The Faculty & Trainee Spotlight Series shines a light on the incredible people who make up the heart of UBC Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics. Amidst the remarkable achievements and developments within the department, it is a pleasure to share the stories of the dynamic trainees and faculty who bring passion, curiosity, and insight that drive the areas of anesthesiology, pharmacology, and therapeutics forward.
Meet Dr. Navraj Chima!
Role: Clinical Assistant Professor
Site: Vancouver General Hospital (VGH)
Dr. Navraj Chima completed his undergraduate degree in Microbiology at the University of Victoria before beginning medical school at UBC in 2009. He entered the UBC residency program, finishing in 2018 and subsequently starting a staff position at Vancouver General Hospital.
When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted his original fellowship plans, Dr. Chima went on to complete a fellowship in Trauma Anesthesia and POCUS at Toronto’s Sunnybrook Hospital in 2020–2021.
He currently works at Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) and UBC Hospital, manages the perioperative fellowship program, and co-leads the Division of Trauma Anesthesia. He also serves as the undergraduate anesthesia co-director for the UBC Faculty of Medicine.
“We truly work at the intersection of multiple specialties, which keeps the medicine fresh and interesting. ”
— Navraj Chima, Clinical Assistant Professor, UBC
Responses have been edited for flow, clarity, and style.
How did your career path lead you to UBC and to your current position?
During my medical training, both undergraduate and postgraduate, I have always enjoyed working with the staff at Vancouver General. The clinical environment is outstanding, and I couldn’t ask for a better group of colleagues. My interest in trauma began during my early days of first aid and paramedic training and was strengthened by the exceptional mentors I met along the way. I also developed an interest in clinical systems and how to improve them, which led to my passion for simulation training and medical education.
What have you learned from working with residents and students that has surprised or inspired you?
Residents and medical students are naturally inquisitive; they constantly push the boundaries of their knowledge as they study and learn our craft. This often leads to interesting conversations in the OR about patient care and clinical scenarios. You begin to see situations differently from how you first learned them, which in turn helps you adapt your teaching for future learners.
What’s one piece of advice you received early in your career that has stayed with you?
A physician I met early in my career once said, “Enjoy the bread and butter, but savour the zebras.” If you don’t appreciate the routine, everyday clinical cases, the rare and unusual ones won’t be enough to sustain your interest. That’s one of the things I love about anesthesia — there is so much variety in what we do, from case complexity to acuity to subspecialty. We truly work at the intersection of multiple specialties, which keeps the medicine fresh and interesting.
If you weren’t in this field, what do you think you’d be doing instead?
Another medical specialty I’ve always enjoyed is at the opposite end of the spectrum: pathology. I loved lab work during undergrad and found the investigative aspect of pathology incredibly fascinating. If I were in a completely different professional field, I’d probably choose mechanical engineering, as I’m a big Formula One fan. But there’s also a part of me that could happily settle into being a museum curator, cataloguing and organizing exhibits and artifacts, uncovering ancient history, and sharing it with the community.