She grew up in Calgary with her parents and younger sister, and regularly attended South Jamatkhana, in Calgary, Alberta. After completing her undergraduate degree in Life Sciences at Queen’s University, she went on to pursue a Master of Science in Global Health at McMaster University. She simultaneously led women’s health research projects around the Greater Toronto Area, and realized that a career in medicine would allow her to pursue her passion for global health while having a positive impact on the lives of others.
She completed her degree in medicine at the University of Alberta, and was in the process of completing the Anesthesia Residency Program at the University of Toronto when Covid-19 swept the world.
Safia continues to practice in anesthesia in Toronto during the Covid-19 outbreak. This primarily involves participating in aerosol-generating medical procedures in the operating room, during code blues (cardiac arrests), and during trauma resuscitation. Although being a resident during a pandemic creates a steep learning curve, she is maintaining a positive outlook. She views this situation as an opportunity to learn, grow, and be the best physician that she can be.
She often recalls a quote she loves: “The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it.” According to Safia, this means Canadians and the entire global jamat must work together as citizens of the world during these tough times. Though we endure difficulty now, we will come out of this as a strong and unified community.
