Dr. Christian Igboamalu and Dr. Mohammed Azam Khan could never have known when they first became doctors they would find themselves here, but they’re glad they did.
They may have started their careers for different reasons and in different countries, but in the end they both found themselves serving families living in the Cold Lake area.
Igboamalu, who is a family physician with a sub-specialty in high-risk obstetrics, was born and raised in Nigeria. He said his drive for becoming a doctor was a bet he made with his father when he was young.
After completing his medical training at the University of Nigeria in Benin, he moved to South Africa where he completed his residency and received a diploma in obstetrics and masters of family medicine.
“I worked in a busy obstetrics unit, we did 10,000 deliveries per year,” he described.
After moving to Canada in 2014 and starting an obstetric unit in Slave Lake, Igboamalu transferred to Edmonton in 2016 where he worked for two years before accepting a position in Cold Lake.
Now, he keeps busy at the Cold Lake Healthcare Centre.
The father of four said his family loves the area.
”There’s a very lovely lake, a nice environment, and great working staff,” he detailed.
Khan has also fallen in love with the community, and loves his position at the Lakeland Medical Clinic.
“I enjoy the working conditions over here, because usually a doctor gets bored by working in the same clinic and elements every day… but here, it’s different. We’re working in the emergency, walk-in clinic, the primary clinic, the admissions acute care unit, the First Nations Clinic, everyday there’s a different environment, so you don’t get bored. Every time you feel like you have a new challenge and new things to do,” he expressed.
Born in India, Khan moved to Canada with his family in 2018. After obtaining her license to practice in Canada, Khan started applying for positions in Manitoba, Alberta, and British Columbia.
”I was waiting for a spot and I got the call from Alberta Health Services, it was my first offer and I accepted it,” he exclaimed, adding at the time, he had been given two options.
“I had been given the option of either starting my own clinic or joining the Lakeland Medical Clinic… I wanted to be a part of an established clinic. Working in Canada is very different than working in Saudi Arabia, so I didn’t want to start my own clinic right away,” stated Khan. “I’ve found that this is the best option for me, and I’m really grateful for that.”
Khan’s family has yet to join him in Cold Lake. He said they were waiting for their four children to finish up the school year in Toronto before bringing them to the area.
He noted he’s kept pretty busy so far.
When asked what drove him to become a doctor he said, “It all started from my childhood. I was very good in studies and my parents, relatives, everyone used to tell me… I was excelling in class, so I should become a doctor. I had it engrained in my mind that I wanted to become a doctor, that was one inspiration for me.”
