Our Faculty
Dr. Walid Shahrour, Program Director
Dr. Walid Shahrour completed a clinical fellowship in reconstructive urology and trauma at Kulkarni Hospital in Pune, India, following medical school and residency at McGill University. He then joined the faculty at NOSM University in 2016. Dr. Shahrour’s clinical practice focuses on all aspects of reconstructive urology (Including cancer survivorship, urethral reconstruction, Men’s health, upper tract, and pediatric reconstruction) and minimally invasive surgeries, whereas his research focuses on reconstructive urology and health equity. He presently serves as the surgical oncology lead for Northwestern Ontario and the lead of urology in TBRHSC. He also serves as the vice chair of the Canadian Undergraduate Urology Committee in the Canadian Urology Association (CUA). He previously served on the CUA guidelines committee. He was the president of the professional staff association in TBRHSC. He also served on the educational committee of Thunder Bay Medical Society.
He is an invited speaker nationally and internationally, and he has led international workshops in reconstructive urology. He has published over 40 peer-reviewed manuscripts. He has obtained peer-reviewed grant funding from NOAMA and TBRHSC seed funds.
Dr. Walid Shabana, Research Coordinator
Dr. Walid Shabana received his MD from Zagazig University, Egypt in 1997 and completed his Urology specialization as well as his PhD in Urology in the same University. He worked as associate professor in the Department of Urology until 2022. He worked for Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare and received Female and functional urology experiences in University of Cincinnati, OH. In 2022, Dr. Shabana was recruited to Thunder Bay where he was appointed, and is currently, assistant professor in the Department of Surgery (Urology), NOSM University.
Dr. Shaban has served as Editorial Board Member for Open Access Journal of Urology & Nephrology (OAJUN). He is also on several international editorial boards. He has a special interest in Female and Functional urology. He has authored over 100 scientific papers.
Dr. Owen Prowse, Academic Coordinator
Dr. Prowse is a graduate of the University of Toronto and The Johns Hopkins University. His interests include surgical oncology and selection for health professions. He served ten years as the Asst. Dean of Admissions, NOSMU where he helped to develop a socially accountable medical school admissions process. He has held a number of positions at NOSMU including Academic Council Chair, NOSMU Senator ex-officio, Chair Promotions Committee and Surgical Ombudsperson. He has chaired both provincial (MAC-COFM) and national organizations (AFMC-Network on Admissions) relating to the future of medical school admissions in Canada. He is active in clinical and medical education research and has received recognition for teaching from the University of Toronto and McMaster University.
Dr. Michael L. Pianezza, Competence Committee Chair
Dr. Michael L. Pianezza, a Urologic Surgeon at Health Sciences North in Sudbury, Ontario, is the Division Head of Urology and an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. Born and raised in King City, Ontario, he completed his medical journey with an MD from the University of Ottawa in 2002 and urology residency at the University of Toronto in 2007.
Dr. Pianezza serves as a staff urologist at Health Sciences North, he has been a prostate cancer champion for Northeastern Ontario for Cancer Care Ontario and as chair of the Genito-urinary tumor boards at HSN, he actively contributes to cancer care discussions. In his commitment to medical education, Dr. Pianezza has been teaching medical students and residents since August 2010. He also serves as the treasurer for the Sudbury District Medical Society of the Ontario Medical Association.
His expertise encompasses kidney stones, urologic malignancies, and minimally invasive surgery. Dr. Pianezza is licensed by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario and holds accreditation from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. He is an active member of various medical associations, including the Canadian Urological Association, American Urological Association, and others. Dr. Pianezza has contributed to several publications in reputable journals, showcasing his research in urology.
Dr. Yasser A. Noureldin, Simulation Coordinator
Dr. Noureldin completed the urology residency training program at Benha University in Egypt. Following obtaining his Master and Doctorate degrees in Urology from Benha University, he completed clinical research Endourology Fellowship at McGill University in Canada. Furthermore, Dr Noureldin had Endourology Society Accredited Clinical Fellowship in Advanced Stone/Endo and a mini-fellowship in Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery (RIRS) from Tenon Hospital in Paris. Dr. Noureldin completed an American College of Surgeons (ACS) accredited Surgical Simulation Fellowship from the University of Washington in Seattle, and he received two-year appointment as a consultant for the international committee for Accredited Education Institutes at the American College of Surgeons. He has European Board of Urology International Certification.
The research interests of Dr. Noureldin include Endourology, SWL, Simulation, and Surgical Education. Dr. Noureldin has published over 60 articles in peer-reviewed international journals. He also co-authored three book chapters; one in the Atlas of Laparoscopic and Robotic Urologic surgery, one in a book entitled “Surgeons As Educators”, and one in the Smith’s Textbook of Endourology (4th edition).
Dr. Noureldin won several prestigious scholarships, grants, and awards such as “Joseph Segura MD Scholarship in Endourology and Stone Management” from the AUA, and “CUASF-SIU International Scholarship” from the Canadian Urological Association (CUA), and “European Urological Scholarship Program Scholarship” and the “The Best Scholar Award 2020 LAB” from the European Association of Urology (EAU), and “SIU Scholarship” form the Société Internationale d’Urologie (SIU). Furthermore, he won the best presentation during several national and international meetings such as the annual CUA and SIU meetings, and recently won the Olympus Prize for the Best Basic Research at the 39th World Congress of Endourology in San Diego.
Dr. Noureldin serves as editorial board member for the World Journal of Urology and as a reviewer for more than 25 peer-reviewed international journals such as the British Journal of Urology International (BJUI), Journal of Endourology, and others. Dr Noureldin is a member of several scientific societies such as AUA, CUA, OMA, EAU, SIU, EUA, ICS, and SLS.
Dr. Noureldin holds a position as Professor of Urology and Deputy Academic Director (Associate Dean) at Benha University in Egypt, and recently joined NOSM University as a Assistant Professor of Urology.
Dr. Ahmed Zakaria Ahmed
Assistant Professor of Urology, NOSM University, joined Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre’s Urology department in July 2021. He has completed his undergraduate degree with honors from Cairo University. After completing his Urology residency in 2011, he pursued clinical research at McGill University and followed that with a 2-year clinical fellowship at the University of Montreal. He has advanced training in endourology, minimally invasive, and robotic urologic surgery.
Dr. Ahmed has a strong passion for research and has been involved in multiple research projects. Currently supervising several research projects, to assess the outcomes of minimally invasive interventions, oncological diseases, and endoscopic urology. In the past 2 years, he managed to obtain two grants (SEEDS and NOAMA) to fund the urology group research projects. He has co-authored more than 50 peer-reviewed publications. His research contributions were well recognized at the American and Canadian Urological Association annual meetings.
Dr. Hazem Elmansy
Dr. Hazem Elmansy is an Associate Professor, Program Director of the Minimally Invasive Urologic Surgery Fellowship program, and Medical Lead of Surgical Research at the NOSM University. He completed his Urology residency at McGill University and has training in endourology, including percutaneous nephrolithotomy for complex stone management and laser surgery for the prostate.
Having witnessed the advantages of minimally invasive surgeries alongside comprehensive, individualized treatment plans, Dr. Elmansy had the vision to promote the highest standard of urological care for patients in Northwestern Ontario and advance clinical research.
In October 2017, Dr. Elmansy successfully performed the first holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) procedure in Ontario. Recognizing the steep learning curve inherent to HoLEP, he published a collection of educational videos aimed at helping other urologists master this procedure.
Dr. Elmansy’s commitment to academic excellence was demonstrated when he developed NOSM U’s first international clinical fellowship program. He is a co-author of the updated Canadian Urological Association (CUA) guidelines for Ureteric Stones and Male Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms/Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.
Dr. Elmansy was recently featured by the prestigious Nature Journal as an Emerging Leader in Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases and received NOSM University’s 2023 Clinical Scholar Award. Moreover, Dr. Elmansy is the NOSM U representative for the Canadian Association of Chairs of Surgical Research, a recipient of four Northern Ontario Academic Medicine Association (NOAMA) grants, and a Master of Medical Sciences program committee member.
Dr. Elmansy is passionate about research and has co-authored over 60 peer-reviewed publications and a chapter in Smith’s Textbook of Endourology. His commitment to scholarly work earned him recognition as a Top Reviewer by the Journal of Endourology (2023), and he was honoured as one of the Top 10 Peer Reviewers by the Canadian Urological Association Journal in 2021.
Dr. Elmansy’s dedication and leadership in the field of endourology and academic medicine continue to make a substantial impact in Northwestern Ontario and beyond.
Academic Interests:
- Anatomical endoscopic enucleation of the prostate (AEEP) using various energy sources
- Bladder stones
- Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) treatments – minimally invasive
- Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP)
- Metabolic stone disease evaluation and management
- Lithotripsy/stone removal
- Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS)
- Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL)
- Urinary retention
Dr. Hossein Saadat
Embarking on a transformative journey in Urology, Dr. Saadat first solidified his career in Iran. With a distinguished career in urology, he has established expertise in various subspecialties through three impactful fellowships:
Functional urology in Toronto
Kidney transplantation and laparoscopic surgery in Ottawa
Men’s health in Ottawa
Dr. Saadat’s extensive interests encompass laparoscopic nephrectomies, advanced management of lower urinary tract symptoms including sacral neuromodulation, infertility, and erectile dysfunction. Proudly affiliated with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, he also serves as a dedicated urologist at Health Sciences North while also contributing as an assistant professor at NOSM University.
Dr. Tara Moskalyk
Dr. Tara Moskalyk, a dedicated urologist based in Sudbury, Ontario. With over 19 years of experience in the field of urology, her journey in the medical field began with the completion of her medical degree at the University of Ottawa. She then pursued postgraduate training at the University of Toronto, where she successfully completed her urology residency program in 2004. To further enhance her expertise, she spent an additional year at Dalhousie for complex voiding dysfunction and incontinence. Since 2005, Dr. Tara Moskalyk has been a part of the Sudbury medical community. Her commitment to her patients is evident in her dedication to providing high-quality urological care.
Recognizing the evolving needs of her patients, she has a commitment to staying at the forefront of medical advancements and adapting to the changing landscape of healthcare.
Dr. Moskalyk’s practice has a generalized community-based approach with a specific emphasis on female incontinence. Her comprehensive urological care is designed to enhance the overall well-being of her patients, addressing their unique needs and concerns.
As a proud member of the medical community and a contributor to the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) since 2006, Dr. Tara Moskalyk continues to be a trusted and respected urologist. Her enduring passion for her field, coupled with her commitment to excellence, extends beyond the clinic to the classrooms, where she enjoys fostering the development of aspiring healthcare professionals.