Dr. Andrea Furlan

Associate Scientist

MD, Physiatry, University of São Paulo
PhD, Clinical Epidemiology, University of Toronto

Dr. Andrea Furlan first connected with the Institute for Work & Health long distance, from her hometown of São Paolo, Brazil.

Furlan was a resident in physical medicine and rehabilitation (physiatry) when she met the founding chair of IWH’s Scientific Advisory Committee, Dr. Alf Nachemson. He, in turn, introduced her to Senior Scientist Dr. Claire Bombardier, who would later become her PhD supervisor.

“When I arrived in Canada, I was so fortunate,” says Furlan. “Doors were opened to me by two wonderful people who saw potential in me – Claire and Dr. Angela Mailis-Gagnon [director of the Comprehensive Pain Program at Toronto’s University Health Network]. They guided me and mentored me.”

Furlan says it was actually her husband, not her, who wanted to emigrate to Canada. But since arriving in 1997, she has shown great dedication in pursuing opportunities that weren’t as readily available at home. “In Brazil, there was no funding, personnel or training for research in physiatry,” she says.

At IWH, Furlan began volunteering with the Cochrane Back Review Group, and was hired as a coordinator in 1998. She also began her master’s degree, followed by a doctorate in clinical epidemiology from the University of Toronto, which she completed in 2006. Then, after her PhD, she completed a clinical fellowship at Toronto Rehabilitation Institute (TRI) to practice medicine in Canada.

These days, she spends about 80 per cent of her time as a researcher and 20 per cent as a clinician, working at IWH and TRI.

“The clinical work maintains the relevance of what I do, as well as credibility among my medical peers,” she says. For the sake of her research, she also feels it is important to maintain a connection with IWH, because of the support from colleagues, the challenging environment and the quality of the science. “It forces you to become an excellent researcher.”

Furlan continues her involvement with the Cochrane Back Review Group, now as an editorial board member.

And recognizing the need to increase research capacity for physiatry in Brazil, she is in regular contact with colleagues there, involving them in her research projects or visiting to lecture and present at conferences.