S.Monty Ghosh | Top 40 Under 40 2021

Dr. Monty Ghosh is changing our social and health systems to reduce the inequities harming marginalized populations.

Makeup by Michelle St. Croix, Artists Within. Photograph by Jared Sych.

Age: 39

Job title: Physician; Assistant Clinical Professor, University of Calgary; and Assistant Professor, University of Alberta

Why S.Monty Ghosh is a 2021 Top 40 Under 40: Dr. Monty Ghosh is changing our social and health systems to reduce the inequities harming marginalized populations.

Early in his career, Dr. Monty Ghosh asked a physician-mentor for advice on global health work. The response: “There’s a need here. Why are you looking elsewhere?”

Today, Ghosh specializes in caring for people experiencing homelessness and addiction — providing medical care through the Calgary Drop-In Centre, The Alex Community Health Centre, Alberta Health Services (AHS) Adult Addiction Services and hospitals. He also leads research, developing national and provincial policies, creating programs and advocating for patients. Over four years, he has attracted $3 million in grant funding as a principal investigator, while projects he has been involved in as a co-lead and collaborator have attracted $6 million and $1 million in funding, respectively.

Ghosh, who was recently named deputy editor of Harvard Public Health Review, believes physicians must address the social determinants of health when caring for patients. “If someone doesn’t have housing or food security, there’s no way they can focus on their health,” he says. His motto “innovation for equity,” often leads him to try out novel approaches. One example is a program Ghosh created in 2017, now backed by funding from the City of Calgary, in which people with lived experience of addiction and homelessness help others navigate the health system.

In 2020, he was part of a team that helped lead the creation of isolation facilities for people experiencing homelessness and was named co-chair of two task forces, including AHS’s Provincial Shelter Outbreak Task Force. He designed a national virtual supervised consumption service where people using substances can call a hotline for supervision, and he co-founded Alberta’s first comprehensive outpatient addiction treatment program to help clients detox at home and get access to addiction treatment. “It is my moral responsibility to advocate for all those who don’t have my privilege and reduce barriers they may face to access our system,” he says.

Thank Yous
“I would like to thank my parents; my maternal aunt and uncle (my second set of parents); mentors Dr. Mike Trew, Dr. Martin Labrie, Dianne Dyer; close collaborators and friends Dr. Rob Tanguay, Natalie Noble, Dr. Kerri Treherne, Dr. Van Nguyan, Dr. Lydia Vezina, Dr. Richelle Schindler, Dr. Simon Colgan, Dr. Francesco Mosaico, Dr. Mike Mulholland, Dr. Thara Kumar. Michael Beech and Robyn Mills; and close colleagues and NORS co-founders Kim Ritchie, Rebecca Morris Miller, Gord Casey, Oona Krieg. Dr. Val Taylor, Jeffrey Danielson, Dr. Stephanie Vanderberg, Ty Eggenberger, Dr. Christine Gibson, Sarah Rankin, Dr. Tito Daodu, Patrycja Vaid, Dr. Kate Bisby, and Drs. Andrew Bond and Jeff Turnbull.” – S.Monty Ghosh

 

Top 40 Under 40 2021

Elise Ahenkorah

Dan Allard

Jordan Balaban

Jared Blustein

Gil Carlos and Jeff Carlos

Jason Curry

Georgina De Caigny

Alkarim Devani

Allison Dunne

Chloe Dusser

Nils Daniel Forkert

Michelle Fournie

Brooke Garcia

S.Monty Ghosh

Zahra Goodarzi

Victoria Hodgkinson-Brechenmacher

Kelsi Hurlbut

Ọláwunmi (Wunmi) Idowu

Melissa Jay

Kay L

Sandra Aigbinode Lange

Devon Livingstone

Samantha Lowe

Sarah MacDonald

Karim Manji

Sarah McAllister

Alexander McGirr

Ashley Meller

Carmen Morin

Alicia Nahmad Vazquez

Charles Osuji

Melissa Roy

Maud Salvi

Sherri (Gursharan) Shergill

Sarah Sinclair

Holly Singer

Trevor Solway

Jason Weatherald

Elmien Wingert

Darby Lee Young

This article appears in the November 2021 issue of Avenue Calgary.

Related posts

Top 40 Under 40 2021

Alana Willerton

Darby Lee Young | Top 40 Under 40 2021

avenuecalgary

Elmien Wingert | Top 40 Under 40 2021

avenuecalgary

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Privacy Policy

Privacy & Cookies Policy
Avenue Calgary