Rate My Professor Matthew Carwana

Matthew Carwana is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine within the Department of Pediatrics at the Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia. He also serves as an Investigator and General Pediatrician at BC Children’s Hospital and as Faculty with the Human Early Learning Partnership at the UBC School of Population and Public Health. He holds an H.BSc and an MD from McMaster University, completed his pediatrics training at UBC and BC Children’s Hospital, and earned a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from Harvard University.

Dr. Carwana’s clinical work includes inpatient care at BC Children’s Hospital, where he is Medical Co-Lead for the RICHER Social Pediatrics Program, providing community-embedded care in Vancouver at sites including the Sheway Community Project, Kilala Lelum Urban Indigenous Health and Healing Cooperative, and Vancouver School Board programs. He has previously practiced in northern and remote settings, including an 18-month contract in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. His research focuses on improving health outcomes and quality of care for structurally marginalized children, youth, and families through approaches that integrate social justice, public health, and clinical pediatrics. Specific areas include early developmental health using population-level data and community-based participatory methods, substance use with emphasis on harm reduction and trauma-informed care, and enhancing inpatient experiences for families traveling long distances. He leads projects on indirect COVID-19 consequences for children as part of the national CIHR-funded POPCORN platform and participates in community-based and national substance use surveillance initiatives. Dr. Carwana has received multiple awards, including the American Academy of Pediatrics BC Chapter Special Achievement Award in 2023, the UBC Department of Pediatrics Ivory Tower Award in 2023, Undergraduate Medical Education Teacher of the Year in 2021, and Rookie of the Year in 2019, as well as the Canadian Paediatric Society Young Investigator Award in 2025 and 2026. He has secured grants such as the Michael Smith Health Research BC Convening and Collaborating Grant and Vancouver Foundation Participatory Action Research grants.