Michael Gofeld is a doctor who lives in Thornhill, Ont., according to his professional website.
In an interview with the Jewish Russian Community Centre of Ontario, Gofeld described his family history: “My mother’s family comes from the Lithuania. One of my great-grandfathers moved to Ukraine and became the chief rabbi of Dnepropetrovsk. My father came from a family of German Jews from Bavaria, who also moved to the Ukraine.”
He also summarized his career for the publication: “I am a doctor. In 1989 I graduated from Simferopol Crimean Medical Institute, with a specialty in surgery and in 1992 I moved to Israel. In Israel, I served as a doctor in a combat unit of the IDF where I had to deal with resuscitation and assistance on the battlefield. It influenced my decision to change my specialty and become a resuscitator and I took up residency in anesthesiology. But in the process of studying, my interests changed once again and, since I often had to deal with patients suffering from chronic pain, I decided to become an expert in the treatment of pain.
I was very lucky because my teacher in this field of medicine was Professor David Niv, President of the European Federation for Research and Treatment of Pain, who introduced me to a new world and he became my mentor. For several years I had a successful practice in Tel Aviv at the University hospital. In 2004, there was an opportunity to go for training in Canada, where I worked at Sunnybrook Hospital. After completing residency, I was offered to stay and I accepted. Five years later, I took a position as the head of a pain clinic in Seattle, WA. This clinic, founded in 1967, was the world’s first clinic of its kind. Two years ago, we returned to Canada.”
Gofeld added, “We chose to live in Thornhill because of the large Jewish population and specifically the many Russian and Hebrew-speaking Jews who live in the area.”
A profile on the Ontario Medical Association website adds, “Dr. Gofeld returned to Ontario in 2013 and joined the Department of Anesthesia at the University of Toronto and contributed to the development of the Toronto Academic Pain Medicine Institute. He served as an interim medical director of the Women’s College Pain Clinic, an advisor on chronic pain at the Department of Anesthesia, and as vice-chair of the chronic pain registry committee at the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.”
Gofeld is now listed as a team member at Unika Medical Centre in North York, Ont., a specialty clinic. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario website also notes that he has his own practice. Gofeld states on his website, “I’m direct and have no respect for politically correct nonsense. Therefore, my approach to patients is based on diagnosis, evidence, honest opinion and the old ethical principle: ‘do no harm.’”
Gofeld has an active account on Twitter. In January 2025, he tweeted about a Canadian Press story announcing a pause on applications for permanent residency sponsorships for parents and grandparents, and wrote, “Very thoughtful. Grandparents need healthcare and subsidised housing. Instead, our progressive government can bring thousands more jihadists.”
