The University of Manitoba campuses are located on original lands of Anishinaabeg, Ininew, Anisininew, Dakota and Dene peoples, and on the National Homeland of the Red River Métis. More
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada, R3T 2N2
Max Rady College of Medicine
Internal Medicine, Section: Gastroenterology
University of Manitoba – Bannatyne Campus
Room 804G – 715 McDermot Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 3P4
Admin: 204-789-3369
Clinic: 204-787-5876
Fax: 204-789-3972
Email: seth.shaffer@umanitoba.ca
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic condition that affects millions worldwide, causing severe abdominal pain, diarrhea, fatigue, and weight loss. Many individuals with IBD experience long-term disability, frequent hospitalizations, and financial strain due to lost work and high treatment costs. Dr. Seth Shaffer’s research bridges health economics and IBD, aiming to improve both patient care and healthcare efficiency.
Shaffer examines the indirect costs of IBD, including disability and unemployment, and evaluates how therapies can enhance patient outcomes while reducing financial burdens on the healthcare system. He is currently collaborating with Dr. Charles Bernstein to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on IBD care in Manitoba. Additionally, he is establishing a microscopic colitis cohort to advance understanding of this disease.
His findings contribute to more effective healthcare delivery and inform policy decisions that improve patient access to treatment. As a research scientist at the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Shaffer is also affiliated with the International Research Network on Transitions to Adulthood from Care, the SPOR Evidence Alliance Research Network, and the Specialized Services for Children and Youth Research and Evaluation Committee.
Seth Shaffer is an assistant professor of internal medicine in the section of gastroenterology at the University of Manitoba. He is a research scientist at the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba and an expert in health economics and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). His research focuses on improving the delivery of care for patients with IBD by examining healthcare costs, disability and employment outcomes, and treatment efficacy.
Shaffer’s current projects include assessing the indirect costs associated with IBD and evaluating how therapies can reduce disability and unemployment. He is also collaborating with Charles Bernstein to study the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on IBD care in Manitoba and is establishing a microscopic colitis cohort to improve understanding of the disease. His research findings aim to make healthcare delivery more efficient and cost-effective.
His work extends beyond Manitoba. He is affiliated with the International Research Network on Transitions to Adulthood from Care, the SPOR Evidence Alliance Research Network and the Specialized Services for Children and Youth Research and Evaluation Committee.
Shaffer completed his medical degree and a bachelor of science in medicine at the University of Manitoba. He trained in internal medicine at Queen’s University before returning to Manitoba for a gastroenterology fellowship. He then completed an advanced inflammatory bowel disease fellowship at the University of Chicago, where he also earned a master of science in public health sciences with a focus on health economics. In 2020, he returned to the University of Manitoba as an assistant professor.
His contributions to medical education and research have been recognized with multiple awards, including the Joseph B. Kirsner Fellowship at the University of Chicago in 2019 and the Dean of Medicine’s Education and Research Fellowship Award at the University of Manitoba in 2018. He also received the Resident Leadership Award at Queen’s University in 2015 and 2016.
Shaffer continues to lead research in IBD and health economics while training future specialists and contributing to healthcare improvements for patients with gastrointestinal diseases.
Internal Medicine
Room GC430, Health Sciences Centre
820 Sherbrook Street
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, MB R3A 1R9 Canada
