Elena Neiterman

Elena Neiterman is an Associate Professor at the University of Waterloo, specializing in healthcare workforce dynamics and women's reproductive experiences. Her research focuses on strategies to enhance retention of healthcare professionals, integration of internationally trained workers, and sociological aspects of pregnancy/postpartum periods. She holds advanced degrees from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (BA/MA Education) and McMaster University (MA Sociology/PhD Sociology), followed by a SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Toronto.

Her teaching interests include the sociology of aging, qualitative research methods, health promotion, and bioethics. She actively supervises graduate students researching health human resources, work-life balance, midwifery education, and qualitative methodologies.

Dr. Neiterman’s work bridges sociological theory with practical healthcare policy, addressing systemic challenges in workforce sustainability and culturally competent care. She has collaborated on pan-Canadian studies examining midwives’ work conditions and return-to-work pathways for healthcare providers.

• Education:
  • BA Education, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  • MA Education, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  • MA Sociology, McMaster University
  • PhD Sociology, McMaster University
  • SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Toronto

Her research emphasizes marginalized groups’ healthcare experiences, including South Asian immigrant elders, LGBTQ+ families, and internationally educated healthcare professionals. Recent publications explore virtual prenatal care satisfaction, midwifery workforce retention, and structural barriers to healthcare access for racialized communities.