Physicians

Dr. Twila Burgmann, MD, FRCPC

Dr. Twila Burgmann grew up in Langley, BC. She went to the University of British Columbia for her medical degree and then proceeded to the University of Manitoba to do both her Internal Medicine training and Gastroenterology subspecialty. She has been practicing in Kamloops since 2006. She has a special interest in upper motility and performs manometry studies as well as maintaining a general gastroenterology practice.

She is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. She maintains memberships in the Canadian Association of Gastroenterology, the American Gastroenterology Association and the American College of Gastroenterology. She is a member of the Bockus International Society of Gastroenterology.

301-520 St Paul St, Kamloops, BC, V2C 2J9
Phone: 250-372-9700
Fax: 250-372-2703

Dr. Joel Emery, MD, FRCPC

Dr. Joel Emery graduated from medical school at the University of Ottawa and completed residency training in Internal Medicine at McMaster University with a fellowship in Gastroenterology at the University of Toronto.

During clinical training, Dr. Emery worked on several research projects mainly focused on outcomes research in the area of viral hepatitis with publications in the American Journal of Gastroenterology and the European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. His interest in hepatology ultimately led him to complete a clinical fellowship at the Toronto Centre for liver disease (University of Toronto).

Dr. Emery is a clinical staff in the division of gastroenterology at Royal Inland Hospital and is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia. He maintains a strong interest in medical education and international health.

448 St Paul St, Kamloops, BC, V2C 2J6
Phone: 236-425-1774
Fax: 250-434-8707

Dr. Joshua Nero, MD, FRCPC

Dr. Joshua Nero grew up in Sooke, BC. He graduated from medical school at the University of British Columbia. He completed residency in Internal Medicine at the Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon followed by subspecialty training in Adult Gastroenterology at the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg.

He has been practicing in Kamloops since 2020.

Dr. Nero maintains a diverse general gastroenterology and hepatology practice. He has published textbook chapters in the Encyclopedia of Gastroenterology and Precision Anticoagulation Medicine. He is interested in technology and education and is responsible for the creation of this website, in addition to a major overhaul of the centralized gastroenterology referral pathway.

Dr. Nero is a faculty member at UBC and member of the Canadian Association of Gastroenterology, Canadian Association for the Study of the Liver, Doctors of BC, and Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians Canada.

448 St Paul St, Kamloops, BC, V2C 2J6
Phone: 236-425-2122
Fax: 236-425-0368

IBD Nurses

Chloe

Chloe graduated from the University of Victoria in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Her healthcare career began in emergency medical services, where she worked as a paramedic before deciding to pursue further education to expand her clinical role and deepen her impact in patient care.

After completing her degree, Chloe started her nursing career in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Victoria General Hospital. She later gained experience as an IV nurse and research nurse before specializing as an Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Nurse Clinician in 2022—a role she has held for the past three years.

Chloe currently works alongside gastroenterologists serving remote communities within Vancouver Island and has recently expanded this work to include the Kamloops GI team, providing comprehensive care and support for patients living with IBD.

Laila

Laila is an experienced Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Nurse Specialist and Team Lead. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Victoria in 2003.

Over her career, Laila has been closely involved in the development and growth of both IBD and hepatology programs, helping shape patient-centred, team-based models of care. She also brings extensive experience supporting IBD/Hepatology and vaccine research, helping patients safely participate in studies that advance treatment and care.

In her current role as IBD Team Lead, Laila provides clinical leadership and mentorship to nursing colleagues while working directly with patients and gastroenterologists across Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland, and the BC Interior—including Kamloops—to coordinate care, support treatment planning, and provide ongoing education.