armaniHossein Amani

Dr. Hossein Amani has been a faculty member at the University of Toronto PM&R Division since 2003 and involved in mentoring and teaching PM&R residents since then.  He has served on the University of Toronto PM&R Residency Selection Committee on multiple occasions.  Dr. Amani has PM&R specialty certifications in Canada (FRCPC)and the United States (FABPMR).  He also has subspecialty certifications in Pain Medicine, Sports Medicine, Neuromuscular Medicine, and Brain Injury Medicine.  He is certified by and has served as an EMG oral board examiner for the American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine.  He is past Vice-Chair of the Ontario Medical Association PM&R Section Executive Committee and was Chair of the OMA PM&R Section Annual Scientific Meetings from 2012 until 2017.In early 2016, Dr. Amani approached Dr. Robinson to co-chair and create an annual University of Toronto PM&R conference, now known as the Toronto PM&R Conference or “TPMRC.”  The guiding principle behind this conference is the famous quote by Carl Friedrich Gauss, “pauca sed matura,” meaning “few but ripe.”  The goal of this conference is to bring together superb experts to give high impact interactive lectures and to disseminate cutting-edge information on topics pertinent to the field of PM&R.


e-dr-david-berbrayer-2David Berbrayer

Dr. David Berbrayer is a specialist in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation certified by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and the American Board of Medical Specialties. Dr. Berbrayer is a member of the educational committee of AAP (Association Academic Physiatrists), Member of the Transitional committee & Educational committee of ACPDM (American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine) and Evidence based committee – performance metrics of AAPM&R.Dr. David Berbrayer is past Education Chair and past CPD chair of CAPM&R (Canadian Association of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation) and current Pediatric Section Chair of the CAPM&R. Dr. Berbrayer is the Medical Director, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre University of Toronto. Dr. Berbrayer is past Vice President and Chief of Staff Lyndhurst Hospital. He is a founding member of Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. Dr. Berbrayer is a consultant at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehab the largest pediatric facility in Toronto and consultant at Hospital for Sick Children. Dr. Berbrayer is Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto.


Heather Dow

Over 25 years experience in Charities and Not-for-Profits. In 2015, earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE) professional designation in not-for-profit leadership. (CAE credentialed professionals must meet certain educational and experience requirements against the competency standards, demonstrate the knowledge essential to manage an association in today’s challenging environment and pass an examination before the designation is awarded.) Executive Director/CEO of the Canadian Association of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (CAPM&R), Canadian Advances in Neuro-Orthopedics for Spasticity Congress (CANOSC), Canadian Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Association (CSCI-RA), Toronto Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Conference (TPMRC), Canadian Association of Pathologists (CAP-ACP) & Canadian Association of Neuropathologists (CANP). I am the content manager for the Canadian Journal of Pathology (CJP), Accreditation Manager for CPD for CAPM&R, CAP-ACP, and CANP, Manager of the certification of Pathologists Assistant’s in Canada, Manager of EMG Exams, and Canada’s representative for the International Liaison for Pathology Presidents & CEOs. Heather is a consultant to the Canadian Physiotherapy Association (CPA-ACP) as it relates to Corporation Governance and assists the Canadian Rheumatology Association (CRA) with their CPD accreditation. Heather was just appointed the CMA CEO Roundtable as Vice Chair. The CEO Roundtable helps the most senior staff of Canada’s national medical organizations serve their organization better and develop their leadership by connecting them to a network of peers. Is a member of the RCPSC Rapid Response Team – CPD and the RCPSC National Specialty Summit Committee. In her spare time, she can be found hacking through the fields on her Tennessee Walker, autocross or lapping (Shannonville, Mt Tremblant, or Calabogie), touring our great country on my 1100cc Honda Shadow, Highland Dancing where the bagpipes sound, riding single track or gravel roads on her Roscoe 8 mountain bike, lifting weights at the gym or watching the sunrise or set on the lake or enjoying time with with family.


koGordon D. Ko

Dr. Ko is a specialist in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation with subspecialty in Pain Medicine.  He is Medical Director, Fibromyalgia Physiatry clinics and Adjunct Lecturer at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto and the Canadian Centre for Integrative Medicine Inc.  In the latter, he leads an interdisciplinary team (PT, DC, DO, TCM, RD, ND) incorporating Functional Medicine and EMG/ ultrasound-guided injection techniques.  His research with Platelet-rich Plasma (PRP) for Back Pain and Botox injections for Knee Osteoarthritis made headline CTV national news. Available also on his website DrKoPRP.com are peer-reviewed pioneering papers include effective neuropathic pain treatment with Omega3 (case series), topical essential oils (RCT),  medical cannabis (2016 review paper), PRP for low back pain and the 2012 Canadian guidelines for Fibromyalgia management. He enjoys teaching through non-profit organizations: Canadian Society for Neurotoxins in Pain (founding co-director and vice-president)-training MDs on Botox for pain and the  Canadian Association for Orthopaedic Medicine (president-elect 2017-8)-prolotherapy and regenerative medicine; and is a first year fellow with the C.S. Lewis Institute.  He with his wife (family MD) are active with their local community church and have participated (more recently with their 4 teenage+ children) in medical service trips (Kolkata, India; Kenya; Belize, Honduras).  Dr. Ko also enjoys regular kick-boxing and floorball-hockey with family and friends to keep in shape!


robinsonLarry Robinson

Dr. Larry Robinson is Professor and Division Director for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Toronto and holds the John and Sally Eaton Chair in Rehabilitation Sciences.  He comes to us from the University of Washington where he served as Chair of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and later as Vice Dean for Clinical Affairs and Post Graduate Medical Education.  Dr. Robinson has published extensively on electrodiagnosis with 120 publications in the peer-reviewed literature, and has published a number of articles on traumatic neuropathy and using EMG for prognosis.


vaidyanathChantal Vaidyanath

Dr. Vaidyanath obtained her MD from the University of Western Ontario in 2001 and completed a residency program in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Queen’s University in 2006. She earned her Canadian certification in Electromyography (EMG) in 2006. Dr. Vaidyanath has an interest in acquired brain injury rehabilitation, including the diagnosis and treatment of individuals with concussion/mild traumatic brain injury. Dr. Vaidyanath sees patients with mild to moderate brain injuries at the Head Injury Clinic at St. Michael’s Hospital. She is the Physician Lead in the Head Injury Clinic. She also sees patients with a variety of conditions leading to severe disability in Complex Continuing Care at Toronto Rehabilitation Institute at the E.W. Bickle Centre.