Sostrin Client Spotlight - Joshua Ng-Kamstra, M.D.

Trauma surgeon Joshua Ng-Kamstra, M.D., was first exposed to the field of epidemiology during an undergraduate introductory class at McMaster University.  But it wasn’t until he was completing his Master’s in Public Health at Harvard University and took a course on social epidemiology with Nancy Krieger that he realized the true power of epidemiology.

“The discipline is so much broader than figuring out that most people who got sick at a party ate the vanilla ice cream, not the potato salad,” he explains.  “When the right questions are asked, the societal decisions that determine the health of individuals and populations are uncovered.  When we become aware of how policy affects our health, we can then design and advocate for policy to improve it.”

Dr. Ng-Kamstra completed the majority of his education and employment in his home country of Canada. After receiving his Doctor of Medicine and Master of Surgery degree from McGill University, Dr. Ng-Kamstra served as a Resident, Fellow and Clinical Associate at the University of Toronto, University of Calgary, and North York General Hospital, respectively.

Dr. Ng-Kamstra was drawn to the U.S. for employment opportunities that could better utilize his surgical, critical care, and research skillsets. Recently, he made the move to Honolulu, Hawaii, where he currently serves as a Trauma and Acute Care Surgeon and Surgical Intensivist at The Queen’s Medical Center.

“The clinical practice of trauma and surgical critical care in the U.S. has been fulfilling.” Dr. Ng-Kamstra shares of his experience thus far. “From a research perspective, there are numerous health equity challenges in the U.S. requiring a critical epidemiology lens.”

In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Ng-Kamstra has established himself as an authoritative researcher in his field.  Some of his notable contributions include influential research pertaining to the impact of COVID-19 on the delivery of surgical services, important new research about mortality and pulmonary complications in patients undergoing surgery with COVID-19, and an invaluable new roadmap for the improvement and increased equity in safe and affordable surgery for patients who need it and are not receiving it worldwide.

“My favorite part about my work is seeing research that I've done being used to influence decision-making, whether that be in decisions about caring for individual surgical patients, or in decisions about how to organize health systems to provide surgery. It's so gratifying to see evidence being adopted into practice.”

Sostrin Immigration Lawyers has had the honor of working with Dr. Ng-Kamstra and his family since 2021, through a National Interest Waiver, and most recently, with an adjustment of status (I-485).  We are honored to have worked with such an influential physician and wish him and his family the best.