Specialist care, close to home.

Dr. Tarakji is a highly experienced Internist, Nephrologist, and Geriatric Medicine specialist with an extensive international academic and clinical background. He earned his medical degree from Aleppo University in Syria in 1997 before completing postgraduate training in Internal Medicine, Nephrology, and Geriatric Medicine at the University of Missouri–Columbia in the United States.

In 2004, he moved to Canada, where he worked for nine years as a Consultant Internist and Nephrologist at Yarmouth Regional Hospital in Nova Scotia. He later relocated to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2013, serving for eight years as Assistant Professor and Consultant in Internal Medicine and Nephrology at King Saud University and King Khalid University Hospital.

Dr. Tarakji returned to Canada in 2021 to join St. George Medical Center in Kitchener, where he continues to provide specialized care. He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. He also holds a Master of Science in Public Health (USA) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Medical Education (UK). In addition, he serves as an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Medicine at McMaster University's Waterloo Regional Campus.

Dr. Shamim Anwar is a highly experienced psychiatrist with comprehensive training in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of a wide range of mental health conditions. He earned his medical degree from Sindh Medical University in Karachi, Pakistan, where he built a strong foundation in clinical medicine and patient-centred care.

He began his formal psychiatric training in 1994 at St. Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center in New York City, a respected teaching institution known for its rigorous and diverse psychiatric program. Throughout his training and clinical practice, Dr. Anwar gained extensive experience working with varied patient populations and managing complex mental health presentations.

Dr. Anwar has a special interest in mood disorders, including depression and bipolar disorder, as well as anxiety-related conditions. He is board-certified in Psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) and is licensed by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO).

Dr. Nicole D. Melendez is a board-certified rheumatologist with extensive experience in clinical medicine, rheumatology research, and medical education. She earned her medical degree from St. Matthew's University, followed by an Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Missouri–Columbia and a Rheumatology Fellowship at Louisiana State University.

Throughout her career, Dr. Melendez has provided comprehensive care for patients with a wide range of rheumatic and autoimmune conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriatic arthritis, vasculitis, gout, osteoporosis, and other connective tissue diseases. In addition to her clinical practice, she has been actively involved in research initiatives and has contributed to the education and mentorship of medical students and resident physicians.

Dr. Melendez is dedicated to delivering evidence-based, patient-centered care. She believes in building strong partnerships with her patients, ensuring they are informed and actively involved in developing treatment plans that align with their individual health goals. Having recently relocated her practice to Kitchener, she looks forward to providing compassionate, high-quality rheumatology care to the community.