What does it mean to build a meaningful medical career in northern and rural communities? For Dr. Anurag Singh, nephrologist and Assistant Professor in the UBC Department of Medicine, the answer lies in long-term relationships, community engagement, and a commitment to equity-driven innovation.
Dr. Singh is based in Prince George, where he works at the University Hospital of Northern BC and serves as Director of the Northern Centre for Clinical Research, a unique partnership between UBC, UNBC, and Northern Health. Originally trained in India and the UK, with a PhD in vascular biology, Dr. Singh has been living and working in British Columbia for over a decade.
“I was drawn to nephrology because it brings together acute care and chronic disease management,” he says. “You form deep relationships with your patients over time, from dialysis through transplant and follow-up. That continuity is something I really value.”
Practicing Medicine with Purpose
What brought Dr. Singh to Prince George wasn’t part of a grand plan, but staying there became one.
“Initially, I came to fill a position, but I quickly realized the value of embedded community care. Meeting patients where they are, in their own communities, changed how I saw medicine”
Since then, Dr. Singh has been a leading voice in advocating for health equity in rural, remote, and Indigenous populations. Clinically, he provides care to patients across Northern BC. Academically, his research focuses on co-creating culturally safe and community-informed models of care.
His team’s work includes the development of hybrid care models that combine virtual tools with relationship-based care, going beyond one-off virtual visits to prioritize trust, continuity, and cultural understanding.
“We started this work back in 2014 with telehealth. We’ve seen firsthand how knowing a patient’s story, context, and culture changes outcomes.”
From Technology to Trust
One of Dr. Singh’s key initiatives is the Hybrid Care Research Collaborative, a CIHR-funded group made up of clinicians, researchers, patients, knowledge keepers, and community members. Together, they are developing an inclusive, Indigenous-informed care model grounded in “two-eyed seeing” and learning health systems. These initiatives reflect a broader goal: to bridge technological innovation with place-based, culturally grounded care.
He is also part of the UBC Drone Transport Innovation Cluster, bringing forward-looking technologies to rural regions, and is helping lead a proposed Northern Hub for Health Research, a major infrastructure initiative in partnership with UNBC.
“Too often, innovation starts in large urban centers and only reaches rural and Indigenous communities years later, if at all,” he says. “We want to flip that model and co-design systems with the people they’re meant to serve.”
Advocacy Through Research
Beyond his leadership and research, Dr. Singh is passionate about mentoring students and building capacity for clinical innovation in the North.
“My proudest achievement is the team we’ve built — people who truly believe in this work and see it as a form of advocacy. These are steps toward social justice in health.”
He’s also helping bring more community-accessible and decentralized clinical trials to the region, focusing on flexibility, co-creation, and cultural safety.
“We need research that adapts to people’s lives — not the other way around.”
A Message to Future Physicians
For students and early-career physicians considering rural practice, Dr. Singh has a simple message: Say yes to the North.
“You’ll find purpose, strong mentors, and the chance to make a real impact. Health equity isn’t optional — it’s foundational. And northern communities are at the heart of that movement.”