Obstetrician, Mother, President Medical Society of PEI
“I didn’t expect anything like this in my career. In fact, my original plan when I came to PEI was to get some experience under my belt and move back to Halifax where my family is. I soon realized PEI is a great place to raise a family, access mentors early in your career, and work in an environment where you can pursue professional interests, still have a good work-life balance, and make a real, positive impact on patients.”

Dr. Krista Cassell
Obstetrician/Gynecologist, Charlottetown
When Jennifer Gavin met Charlottetown Obstetrician/Gynecologist (OBGYN) Dr. Krista Cassell, she was terrified. She had already experienced pregnancy loss and invested thousands of her savings into failed medical procedures. She was finally pregnant and far enough along to allow herself to hope again but lived in daily fear of another traumatizing loss. She wasn’t willing to trust just any physician.
“I had a long line of doctors and nurses involved in my care including several in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia whom I had a lot of confidence in, and I was not thrilled about being transferred to yet another doctor,” Jennifer said. “Being high risk for pregnancy loss as well as uterine rupture, which can be life threatening, I was bordering on irrational, with fear at every change in my pregnancy and medical care.”
Jennifer had recently moved to PEI, but her high-risk condition sent her off-Island for regular tests and check-ups. It wasn’t until she was nearing 20 weeks into her pregnancy that she was introduced into Dr. Cassell’s care at the Charlottetown clinic.
“I was probably not the best patient, but from that very first day Dr. Cassell breezed into the exam room with my thick medical file and a wide smile on her face. She was so kind and positive that I thought she was being fake,” Jennifer said. “I soon came to realize she really is that kind and that positive. Her dedication to research and collaboration with her medical colleagues, along with her experience and genuine concern was reassuring and very calming from day one.”
Jennifer was in good hands. Dr. Cassell, who is the Head of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Charlottetown, has worked as a community based OBGYN within a group of 3-6 physicians since 2003. Together, they are responsible for just under 1,000 deliveries per year, as well as the gynecologic care for two-thirds of the women on PEI.
The shared OBGYN practice in Charlottetown is a unique model where the physicians collectively care for patients and work closely with each other and the local operating room and labour and delivery teams. This approach provides the physicians with opportunities for research and additional collaboration.
“We offer 24-hour, on-call service, seven days a week for urgent gynecology issues, inpatient care, surgeries, and to deliver babies,” Dr. Cassell said. “We see patients for gynecological reasons ranging from cancer to organ prolapse and infertility, among many other conditions.”
During her career on the Island, Dr. Cassell developed a program of minimally invasive gynecologic surgery that reduces pain, bleeding, and recovery time for women who need uterine surgery. She’s also been teaching these techniques and passing on her knowledge to medical residents and students.
Most recently, Dr. Cassell has been involved in a study of COVID-19 impacts on pregnancy, new moms, and their infants with the Public Health Agency of Canada and Canadian Institute of Health Research.
She’s using that experience to help educate pregnant women on the importance of getting vaccinated.
“I didn’t expect anything like this in my career. In fact, my original plan when I came to PEI was to get some experience under my belt and move back to Halifax where my family is,” said Dr. Cassell. “I soon realized PEI is a great place to raise a family, access mentors early in your career, and work in an environment where you can pursue professional interests, still have a good work-life balance, and make a real, positive impact on patients.”
And make an impact she has.
While Dr. Cassell’s resume is nothing short of impressive with a long list of leadership positions, academic appointments, and training, it’s not why Jennifer so highly recommends Dr. Cassell and her team.
“She knew what to watch for; she knew when to call a specialist or order a test; she knew when I just needed to hear the heartbeat for the hundredth time,” Jennifer said. “She was knowledgeable and showed endless patience with me. She and her colleagues helped bring my baby girl into the world. I will be forever grateful to have access to such top-notch care at home, on PEI. For such a small population, we have some amazingly talented physicians who not only provide high-quality care, but they also know their patients on a first-name basis and treat them like family.”