Naythrah Thevathasan: A Physician with a Mission

Naythrah Thevathasan, a Guelph native and a proud Gryphon, has achieved remarkable milestones in her journey as a health care professional. Her path reflects a deep dedication to pediatric care and public health, shaped by diverse academic experiences, a global outlook and factors in her own home.

But her road to success has been anything but easy. Growing up, she witnessed firsthand the struggles her family faced in navigating the healthcare system; experiences that would later shape her commitment to medicine and public health. Her mother, a foreign medical graduate, faced immense barriers to requalify and train as a pediatrician in Canada. She watched her mother navigate a system that often overlooks the credentials of immigrant doctors. Her father, a retired professor at the University of Guelph, experienced a difficult battle with kidney failure. Through the experiences of her parents, Naythrah understood at an early age the resilience needed to practice medicine and the profound impact of healthcare on patients and their families.

“I think these lived experiences definitely planted a seed to consider what medicine would look like as my career,” Naythrah said. However, the challenges her mother endured made her hesitant to dive into medicine. Naythrah initially chose Biomedical Science at the University of Guelph in 2010, where she was able to explore broader perspectives on healthcare.

During her undergraduate years, Naythrah took on leadership roles as a student senator and Supported Learning Group leader. In her role as a Supported Learning Group leader, she created a supportive space for students struggling academically, which further fueled her passion for leadership and advocacy. “I really was inspired by how I can find different opportunities that would allow me to have advocacy and leadership” she said. This led Naythrah to pursue a master’s degree in public health at Queen’s University, where she began to view medicine as part of a larger ecosystem of public health and social equity.

Naythrah’s commitment to public health took off at the Kingston Frontenac Lennox and Addington Public Health Unit, where she worked as a health promoter. She was dedicated to tackling systemic barriers to healthcare access, driven by a genuine desire to understand how children’s health is shaped by the environments around them. For example, she hoped to connect families with community resources that promote health development. This holistic approach underscores Naythrah’s commitment to improving the environments that shape individual well-being. “What makes me tick is finding ways to make the environment around a person better for their overall well-being,” said Naythrah.  All this finally led her to attending Dalhousie Medicine, where she deepened her understanding of patient care and health systems.

Naythrah was named the only Canadian recipient of the prestigious Reckitt Pediatric Global Resident Scholarship Award in 2024, awarded to only 15 individuals worldwide. The award recognizes exceptional pediatric trainees who demonstrate leadership in child health and a commitment to global healthcare advancement. This prestigious program invited pediatric trainees from around the world to explore various medical topics through seminar-based courses.

“The experience was remarkable. It pushed me to dream bigger and approach problems in innovative ways,” she said. Being surrounded by pediatric trainees from around the world, each bringing unique perspectives shaped by their countries’ health care systems, challenged Naythrah to think beyond the Canadian context. She found herself inspired by conversations that emphasized global collaboration and culturally responsive care, which expanded her approach to medicine. Naythrah’s award-winning submission focused on a rare genetic disorder called non-ketotic hyperglycinemia syndrome. This is a condition that affects the body’s ability to process the amino acid glycine, leading to developmental delays and neurological issues. In her research, she helped identify a previously unknown gene variant and unique physical characteristics associated with the condition. This was an important step toward better understanding and diagnosing the disease.

Before pursuing her master’s in public health, Naythrah interned with the World Health Organization in Sri Lanka in 2014, where she worked on initiatives such as Breastfeeding Awareness Week and projects addressing childhood malnutrition. For Naythrah, this experience was more than just professional--it was deeply personal. Naythrah grew up listening to stories about her mother’s medical training in Sri Lanka and her family’s experiences during the country’s civil war. As a young adult, being in the Sri Lankan healthcare setting gave her a new appreciation for the resilience of both her family and the healthcare system. “I really didn't get the true depth of what it means to be a Sri Lankan Tamil and the lineage that I come from until that experience with the WHO,” she says.

As a South Asian woman in medicine, Naythrah’s identity profoundly influences her approach to her work. She has noticed that her presence in diverse community hospitals fosters connections and inspires young patients to imagine themselves in positions of power. “I’m grateful for the privilege to impact lives and for the humbling moments when patients express gratitude just for seeing someone who looks like them,” she says.

Naythrah highlights the importance of visibility for South Asians in healthcare, noting that CIRCLE’s efforts showcase the valuable contributions of individuals from the diaspora. “We’re in a global community. Collaborating across cultures and countries strengthens our ability to impact health outcomes meaningfully.”

Naythrah advises students considering a career in medicine to know their “why”: “Medicine demands immense commitment, and remembering why you chose this path will sustain you through challenges,” she says.

She encourages exploration and diverging from the “normal” path, sharing her mother’s wisdom: “Answer all the questions of life you may have. If you want to try a different career, try a different career [...] and medicine will always be there for you if that’s what you end up deciding on doing.”

Now pursuing a fellowship, Naythrah has recently matched with the SickKids hospital in Toronto, one of the leading children's hospitals in the world. She is determined to bring specialized care to underserved communities, including in her hometown of Guelph. In the future, Naythrah dreams of opening a joint allergy immunology, and social pediatrics practice, one that integrates medical care with social support to create meaningful, lasting change for children and families. Her vision, rooted in compassion and equity, makes her a powerful role model for aspiring healthcare professionals everywhere.

Soha Mohammad is a student writer for CIRCLE. She is in her third year of her undergraduate degree in Biomedical Science at the University of Guelph. 

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