BY J.M. Lee
Dr. Baldev Sanghera steps forward as the recently elected President-Elect of Doctors of BC, with a reputation built on integrity, service, and an unwavering belief in shared progress. Notably, Dr. Sanghera is the first turbaned leader of any regional or national medical association in a Western country. For him, this milestone is not about personal recognition; it’s a powerful symbol of representation, inclusion, and the belief that cultural identity and professional excellence can stand proudly together at the highest levels of leadership.
Born in Punjab and raised between England and British Columbia, Dr. Sanghera’s early life was shaped by immigrant resilience, community, and a deep sense of cultural belonging.
“In the late 1960s, my family started with very little,” he reflects. “But we built a life through hard work, collective effort, and disciplined hope.”
These foundational experiences instilled in him a leadership philosophy rooted in collaboration, listening, continuous improvement, and professionalism.
His academic journey began in 1991, when he became a Centennial Scholar in Pharmacy at the University of British Columbia. He later transitioned to Medicine and served as Co-Chief Resident in 1996-97. In 1998, he opened his family medicine practice in Burnaby, marking the start of nearly three decades of community-based care. “Family medicine provides a unique opportunity to provide healthcare in long-term relationships,” he says. “It’s a field where one must earn a patient’s trust, where care is not episodic but enduring.”
That trust has become the cornerstone of his practice. In culturally diverse Burnaby, Dr. Sanghera’s clinic is more than a workplace; it’s a community anchor. Families find continuity and urgent access; new Canadians find cultural understanding; and elders find calm and compassion. “Every patient encounter is an opportunity to listen deeply, understand each unique patient context, and deliver care with dignity to achieve the best health outcomes,” he explains. His approach to medicine is not just clinical; it’s relational and grounded in equity.
Dr. Sanghera’s leadership extends far beyond the exam room. He co-founded PrimeCare Medical Centre and the Edmonds Urgent and Primary Care Centre, a physician-led model designed to support, not overshadow, surrounding community family practices. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he led Burnaby’s drive-through testing and assessment center, protecting Burnaby Hospital ER and under-resourced family practice clinics, bringing calm to a moment of public health urgency. Colleagues describe his leadership style as quietly effective, consultative, and deeply informed by frontline experience.
Now, as president-elect, Dr. Sanghera brings the same grounded vision to provincial health care. He will focus on amplifying physician voices, improving recruitment and retention, streamlining access pathways, and modernizing the health care framework. “Patients and physicians must see policy and resources that support systems providing the best care,” he says.
He often returns to three guiding principles: community trust, physician wellness, and clarity and flexibility in delivery. “Better outcomes require a culture in which different levels of government, physicians, and public health institutions collaborate transparently to focus on quality care,” he emphasizes.
Dr. Sanghera’s advocacy consistently drives efforts to reduce administrative burden, allowing doctors to spend more time with patients. From integrated electronic medical records to empowering physician-led, team-based models, he believes meaningful change occurs when systems are designed with physicians at the table. “When physicians are supported,” he says, “the entire healthcare system becomes stronger, more resilient, and more compassionate.”
His past work in long-term care, obstetrics, hospital medicine, and urgent care has given him a broad, human perspective. For him, medicine is not only treatment but also a relationship. It’s the trust earned between a family arriving anxious and the physician who steadies the room with assurance and knowledge.
In recognition of his sustained contributions beyond the clinic, Dr. Sanghera also received the King Charles III Coronation Medal in 2024 for outstanding community service, a national honour that reflects his long-standing impact on public health, civic leadership, and community well-being.
Outside of medicine, Dr. Sanghera finds balance in family, community, seva, and physical activity. These grounding moments help him return to his work with clarity, humility, and renewed purpose.
As he steps into his role as President-Elect, Dr. Sanghera continues to model leadership rooted in service, humility, leading by example, and the belief that inclusive care begins with understanding the people it exists to serve. His story is not just one of achievement; it’s a testament to what’s possible when healing and leadership walk hand in hand.
