Canadian Medical Hall of Fame Award - 2015 Recipients

Congratulations! (click recipient name to read bio)

CMHF Award

Andrea Jones
University of British Columbia
The Dr. Bryce Taylor CMHF Award
in honour of the late Bernie and Marian Taylor

David Chapman
University of Alberta
The Reuben and Florence Fenwick
CMHF Award
in honour of Dr. Heather Ross

Farah Ladak
University of Calgary
CMHF Award

Scott Adams
University of Saskatchewan
The John Wedge CMHF Award
in honour of the late Dr. William Kirkaldy-Willis

Shayne Reitmeier
University of Manitoba
The ICF Films Inc. CMHF Award
in honour of Dr. Bryce Taylor

Matthew Quinn
Western University
The Dr. Alan Hudson and Robert W. Noakes
CMHF Award

Molly Whalen-Browne
McMaster University
The Anthony S. Fell CMHF Award
in honour of Dr. Michael Baker

Usman Tarique
University of Toronto
The Terrence J. Donnelly CMHF Award
in honour of Dr. Lee Errett

Andrew Ferrier
Northern Ontario School of Medicine
The David and Elyssa Feldberg and Family
CMHF Award

Laura Bosco
Queen's University
The Export Packers and Rubenstein Family
CMHF Award

Laith Ishaq
University of Ottawa
The Wellington CMHF Award
in honour of Dr. James Wellington

Annick Gauthier
McGill University
The Susan and Ron Flam CMHF Award
in honour of Dr. David McCready

Chérine Zaïm
Université de Montréal
The Charles Tabachnick CMHF Award
in honour of Dr. Michael Baker

Philippe Robert
Université de Sherbrooke
The Klaus Vogel CMHF Award

David Bergeron
Université Laval
The Jermark Plumbing and Mechanical Services
CMHF Award
in honour of Dr. Heather Ross

Matthew To
Dalhousie University
The Dr. Alan Hudson CMHF Award

Desmond Whalen
Memorial University of Newfoundland
The Charles Tabachnick CMHF Award
in honour of Dr. Michael Baker

 

Andrea Jones
Raised in Markham, Ontario and specializing in neuroscience at Queen’s University, Andrea’s passion for medicine and health advocacy led her to Vancouver for MD/PhD training at the University of British Columbia. Inspired by years of volunteering with inner city health programs, Andrea’s clinical and research pursuits aim to improve the health of people marginalized by poverty, mental illness and addictions. As Canadian Regional Leader for the Institute for Healthcare Improvement Open School, Andrea mobilizes students to lead change to improve health equity and care quality. Andrea intends to lead a multifaceted career rooted in medical practice, research and healthcare system leadership. 
Inspired by 2007 Laureate Dr. Elizabeth Bagshaw

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David Chapman
Born and raised in Edmonton, David has earned his BSc. with Distinction and MSc. specializing in Experimental Surgery at the University of Alberta. David has exhibited a special interest in urological malignancies and reconstructive urology, and has shared his research through several journal publications and presentations at international and national meetings. David is also very active in his community, organizing an annual hockey tournament, Win4Skin, that has raised awareness and more than $400,000 for melanoma research and underprivileged athletes in memory of one of his best friends. His spare time is spent playing sports, travelling and being with family.
Inspired by 2012 Laureate Terry Fox

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Farah Ladak
Farah Ladak is in her final year of medical school at the University of Calgary. Prior to entering medical school, Farah completed her Master of Public Health degree at Brown University, where she focused on missed opportunities for immunization in underserved and marginalized communities. This included a national assessment of hepatitis B vaccine receipt among high-risk adults in the United States and a hospital based evaluation of the WHO’s Expanded Program on Childhood Immunization in Northern Uganda. She went on to work as an intern Program Officer for FOCUS Humanitarian Assistance where she undertook a needs assessment for refugees in Russia and supported the implementation and maintenance of programming to meet the medical needs of these refugees.

"In reading the (congratulatory) letter for the first time, I was completely and absolutely beside myself. I don't think there is a single word that could truly capture the emotions I was feeling in that moment. It was a combination of disbelief, elation and immense gratitude."
Inspired by 2001 Laureate Dr. Lucille Teasdale-Corti

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Scott Adams
Passionate about advancing Canadian healthcare, Scott Adams’ research background spans basic science and clinical research. He has taken an active role in university governance, serving on a number of university committees, and has chaired several medical student groups as well as the 2014 Health Innovation and Public Policy Conference to help effect positive change in healthcare. He has helped promote research and innovation to young people as Board Chair of the Saskatoon Regional Science Fair and founding Editor-in-Chief of the University of Saskatchewan undergraduate research journal. He has received numerous awards recognizing academic and research excellence, and received Associate (ARCT) and Licentiate diplomas in piano performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music.

"I am inspired by the work of The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame Laureates and excited about the potential for physicians to continue to advance healthcare in our communities locally and globally. I look forward to continuing on a path towards research and innovation, education, leadership and clinical service and am truly grateful to The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame and my award donor, Dr. John Wedge, for supporting me on this path."
Inspired by 2010 Laureate Dr. Calvin Stiller

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Shayne Reitmeier
Shayne Reitmeier studies medicine at the University of Manitoba. He holds a four-year Bachelor of Science degree with a major in microbiology.  Beyond academics, giving back to the Winnipeg community has been his top priority. Off campus, Shayne has served on United Way’s Youth United Council for six years. On campus, Shayne was inspirational in his pursuit to increase resources for LGBTTQI* individuals. Shayne’s efforts are uniting LGBTTQI* students, faculty and allies through the development of both Interest and Mentorship Groups. In the years to come, Shayne hopes to continue to advocate for Canada’s diverse and historically underserved populations.

Read more about Shayne at UMToday.

"A career in medicine is a chance to harness your passion to improve the lives of others."
Inspired by 2007 Laureate Dr. Elizabeth Bagshaw

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Matthew Quinn
Matthew completed his Bachelor’s degree in Medical Physics at The University of Western Ontario in 2010 and was awarded a Governor General’s Academic Medal. In 2013, Matt completed his PhD in Medical Biophysics as a student in Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry’s MD/PhD program. As a graduate student, Matt was a recipient of a Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship and won awards for his research into magnetic resonance imaging of early multiple sclerosis. Currently studying medicine at Western University, Matt is very involved in his school representing his peers on several committees and councils as Class President.
Inspired by 1994 Laureate Dr. Charles Drake

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Molly Whalen-Browne
Molly Whalen-Browne is a third year medical student at McMaster University. Prior to medical school she completed a Combined Honours Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology and Oceanography at Dalhousie University as well as a Master of Science in Global Health at McMaster University. She also completed Water Without Borders, a graduate diploma through the United Nations University. Molly is passionate about health equity both locally and globally and has worked on a number of research and community projects addressing this issue. She has also been actively involved in the development of global health curriculum at the undergraduate medical level.

"Receiving this award has been extremely humbling and I am very grateful to have been recognized by The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame. I'm inspired by the accomplishments of The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame Laureates and am eager to continue in my development as a physician, advocate and scholar."
Inspired by 2000 Laureate Dr. David Sackett

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Usman Tarique
Usman is committed to pursue excellence in medical education and patient care globally.  He demonstrates a passion for enhancing undergraduate medical education (UME) as a class representative on the Faculty of Medicine Pre-clerkship Committee. Recognizing a curricular gap in training medical students as educators, Usman translated his vision to establish a novel Teaching, Research and Innovation in Medical Education (TRI-ME) Series. Furthermore, Usman collaborates with the Undergraduate Ultrasound Committee to strengthen the UME ultrasound curriculum. He hopes to pursue a career in medical imaging and aims to foster global partnerships, build capacity through education, and cultivate entrepreneurship to improve health.
Inspired by 2001 Laureate Dr. Lucille Teasdale Corti

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Andrew Ferrier
Andrew Ferrier, an Aboriginal learner at the Northern Ontario School Medicine, completed his PhD and post-doctoral fellowship in Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the University of Ottawa and received his B.A. in Biology from Lake Forest College. Andrew published numerous manuscripts detailing the pathological mechanisms underlying neuromuscular disease, and demonstrated exemplary leadership skills by spearheading an interest group which aimed to narrow the gap between basic research and clinical medicine. In addition to Andrew's ongoing research endeavours, he is currently exploring ways to improve health care delivery in Aboriginal communities through return of service and serves on the board of directors in the health care systems application Emcarta Heart™.

"It is an honour to receive the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame Award. While this prestigious award highlights my academic and leadership accomplishments, it is more importantly a reflection of the impact my mentors and collaborators imparted upon me throughout my scholastic journey."
Inspired by 2014 Laureate Dr. Ronald Worton

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Laura Bosco
As class president, Laura initiated new projects designed to ease the transition into clerkship and improve student financial literacy. She also collaborated with Dr. Steven Brooks and the Faculty of Health Sciences to bring the PulsePoint App to Queen's. Laura is a regular contributor to the Queen’s medical community, from writing frequently for the Queen's Medical Review, to presenting to community members through Queen's Medicine Health Talks. This past summer, she worked on critical care research with Dr. John Marshall. She is looking forward to continuing her work as the clerkship co-president and spending time with her inspiring classmates.

"Receiving this award means so much to me. Not only is it incredibly humbling to be acknowledged by brilliant leaders and innovators at Queen’s and across Canada, but it made me realize that I am taking steps in the right direction to becoming the type of leader and future physician I have always wanted to be: strong, caring, perceptive and thoughtful of my peers, friends and colleagues."
Inspired by 2004 Laureate Dr. James Till

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Laith Ishaq
Laith Ishaq is a third year medical student at the University of Ottawa. Laith grew up in the city of Bethlehem in Palestine and at the age of 17 moved to Canada with his family. Throughout his secondary and post-secondary education, he has excelled in academic performance and in conducting scientific research. In his spare time, he leads student-run projects and groups, volunteers with various community organizations and participates in team sports. Laith aspires to use his passion for medicine to improve health care and medical education in underprivileged areas.

"I am deeply honored and humbled to receive this prestigious award. I would like to thank Mr. David Wellington and all the donors for their support and generosity. I am inspired by the vision of the CMHF and the attributes of its laureates to further pursue my goals and aspirations."
Inspired by 2010 Laureate Dr. Phil Gold

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Annick Gauthier
Annick has always been fascinated with discovering how disease alters the body and how being sick affects the person. After completing her BSc in biochemistry at Concordia University, Annick did her PhD at the University of British Columbia under the mentorship of Dr. Brett Finlay. She went on to postdoctoral work with Dr. Charles Rice at Rockefeller University. Annick’s work in her own lab at Boehringer Ingelheim discovering drugs against hepatitis C, rhinovirus and cytomegalovirus led her to realize that she could drive changes in the healthcare system and help people directly by becoming a physician. Annick started her medical degree at McGill University in 2013. She is honoured to receive the CMHF award for medical students.
Inspired by all of the CMHF Laureates

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Chérine Zaïm
A global health fanatic, Chérine has worked for the last three years for the Quebec chapter of the International Federation of Medical Students' Associations, where she now acts as president of the Board of Directors. Besides having been local president for the organization for the last three years, she has also been involved in the development of several peer education projects in her city. Through her work, she hopes to do her part in educating the future generation of physicians to look at health issues, here and elsewhere, from a global point of view, a growing interest in the changing medical reality!
Inspired by 2004 Laureate Dr. Maurice LeClair

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Philippe Robert
As a medical student at the University of Sherbrooke, Philippe Robert believes that a good doctor can not only be committed to his patients, but also to his community. As the coordinator of the local public health committee, he led multiple awareness activities for the people of Sherbrooke.  The organ donation project mobilized students from all health professions to educate thousands of citizens directly at home and through the media. Committed to enlarge his vision of medicine, Philippe realized an internship in an autochthonous community and a medical summer school in global health. Organizing the first Global Health Forum in his faculty gave him the opportunity to convey this passion.
Inspired by 2012 Laureate Terry Fox

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David Bergeron
David Bergeron is a 22 year-old MD-PhD student from Université Laval in the field of behavioural neurology. Recipient of a Vanier Graduate Scholarship for his work on the diagnosis of atypical dementias, David has delivered 22 presentations in the last two years, many of those in prestigious international meetings, and authored numerous papers while maintaining excellent academic standards. Strongly interested by medical education, he coordinated a team of over 100 medical students in a project – Le Petit Guide de l’Entrevue Médicale – which includes a book and an interactive mobile application to improve medical students’ interview skills. A long-distance triathlete, David has completed 2 marathons, 3 half-Ironmans and recently one full Ironman.
Inspired by 1994 Laureate Dr. Wilder Penfield and 1994 Laureate Sir William Osler

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Matthew To
Matthew To is a medical student at Dalhousie University where he is involved with the Health and Social Justice Interest Group, Advocates in Global Health program, and the Dalhousie Chapter of Canadian Doctors for Medicare. He is passionate about primary care, the health of marginalized populations, and public health. He has helped with research projects related to traumatic brain injury, health care use, and advance directives among homeless populations as well as the At Home project, a randomized trial of housing and mental health services for homeless individuals across five Canadian cities. His work has been featured in various blogs, newspapers, and medical journals.

"It was so encouraging to receive this award. I am so grateful for this gift from The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame! I really appreciate it. This award motivates me to continue to do my best in my medical studies and to work hard to address the health disparities that remain prevalent in our society."
Inspired by 2014 Laureate Dr. Jock Murray

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Desmond Whalen
Desmond grew up in Caplin Cove, a small rural Newfoundland and Labrador community. He completed a Bachelor of Science Honors degree at Memorial University of Newfoundland in Biology and Psychology (Behavioural Neuroscience), earning the academic medal in both departments.

Desmond is a member of the Canadian Forces Reserves Cadet Instructors Cadre, has served on the advisory board for the Community Sector Council of Newfoundland and Labrador (ACE Guidance Committee), is the president of a provincial political youth organization, is the tutoring coordinator for the Center for Distance Learning and Innovation, and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Labrador-Island Link Operating Corporation subsidiary company of Nalcor Energy. Desmond was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in December 2012 for community involvement.

Desmond is very dedicated to the university community. He is a student member on the Admission Committee for the Faculty of Medicine, is heavily involved with the MUN Rural Medicine Interest Group, and volunteers in other leadership and committee roles at the university. Desmond’s research interests are focused around simulation in medical education and rural and remote healthcare.

"I am deeply honoured to receive this award. The future of medicine is supported by the shoulders we stand on; by the people and discoveries that have come before us. The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame honors the achievements of great physicians, researchers and leaders in health care, and being granted a scholarship that embodies the ideals, values, and vision of The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame is truly humbling. It is not without recognizing past achievements that we can move forward with new, innovative, and ground-breaking ways to deliver healthcare. I am excited to be part of that movement."
Inspired by 1997 Laureate Sir Wilfred Grenfell

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About the CMHF

The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame (CMHF) celebrates Canadian heroes whose work advances health in Canada and the world, fostering future generations of health professionals through the delivery of local and national youth education programs and awards.

This enduring tribute to our country’s rich medical history is showcased here and in our physical exhibit hall in London, ON