The Saskatchewan Health Authority has hired a new Provincial Department Head of Pediatrics.

Dr. Terry Klassen, a pediatric emergency medicine physician and clinician scientist, started April 1st as joint head for both the SHA and the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Medicine.

Klassen was born in Wynyard, but his family moved to Manitoba when he was very young. He received his medical training at the University of Manitoba.

Dr. Klassen co-founded an array of programs nationwide, including the Pediatric Emergency Research of Canada, the Canadian PEM research network, and Pediatric Emergency Research Networks, and the international Pediatric Emergency Medicine research network.

“My vision for pediatrics in Saskatchewan is a strong provincial system of care for children, youth and their families,” Dr. Terry Klassen said in an SHA new release. “When emergencies happen, when care is needed, I want families to know that high-quality services and acute care is available not only at Saskatoon’s Jim Patterson Children’s Hospital but across the province and that children will be able to go home or get closer to home as soon as possible to continue healing.”