is above all about listening, and doing so with intent. I hope to listen to your needs and concerns with the intent to act.
Residency is no easy feat, and every one of you has your own story and what drives you to be here. My goal is simple: to humbly serve as your sounding board, your advocate, and your teammate in making residency a healthier, more supportive experience.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Dr. Mara Mcneil
PGY-1 | Toronto | Family Medicine-
Bio
Hi all,
My name is Mara and I am a first year Family Medicine resident at Michael Garron Hospital! I would love the opportunity to serve as a General Council Representative with PARO.
Throughout medical school, some of my most rewarding experiences came from advocating for my classmates and helping build a strong, supportive community. Across numerous leadership positions, I worked closely with students, faculty, and fellow leaders to organize events, support my peers, and ensure student perspectives were heard. Those experiences showed me how meaningful it is to listen, collaborate, and advocate for others.
As I begin residency, I am excited to continue being involved beyond my clinical training. My goal is to help foster a residency experience where every resident feels supported, connected, and confident that their concerns and ideas are being heard. I believe strong resident advocacy leads to healthier learning environments, better physician well-being, and ultimately better care for our patients. I would be grateful for the opportunity to represent my co-residents, bring forward their perspectives, and contribute to conversations that strengthen residency training across Ontario.
Dr. Moe Iesa
PGY-1 | Toronto | Family Medicine-
Bio
I am a PGY1 Family Medicine resident at FMTU–Orillia with a background in emergency medicine, primary care, quality improvement, and physician leadership. Throughout my career, I have learned that meaningful advocacy begins with listening. The best solutions come from understanding people’s experiences and working together to create positive change.
If elected to PARO, I will work to ensure residents feel heard, supported, and well represented. Every residency program has unique challenges, and I believe our advocacy should reflect the diverse voices and experiences of residents across Ontario.
My background in quality improvement has equipped me to identify challenges, engage stakeholders, and develop practical, sustainable solutions. I hope to apply these skills to strengthen communication, promote transparency, and support initiatives that enhance resident wellness, education, and the overall training experience.
I am committed to fostering an inclusive and collaborative resident community where everyone feels respected, valued, and empowered to succeed. I will approach this role with integrity, openness, and a genuine commitment to service, always listening first and advocating thoughtfully.
It would be a privilege to represent my fellow residents through PARO and contribute to building a stronger, more supportive training environment for all.