In 2006, I arrived in Canada from England on a temporary skilled visa, sent by the University of Manchester to Edmonton to advance my training in sports surgeries. Born and raised in India, I completed my medical education there before moving to the UK for postgraduate orthopedic surgery training, spending eight years refining my skills. As the immigration officer handed back my passport that day, his parting words — ”Hope you stay back in Canada” — felt like a personal promise of acceptance and opportunity, an invitation to make Canada home after completing advanced training.
Fast forward to 2024: I did stay in Canada, planted roots, developed a practice, raised a family, and poured my heart into the community in Alberta, which embraced me as their own.
