Dr. Angela Ridi (MD’03) is a practicing anesthesiologist in St. John’s, NL. She also makes time to volunteer, whether it’s with Dalhousie’s Alumni Association, the Canadian Anesthesiologists’ Society or her children’s school.

By Emily MacKinnon

Medical school wasn’t a foregone conclusion for Dr. Angela Ridi (MD’03). Dr. Ridi says she “hedged her bets” during her undergraduate degree at McGill University by majoring in biochemistry and minoring in finance. Born and raised in Cape Breton, Dr. Ridi always felt like Halifax was her second home and she had a strong connection to Dalhousie. Whether it was to earn an MBA or an MD, Dr. Ridi knew she wanted to attend Dal to pursue graduate studies. In the end, she decided on medicine.

Dr. Ridi, who has a long-standing interest in French language and culture, applied for the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship (since renamed) in France at the same time she applied for medical school. “Luckily for me, I was granted both opportunities,” Dr. Ridi says. “But then I had this difficulty: I had to make a choice.” Dr. Ridi wrote to the Dean of Dalhousie’s Medical School at the time, Dr. Maragaret Casey, explaining her Rotary Club opportunity and requesting a deferral. Dr. Casey agreed.

Dr. Ridi spent a year in Lyon, France, studying, teaching English to a local family and promoting goodwill between Canada and France by speaking at events and attending local Rotary Club meetings. The following summer, she was in Halifax and ready to embark on her next adventure: medical school.

The intersection of physiology and pharmacology

“I started back to school in 1999 and at that time Dalhousie was a leader in what was called ‘problem-based learning’ and moving away from a strictly didactic platform,” Dr. Ridi explains. “We would call them ‘paper patients’; you’d get all the [patient] details on paper and then discuss within your small group.” Each group was led by a facilitator, Dr. Ridi says, either a clinical faculty member, researcher or a practitioner.

One of Dr. Ridi’s facilitators, Dr. Patricia Livingston, invited students to shadow her or her colleagues and learn about the field. “I realized that [anesthesiology] was a good balance for me in terms of thinking and doing,” Dr. Ridi says. “The intersection, to really geek out, of physiology and pharmacology was a great fit for me.”

Staying connected to Dal

These days, Dr. Ridi is a practicing clinician in St. John’s, NL, who sits on the board of the Canadian Anesthesiologists’ Society and undertakes some teaching through Memorial University’s medical school.

Dr. Ridi, who is affiliated with several postsecondary institutions, says Dal is the one she feels most strongly connected to. “I've been in many post-secondary institutions around the world, from France to Quebec to Cape Breton and Ontario...but my connection is with Dalhousie,” she says, adding that she’s stayed connected to her alma mater by reading VOXMeDal and Dal alumni emails.

When one of those emails included a call for new members to join the board Dalhousie Alumni Association (DAA), Dr. Ridi thought it would be a good chance to give back. She joined in fall 2023, and says a highlight so far has been sitting on the selection committee for Dal’s flagship alumni awards, the Aurum Awards.

Teamwork and building community

The DAA is not Dr. Ridi’s only volunteer experience: during medical school she got involved with the Canadian Federation of Medical Women, and she has been with the Canadian Anesthesiologists’ Society since 2014, becoming the provincial representative for Newfoundland and Labrador in 2016. “I'd never really considered the business of the organization before,” she says. “From a management point of view, but also from a scientific or advocacy point of view...I really enjoy it.”

Dr. Ridi is also a board member at her children’s school, where she was chair of a committee that was tasked with creating a back-to-school plan during the pandemic. She found the work a great exercise in connection, and says it was extremely rewarding. “It makes life worthwhile in terms of being in touch with your children's school, and not just my children, but the community of children that are there, and getting to know the teachers.”

She is quick to point out that the committee worked together to implement measures that allowed their kids to get back to school safely. Teamwork, Dr. Ridi asserts, is foundational to her professional and personal success. She credits her supportive partner for helping her balance a hectic schedule and demanding profession with volunteer work and parenting. “It’s a real team effort,” she says.