Dr. Armstrong is a plastic surgeon and researcher focusing on gender affirming surgeries. Through her research, she hopes to improve the lives of people seeking gender affirming surgeries and impact the policy and quality of gender affirming surgeries across the country.
She completed her medical school and residency training at the University of Toronto. She received fellowship training in gender affirming surgical care with Dr. Hugh McLean at the McLean Clinic and performs over 250 top surgeries per year. She has extensive experience as an educator having participated in medical student and resident education for the last 10 years in various roles. In her role within the Division of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery at the University of Toronto, she trains medical students, residents and fellows in top (chest) surgery providing core lectures, office based and technical experience. She has a MSc in Health Services Research specializing in Health Economics for the Institute of Health, Policy, Management and Evaluation (iHPME). She has extensive experience in proposal formation, grant writing, research ethics, and operating clinical trials. Her presentations have garnered various awards and she has published in multiple prestigious journals including CMAJ, JAMA and JAMA Surgery. As an Early Career Researcher at Women’s College Research Institute, she will align her surgical and research interests to focus on gender affirming surgeries.
- Leo Mahoney Resident Teaching Award, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Ontario (2019)
- Awarded annually to a surgical resident who exhibits excellence as a teacher, commitment to the undergraduate student experience in surgery and compassion for patients.
- Mentor Best Clinical Paper Award, Resident Research Day, the Division of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario (2016)
- Outstanding Paper Award (Trainee Category), Women’s College Hospital Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario (2015)
- Michael Decter Scholarship for Health Leadership and Policy Studies, St. Elizabeth Health Care, Toronto, Ontario (2015)
- Awarded annually to a high-performing graduate student; ideal for students aspiring for a health leadership, executive or board role in the Canadian Health Care system.
- Master’s in Health Services Research specializing in Health Economics, Institute of
- Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto
- Clinical Investigator Program, University of Toronto
- Resident, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Toronto
- Doctor of Medicine, University of Toronto
- Honours Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences, McMaster University
- Gender affirming surgeries
- Virtual care
- Health economics
- Ambulatory care