ABOUT OUR PRACTICE
Dr. Shireen Alam, Dr. Anna De Pauw, and Dr. Kara Warder are family physicians who provide comprehensive family medicine as well as specialized maternity and delivery care. Drs De Pauw and Dr. Warder work within the Coastal Maternity Care group and as part of a team that delivers 24 hour hospital care for their family practice and maternity patients.
MEET OUR TEAM
Dr. Shireen Alam
My education was at Queen’s University (BscHon in 1987) and the University of Calgary (MD 1991). After completing an internship in Victoria in 1992, I had a family practice in Victoria until 2000.
In 2001, I moved to the beautiful tropical island of Saipan with my husband and two young children, where my husband and I both practiced medicine until 2005. The practice of medicine in a different cultural setting, as well as the close-knit community on the island were highlights in my life. We returned to Victoria in 2005, and I have been part of Shelbourne Family Practice and Maternity since then.
While I no longer do delivery care at the hospital, maternity care has always been a rewarding part of practice for me, and I continue to enjoy providing care for maternity patients and postpartum families in the office.
When not in the office, I enjoy exploring the many gorgeous hiking trails and beaches in the area and on Cortes Island with my family and our young German Shepherd Kona.
Dr. Anna De Pauw
I was born and raised on Vancouver Island. I studied biochemistry at UVic before going to medical school in the Island Medical Program. In 2009, my husband and I settled in Quebec, where I completed my family medicine residency. I went on to work at St. Mary’s Hospital in Montreal for ten years, teaching family medicine residents and providing general family medicine and maternity care. In Montreal we added two daughters to our family, and then decided to move back to Victoria to be closer to our extended family and the beautiful West Coast. I am thrilled to be back in Victoria, and happy to continue doing the work that I love, providing maternity and general family medicine care with the team at Shelbourne Family Practice & Maternity.
Dr. Kara Warder
I grew up in Prince George and completed both my undergraduate degree and medical school here in Victoria where I met my husband. We moved to Edmonton for my residency training. Shortly after finishing residency we settled down in Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories where I practiced for almost 5 years. In the fall of 2020 we decided to make the move back to Victoria with our two young daughters. Our third daughter joined the crew this past spring.
Since the fall of 2021 I have been practicing as a family physician with a focus in maternity care at this location. I feel so privileged to share in my patients’ lives in such a meaningful way.
Outside of medicine I enjoy spending time with my family in the outdoors, gardening, and crocheting.
Emma Vena
LOCUMS
Dr. Darcy Nielsen
I have been working at Hillside and Shelbourne St. since 1993. I have always included obstetrics in my practice, and have been working with most of the wonderful members of my call group since I started.
Before I was a doctor, I was an emergency room nurse. I met my husband, who is also a family doctor, in medical school at UBC, and we have two lovely daughters. I also have a grown son who lives in Saskatchewan, and am proud to have two young grandchildren, although I do wish they lived closer! I am also an animal lover, and have two big labra-doodles, and a cockatiel.
I feel very privileged to be part of people’s lives as they have their families. Helping to bring a baby into the world is a true joy!