Resident Physician of the Month

During the month of June, we are recognizing two resident physicians:

Dr. Ryan Noble, Rural Family Medicine
University of  Calgary

Hi, I’m Ryan! I’m a PGY-2 in Rural Family Medicine at the University of Calgary, based out of the Lethbridge site. I grew up in Calgary and completed my undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering at Queen’s University before moving to Edmonton for medical school at the University of Alberta.

I was drawn to rural family medicine because of the unique challenges and responsibilities that come with working in smaller communities. Rural practice demands versatility, adaptability, and a certain degree of perseverance. My residency program has opened the door to a world of incredible opportunities – from delivering anesthesia in low resource settings to managing critically ill patients at music festivals. I genuinely love both the breadth and depth of care we get to provide. It is an immense privilege to serve Albertans in the way we do.

In addition to my clinical work, I serve as the Lead Resident for our site and as a member of PARA’s Negotiation Committee. Prior to residency, I was also the Director of the University of Alberta’s MedNite fundraiser — an experience that highlighted how much can be accomplished when talented, motivated people come together as a team.
In my spare time, I love working out, catching up with friends, and planning my next big adventure - whether that’s a hiking trip, a backpacking escape, or discovering somewhere new. I’m also incredibly excited to return to Queen’s for my Enhanced Skills year in Family Practice - Anesthesia.

I want to give a heartfelt thank you to the community of Drumheller for being such an incredible teaching site. I’m deeply grateful to my site directors and administrative team for always taking such good care of us, and to my co-residents, who have essentially become a second family - no matter how spread out we are across southern Alberta. Thank you to PARA and my co-residents for this recognition. 

A colleague shared this about Dr. Noble:

"Dr. Ryan Noble is a co-lead resident for the University of Calgary’s Rural Family Medicine Program and has been a fierce advocate for resident well-being, since being elected to his leadership role in June 2024. Not only is he a hard hard-working (and high-achieving) physician, but his work as lead resident is always underpinned by his desire to help support his fellow residents on a personal and professional level. Through his leadership efforts, he has advocated for the prioritization of in-person academics sessions, as we are often geographically spread out all throughout Central and Southern Alberta during our residency training. Additionally, he has been working hard to ensure the program is abiding by the Agreement when it comes to the distribution of rotation schedules and call shifts; thus, he ensure residents have time to take care of themselves and their families outside of their medical careers. Fellow co-residents, site directors, and administration coordinators have greatly appreciated the time and effort Dr. Noble has invested to improve our program and empower residents to become competent and caring physicians. He is an irreplaceable asset to the program, and we are incredibly fortunate to have such a strong advocate among our resident cohort!"

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Dr. Jeyaram Thangeswaran, Adult Neurology
University of  Alberta

I grew up in Sri Lanka and earned my medical degree from the University of Jaffna, where I also met my wife. We never envisioned leaving our home country—but life took us on an unexpected and rewarding journey. After initially arriving in Ontario, we moved to Calgary and eventually settled in Edmonton when we were both accepted into the residency program at the University of Alberta.

Transitioning from a tropical climate to Alberta’s snowy winters was a dramatic change—especially seeing snow for the first time. Before starting residency, I worked in various healthcare roles across Canada, which helped me better understand and appreciate Canadian culture and values. I’ve always lived by the motto: “Never, ever give up”—a mindset that has helped me navigate challenges and grow both personally and professionally.

I feel incredibly fortunate to be part of the Adult Neurology Program at the University of Alberta. From the very beginning, I’ve felt genuinely supported and encouraged. I’m especially thankful to those who believed in me early on in this journey. Now I am in PGY-3, I have particular interests in neuromuscular and cerebrovascular disorders.

Outside of medicine, I enjoy developing new skills that have turned into hobbies—such as martial arts (nunchaku and stick fighting), juggling, and card/mathematical magic. I also love spending quality time with my two daughters, aged 3 and 6. Balancing residency with parenthood can be challenging, but with the ongoing support of my program, colleagues, and family, I’ve been able to maintain a fulfilling work-life balance.

A colleague shared this about Dr. Thangeswaran:

"Jey is a thoughtful, hardworking, and kind resident. He balances his busy resident life artfully with being a father of two beautiful young daughters. His kindness knows no bounds - from bringing R5s motivational treats while they were studying hard for their Royal College exams, to lending a helping hand on call even on short notice. Whether it be doing an additional lumbar puncture on a busy day or picking up an extra shift where needed, he is there to assist. His sincerity goes a long way in contributing to a positive culture in our program and to the larger UofA community. Jey’s efforts have not gone unnoticed as he strives to foster a respectful work environment. Whenever he is in the resident lounge, he brightens the mood and puts a smile on others’ faces. He has contributed to the program’s efforts showcasing resident talent on social media to encourage his peers to get to know each other better and cultivate a close-knit community. Through this process, we also learned that he has many hidden skills including Nunchuks and Bo Staff! We are constantly impressed by his all-around kind nature and the many clinical and non-clinical gifts we continue to discover he possesses!"

Thank you to everyone who has submitted nominations for the Resident of the Month award! We have received an overwhelming number of nominations and are temporarily pausing new submissions at this time.
 
We appreciate your enthusiasm in recognizing the incredible work of your colleagues. Stay tuned for updates as we process the current nominations.
 
If you have any questions, please contact Ravneet Sekhon.