Page 81 - 2017-2018 Department of Psychiatry Annual Report

Dr. Sabina Abidi: Associate Chief, Child and Adolescent

Psychiatry

Dr. Sabina Abidi is the associate chief of child and psychiatry colleagues across the province. She is also
adolescent psychiatry at the IWK. She first stepped into actively involved in the implementation of system change
the position in 2014 in an interim capacity, but took on the and development both with IWK child and adolescent
responsibility officially two years later in 2016. Prior to this mental health programs and in collaboration with programs
Dr. Abidi was the clinical division head of outpatient mental across the province. She mentors new faculty in their
health services, where she quickly realized she had an development, offering support as needed to ensure they
interest in change development for service improvement feel their clinical roles within the division are fulfilling to
for patients and families. She enjoyed being actively them as individual physicians, while also meeting the
involved and having the opportunity to inform change needs of the community and province. As associate chief
within both academic and clinical settings. The team at the Dr. Abidi is also responsible for representing child and
IWK also contributed to her choice to take on a leadership adolescent psychiatry at academic, clinical and advocacy
position. “At the IWK we have an amazing hardworking tables.
and dedicated faculty led by Dr. Alexa Bagnell, a chief that
inspires us to excel,” she says. “Stepping into the role as Though Dr. Abidi recognizes the challenges that come
associate chief seemed like a great opportunity for me to with this role, and sometimes has to work to balance all
combine my interest in program development while also the pieces of her job, she has seen over the last year how
and more importantly, offering support for my colleagues rewarding it is to witness the positive outcome that even
and chief as we work together to achieve our common small changes can make. She also credits her amazing
goals as a division.” colleagues for making her role as associate chief as
fulfilling as it is for her. “Working with such a team helps
As associate chief, Dr. Abidi’s primary role is to offer you to see that leadership is less about leading and more
support to the chief, Dr. Bagnell. She helps to oversee about helping carve a path towards learning together to
the clinical programs and service delivery within the achieve a common vision.”
division and helps strengthen the relationship with child

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