Dr. Svetlana Stryuts, MD, CCFP

I was born in Crimea, a place often described as paradise-like, where nature, sea, and warmth shape both the land and the people. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, life there became increasingly difficult, and when I was 14, my family moved to St. Petersburg. My parents themselves had come to Crimea from Siberia, from the Altai region, so change and adaptation were part of our family story long before I became a physician.

In St. Petersburg, I completed my medical education at the I.I. Mechnikov Medical Academy. After one year of Internal Medicine residency, I made the difficult decision to immigrate to Canada to join my husband, who at the time was facing discrimination based on his nationality. Starting over in a new country was not easy, but it deeply shaped my resilience, empathy, and understanding of the challenges people face during major life transitions.

After completing all required licensing examinations in Canada, I was accepted into Family Medicine residency training at McMaster University in Hamilton, which at the time was recognized as the best Family Medicine program in Canada. Family Medicine became my professional home, allowing me to care for people not only during illness, but throughout every stage of life.

Outside of medicine, I am first and foremost a mother to two wonderful sons, and much of my personal time is devoted to raising them. I recharge by dancing, reading, spending time with close friends, and—more recently—learning downhill skiing as my way of embracing Canadian winters.