Dr. Gopalan brings over two decades of experience in family and emergency medicine, holding key leadership roles, such as Chief and Medical Director of the Emergency Department at Queensway Carleton Hospital and has dedicated much of his recent career to the specialized field of addiction medicine, with years of frontline experience as an Addictions Physician in Ottawa (Recovery Care – Bells Corners).

As Newgate 180’s Medical Director, Dr. Gopalan provides weekly assessments of clients admitted to Newgate 180, including management of mental health and addiction-related care plans, education and relapse prevention strategies for clients during treatment and post-discharge follow-up, supporting continuity of care post-discharge, including structured follow-up to help prevent relapse.

Dr. Gopalan also leads Newgate 180’s Medically Supervised Withdrawal Program. This vital service provides 24/7 medical oversight and compassionate care to individuals beginning their recovery journey, ensuring their safety and comfort during the withdrawal process, with the opportunity to begin treatment immediately afterward.

Dr. Gopalan holds a Doctor of Medicine (MD) from the University of Western Ontario. He also holds a Certification in Opioid and Substance Use Disorder from the Centre for Addictions and completed the Mental Health and Addiction Care and Treatment Online Course from the University of British Columbia.

Dr. Gopalan has successfully completed the Canadian Society of Addiction Medicine Certification Exam and is one of the few Addiction Specialists in Ottawa to hold this certification.