Dr. Vivian Rambihar - Canada’s Top 25 Immigrants - 2012

Occupation:Medical doctor
Country of Origin:Guyana
City:Toronto
Socially conscious physician
A young Vivian Rambihar was passionate about studying medicine, but, unfortunately, it was not available in his country, Guyana, at that time. Fortunately for Canada, he decided to come here to pursue medicine.
Yes, Canada is fortunate, because after graduating he has stayed on in the country that fulfilled his passion, and has since made great contributions through research in the field of cardiology.
Dr. Rambihar is celebrated as a pioneer in studying heart health issues among immigrants, particularly of South Asian origin. “I was faced with the challenge of addressing a newly recognized increased health risk in immigrants, and took it as a personal challenge to respond to all ways possible,” he explains. “This opened avenues for more learning, which allowed me to achieve more for the community, for health and for change.
Rambihar remembers that he faced many other challenges as a newcomer 30 years ago, particularly isolation and culture shock — moving from a multiethnic country like Guyana. “I needed to learn a new way of doing things to function in a different society, with no support groups or community resources available,” he says.
“A significant challenge not often talked about is a sensitivity to the cold some immigrants have, with difficulty or inability to acclimatize,” he also observes.
“I overcame challenges by focusing on goals, learning and adapting. I worked very hard with tremendous sacrifices early on to achieve initial success, then built on this.”
His advice to fellow immigrants, especially recent newcomers, is that they should recognize there will be many challenges and look at those as an opportunity for learning and growth. “We should [also] learn from others who have succeeded and, if possible, be creative and innovative. We should integrate as much as possible into the wider community, while maintaining our unique individuality, culture and heritage.”
Being a physician, he observes that the health of immigrants declines within a decade of arrival, for various preventable reasons. “We should use this knowledge to be proactive and maintain our health, which is an important part of achieving success.”
He spreads this message through volunteering as well. He is currently helping to develop the concept of “Global Heart Hour.” He is also the health co-chair of the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin.




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