Sakina Walji

Current academic appointment/faculty rank: Assistant Professor

Affiliations:  

• Mount Sinai Academic Family Health Team, Sinai Health 

• Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto 

Research summary:  

Dr. Walji is a family physician and PhD candidate in Family Medicine Research at the University of Western Ontario. Her doctoral research focuses on reproductive carrier screening, with an emphasis on supporting the implementation of genomic medicine in primary care through patient-centred, evidence-informed research. Her broader research interests include reproductive genetics, qualitative methods, implementation science, and health services research. 

Her research has examined patient and healthcare provider perspectives on expanded reproductive carrier screening, strategies to integrate family history collection into electronic medical records, and the implementation of genomic medicine in primary care. She has also contributed to national guidance on reproductive carrier screening and has conducted qualitative research exploring patient experiences in obstetrical care. 

In addition to her research, she serves as Associate Director of GECKO (Genetics Education Canada – Knowledge Organization), an organization dedicated to develop accessible, evidence-based genetics resources for primary care clinicians. She is also the Quality Improvement Program Director and Resident Scholarship Director at her academic teaching site, supporting quality improvement initiatives and fostering resident scholarly activity.