ADAM RAMZY
With a core value of contribution and elaborate skills as a scientist and communicator, Adam focuses on producing quality research and engaging in knowledge translation. He has contributed to more than ten academic papers and recently defended his PhD at The University of British Columbia in the field of diabetes. He has expertise in research from basic cell biology through to translational research and continues to be engaged in the research community through active involvement in many research projects. Notably, he has been contributing to an ongoing ground-breaking clinical trial investigating a potential stem cell therapy for diabetes since 2017. With a passion for community engagement and science communication, Adam represented UBC as the Western Canadian Champion of the “3 Minute Thesis” competition in 2019 and has presented his research at several community outreach events. Additionally, Adam has presented his research at more than ten academic conferences and has been recognized with presentation awards at seven. Outside of medicine, Adam competes internationally in the sport of powerlifting. He is a 6-time overall National champion of Canada, the 2015 Commonwealth champion, 2016 North American champion, and has won bronze medals at the World Championships in 2013 and 2016.
Inspired by 2017 Laureate Michel Chrétien MD
ABDULLAH ISHAQUE
Abdullah Ishaque is an MD/PhD student at the University of Alberta who plans to pursue an academic career in clinical neurosciences. His PhD dissertation involves studying amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a fatal neurodegenerative disorder, with advanced neuroimaging techniques aimed at providing patients and future clinical trials with an objective measure of the disease process. During his PhD training, he co-authored 10 peer-reviewed original research and review articles and presented at numerous national and international-level research conferences. Abdullah is passionate about advancing the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for disorders of the nervous system through basic and clinical research. For his efforts, he has been awarded the Alberta Innovates MD-PhD Studentship, ALS Canada-Brain Canada Trainee Award, and the University of Alberta’s Dean’s Doctoral Student Award. He is also interested in administrative roles and has previously served for the MD Admissions Committee at the University of Alberta, Clinician Investigator Trainee Association of Canada, and the Canadian Federation of Medical Students. Abdullah hopes to continue his work in the field of clinical neurosciences and is excited to make new discoveries to improve patient care.
Inspired by 1998 Laureate Roberta Bondar MD PhD
TINA GUO
Tina is a third-year medical student with a passion for championing marginalized populations and promoting health equity through advocacy, education, and philanthropy. She founded and served as the Co-Executive Director of the Students Against Domestic Abuse Association, the first student-run initiative of its kind in Canada, and a member agency of the Calgary Domestic Violence Collective, consisting of over 70 organizations that combat domestic abuse. During her tenure, she initiated the annual Road to Resilience Conference to foster dialogue surrounding the social origins and ramifications of domestic abuse, as well as to equip over 200 students, faculty members, and community members with the skills to respectfully and effectively intervene when others are suspected of experiencing domestic abuse. Meanwhile, as Vice-President Finance of the Student Run Clinic, she oversaw clinic nights during which student clinicians provided quality, accessible health care for residents of local homeless shelters, as well as patients at the local refugee clinic. For two years, Tina was also a member of the student delegate for Provincial Advocacy Day, during which she lobbied MLAs to establish a youth mental health fund using the tax revenue generated from cannabis sales, as well as to bolster education and support for organ donation.
Inspired by 2007 Laureate Elizabeth Bagshaw MD
LAURA NEUBURGER
Laura’s love of learning was inspired by innovative educators whose enthusiasm for creating diverse learning opportunities encouraged her to discover her passion for neuroscience and medical imaging. Her interest in medical education began during her undergraduate degree while working as a simulated patient to create positive learning experiences for advancement of clinical and communication skills. Upon starting her medical studies, Laura joined the Curriculum Review Committee to advocate for the student body around the development and delivery of curriculum. She has been actively involved with the College of Medicine ultrasound and diagnostic groups as president of both, which involved teaching hands-on skills sessions that highlight the College’s unique and innovative focus on clinical ultrasonography, engaging health professionals through an interdisciplinary conference on the diverse applications of ultrasound and providing medical imaging tutorial sessions to complement school curriculum. Laura has also pursued learning through various research opportunities, including a Cameco Multiple Sclerosis Neuroscience Research Centre assistantship, an honor’s thesis with the Neurocognition and Psychophysics Laboratory and ongoing research in neurosurgery. Her experiences have shown her that academic excellence depends not only on the individual, but also on positive learning environments and enthusiastic teachers that encourage curiosity as a driver for success!
Inspired by all 1997 Laureate Brenda Milner PhD
HENRY LI
Henry Li is a third-year medical student at the University of Manitoba who is passionate about channeling his aptitudes for the benefit of others. As a dedicated scholar, Henry entered medical school at the age of 19 with a BSc, a near-perfect institutional GPA, and the highest MCAT score in his class. As a community leader, he co-founded the Manitoba Chinese Youth Committee to promote multiculturalism, encourage involvement in his local community, and create a venue for youth to build their leadership skills. His commitment to empowering others continued through his leadership roles with Let’s Talk Science and CanU Canada, where he engaged K-12 students in science and health science activities to inspire them to careers in STEM. Henry strives to create new opportunities for his peers. In addition to fostering positive relationships and processes within the Manitoba Medical Students Association and the Canadian Federation of Medical Students, he also established the MMSA Student Initiative Grants Program and secured two new multi-year sponsorships for the CFMS. After completing two basic science projects in his first year, Henry has since focused his energies on clinical oncology research, and expects to submit his third manuscript this year. He hopes to one day drive translational research to improve medical care in Canada.
Inspired by 2018 Laureate Balfour Mount MD
MIRANDA WAUGH
Miranda Waugh is a third-year medical student at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine in her hometown Sudbury, Ontario. She has a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Laurentian University. It was there she explored the relationship between art and science, focusing her thesis on the effects of different dance styles as an intervention for Parkinson’s Disease. Miranda is an active member of the arts community with her continuous involvement in dance and professional theatre. Academically, she has been an advocate for her colleagues by taking on the role as student representative on the Undergraduate Medical Education Committee and as current Student Council Representative for her class. In her second year of medical school, Miranda founded the Art of Medicine Project with the help of the Student Enhancement Fund at NOSM. This project was founded to give medical students the opportunity to gain exposure to a variety of fine arts in the community with the goal of develop empathetic reasoning and emotional awareness in health care.
Inspired by 2019 Laureate Jacalyn Duffin MD PhD
BOJANA RADAN
Bojana Radan is a third-year medical student at Western University and a passionate advocate for social systems change. Before Bojana came to Western, she obtained a Hon. BSc in infectious diseases at the University of Toronto, and a Masters of Global Affairs (MGA) from the Munk School of Global Affairs at U of T as well. This non-traditional background of science, policy and international affairs has provided Bojana with a unique lens to understand how social inequality affects all levels of health care, and the strategies and inter-disciplinary work needed to overcome these barriers. Bojana is passionate about research and seeks to create evidence-based data to help inform policy. She was the consultant for the City of Toronto’s Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, where she created a strategy to tackle homelessness for refugee youth in Canada. More recently, she has launched a 4-week pilot project in Western Kenya, where she designed and implemented a trauma registry in the emergency room. This evidence-informed dataset on road traffic accidents and injuries will be given to policymakers with the goal to improve road safety, by tackling specific data-informed policy gaps. Bojana is the receipt of the Gordon Cressy Student Leadership Award (2017), and the Dr. Barry Davidson Global Opportunities Award (2019). She hopes to use her medical degree as a tool for social change especially in women’s and environmental health.
Inspired by 2016 Laureate May Cohen MD and 2018 Laureate Philip Berger MD
JOEL VOTH
Joel Voth is a final-year medical student at McMaster University who comes to medicine with a commitment to reduce the health disparities for vulnerable populations. A proud member of the Métis Nation of Manitoba and LGBTQ+ community, Joel was acutely aware of the inequities in health from a young age. He comes to medicine after a career in public health strategic planning and public relations where he worked with all levels of government and public health agencies across Canada to develop and implement strategic plans that improved access and public awareness in the health care system, particularly with marginalized populations. Throughout his medical education, Joel has worked closely with program administrators and students in the development of a new Indigenous Health curriculum for Undergraduate Medicine at McMaster University to help future physicians provide culturally safe care to Canada’s First Peoples. Joel has also worked with student groups to supplement curriculum in LGBTQ+ health through special events and speakers. Outside of his studies, Joel sits on the Board of Directors of De Dwa Da Dehs Nye>s Hamilton’s Aboriginal Health Centre and the steering committee of McMaster University’s Indigenous Health Initiative all with the aim of improving health outcomes for vulnerable populations. Joel looks forward to continuing this work throughout his medical career.
Inspired by 2018 Laureate Philip Berger MD
KARAN JOSHUA ABRAHAM
Josh Abraham is a physician-scientist trainee in the University of Toronto combined MD-PhD program. During his training, he also served as the president of the Clinician-Investigator Trainee Association of Canada, co-founder of the UT-YOP mentorship program, and a member of varsity track and tri-campus soccer teams. He has co-authored over 20 publications, including original research articles, review papers, and non-refereed commentaries. He completed his PhD work in Dr. Karim Mekhail’s lab in the department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, where he used molecular, genetic and cell biological approaches to uncover mechanisms that preserve the integrity of the genetic code and sustain the protein synthesis capacity of cells. For outstanding leadership, innovation, and research impact, he has received some of the most prestigious national and university-wide awards including the Vanier Scholarship, Ruggle’s Innovation Award, and the Adel S. Sedra Distinguished Graduate Award. Recently he was awarded an NIH-funded National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) Scholarship, along with an invitation to speak at an internationally renowned Keystone symposium. Josh hopes to lead a basic research program that will advance scientific knowledge to better understand and treat human disease, and to one day become a leading ambassador for Canadian biomedical research.
Inspired by 2015 Laureate Alan Bernstein PhD
SHAKIRA BRATHWAITE
Shakira is a third-year medical student at Queen’s University. Prior to starting medical school, Shakira completed a BSc in Neuroscience, Immunology and Physiology, and an MSc in Physiology at the University of Toronto. She has a particular interest in advocating for the health and welfare of underprivileged and marginalized populations. During her undergraduate and graduate studies, Shakira was involved in many community outreach programs, including the Out of the Cold soup kitchen program at St. Michael’s College, while also advocating for students as a member of student government and the U of T Academic Board. In medical school, she organized and facilitated Pathways to Medicine, an annual enrichment day in partnership with the Pathways to Education program in Kingston. This program provides low income students with the opportunity to explore a day of medical training and resources to help them plan for higher education. Shakira is also involved with several groups aiming to increase diversity in health care including the Queen’s Faculty of Medicine Diversity Panel, the Queen’s Commission on the 1918 Black Medical Student Ban, and the Black Physicians’ Association of Ontario medical student section. Aside from her academic endeavours and advocacy, Shakira enjoys dancing and yoga.
Inspired by 2018 Laureate Philip Berger MD
CÉLINE SAYED
Céline Sayed is a third-year medical student, who completed a Bachelor of Sciences at the University of Ottawa. During her undergraduate education she received the Undergraduate Research Scholarship, one of uOttawa’s most prestigious scholarships. This allowed her to discover the world of research which led her to play an integral role in the creation of the Undergraduate Research Initiative, a student-led club focused on organizing research competitions for local high school students and for undergraduate students in all Ontario universities. After graduating with the Silver Medal in the Faculty of Science for the second highest cumulative GPA in a three-year bachelor’s program, Céline focused on medical education. She is currently a key research member working on an innovative pilot project that aims to incorporate procedural skills into the MD curriculum, ultimately benefiting students entering clerkship. Equally passionate about student advocacy Céline is currently the uOttawa medical student council president, working on initiatives such as promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and incorporating a program that supports pre-med undergraduate students of lower socioeconomic status. Her leadership in curriculum development, student well-being, faculty liaison and community involvement earned her the 2019 Professional Association of Residents of Ontario Citizenship Award for uOttawa. Céline is a passionate and motivated student who wishes to continue contributing to the medical field.
Inspired by 2019 Laureate Connie J. Eaves PhD
LÉANNE RONCIÈRE
Léanne is a third-year medical student at McGill University. Currently Class President and previously Executive President of the Medical Students’ Society (MSS), she represents the student body on various local medical education committee as well as national and provincial federations. Her passion for advocacy, medical education, and commitment to enacting change transpires through each of her endeavours, whether it be by co-creating a more suitable local clerkship workload policy with UGME leadership or by improving students’ learning environment through reshaping the mistreatment reporting process and assessing its systematic barriers. In addition to her work in medical education, Léanne’s current academic interests include barriers to access to care in low to middle income countries (LMICs) and sustainability in global health. She spent last summer working in Haiti with Partners in Health, where her research focused on maternal and child health. Her interest in international cooperation projects dates back to 2014, when she first partnered with a Beninese community to develop a large-scale, collaborative and self-sustainable initiative aiming to improve local access to information. Through her future professional endeavours, Léanne hopes to contribute to the health and wellness of underserved and under-privileged populations.
Inspired by 2001 Laureate Lucille Teasdale-Corti MD
SAMUEL MAILHOT-LAROUCHE
Samuel Mailhot-Larouche is a medical student at Université de Montréal. He is also completing a doctoral degree in molecular biology under the supervision of Dr. Michel Bouvier in the MD-PhD program. In addition, he holds a master’s degree in experimental medicine from Laval University. Samuel is currently working on a project concerning asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at the Institute of Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), trying to find a new way to treat these diseases. Samuel’s leadership in medical research is prominent and has been recognized recently by a Vanier’s scholarship. As co-president of the «Rassemblement Étudiant en Recherche Médicale », Samuel is trying to valorize the research toward the medical students of the Université de Montréal by organizing different activities. As well, Samuel is presently creating a medical journal with colleagues that will be dedicated to the medical students. Samuel aspires to become a clinician and an investigator. Medicine will procure him the tools to care for patients daily and research will permit him to contribute to bringing forward the medical practice.
Inspired by 2012 Laureate Peter Macklem MD
MARIE-CHRISTINE MILOT
Marie-Christine has an unshakeable faith in the equality of all human beings and is especially concerned by the fight for available health care for vulnerable populations. While being the recipient of an academic excellence scholarship upon her admission to the Sherbrooke Faculty of Medicine and maintaining excellent grades afterwards, she is involved in many organizations and committees completing more than 500 volunteer hours during the first two years of her medical program, notably as the sustainable development delegate of her student association. Since she is conscious of the positive impacts ecological initiatives can have on health, she instigated a bicycle borrowing system in her faculty to encourage active transport. She also founded and managed a committee to start a “free refrigerator” concept, open to all, reducing food waste and offering healthier food options for free. She participated in writing an extended essay about the deleterious effects of climate change on the health of Quebec’s population, Le climat s’invite aux urgences (“The climate is coming to the ER”), and presented the essay to members of the Quebec National Assembly. Through her projects such as the introduction of the study of climate change in her faculty’s medical education program and the foundation of student groups, Marie-Christine showed leadership and creativity to contribute to the prevention of diseases caused by the environmental degradation, a crucial health concern for the next decades. At the dawn of her third year in medicine, she is beginning a Master of Science in nuclear imaging and radiotherapy research against prostate cancer, a project for which she received excellence grants from the Canadian Institute of Health Research and the Fonds de recherche du Québec en Santé.
Inspired by 2018 Laureate Cheryl Rockman-Greenberg MD
CHARLOTTE LEMIEUX-BOURQUE
Charlotte is an MD-MSc student at Laval University. Her interests deal with health systems management and her research is focused on the impact of health care organization in the neonatal intensive care units on complications in very premature babies. Since she began her medical studies, Charlotte has been continuously involved in her community. Motivated by the improvement of conditions for medical students, she has been the driving force for many health demystification and welfare promotion projects as vice-president of her student association and resource person for the helping peers of her Faculty. She is also a member of the Board of the Quebec Federation of Medical Students. Charlotte is also involved in the promotion of the rights and interests of vulnerable groups. She has launched innovative community-based projects which have positive impacts on her environment. Among others, she founded, in 2017, BALEIN’eau, a charity organization offering adapted low-cost swimming lessons for youth with functional limitations and launched, in the fall of 2019, the ALPAGA Project, which is an outdoor respite weekend organized jointly with the Quebec City Social Pediatrics Centre for the promotion of healthy living. She hopes to pursue a clinical researcher career while maintaining her community involvement in order to have a positive impact on her patients, the health system and her community.
Inspired by 2017 Laureate Richard B. Goldbloom MD
VIVIAN TAN
Vivian Tan is a medical student at Dalhousie University with a passion for medical research, health informatics and global health. Prior to medical school, she completed a Bachelor of Medical Sciences (Medical Health Informatics) at Western University. She has clinical research training at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, Ontario Drug Policy Research Network and the Nova Scotia Breast Screening Program. Her previous presentations/publications have focused on using data from electronic health records and administrative databases to evaluate patient outcomes. Vivian has a specific interest in medical innovation, particularly artificial intelligence and risk prediction models. She has worked on various informatics projects including a dialysis versus kidney transplant risk calculator and perioperative risk prediction guides. She also serves as the National Officer of IT with the Canadian Federation of Medical Students. Vivian aspires to continue contributing to efforts in improving quality of life and health care delivery. She has conducted research regarding access to medications, social determinants of health and promoting health in disadvantaged populations. Her work has led her to be on a delegation to the Executive Board Meeting of the World Health Organization. Vivian is also actively engaged with her medical school community and is inspired to continue to pursue leadership and innovation in medicine.
Inspired by 2016 Laureate David Naylor MD DPhil
MAGGIE O'DEA
Maggie O’Dea is an ardent defender of equitable access to health care. Over the past two years, her leadership in developing and leading highly successful advocacy campaigns has resulted in transformed government policies and improved health care for vulnerable populations. In 2017/2018, she co-designed a campaign against inequitable access to abortion, which resulted in universal access to Mifegymiso. In 2018/2019, Maggie led a team to eliminate discriminatory age restrictions on the Insulin Pump Program. Incorporating students, local providers, national organizations and global health experts, both campaigns generated national media coverage, sparked widespread discourse, and incited parallel campaigns Canada-wide. Born and raised in Witless Bay, Newfoundland, Maggie cultivated an early interest in exploring the social constructs which impact wellbeing. She completed a BSc(Hons) in Life Sciences at Queen’s University and an MBA at Memorial as a Fellow of the School of Graduate Studies, where she learned to analyze physiological boundaries of health using political-social-economic frameworks. Her subsequent work with pioneering organizations such as Ontario Genomics and MASSLBP further fueled her interest in the confluence of policy and societal change. In medical school Maggie expanded her focus to health care challenges, chairing professional working groups on physician engagement/retention and participating in national stakeholder sessions on Pharmacare. Today, Maggie continues to pursue how best to effect real and meaningful change that directly addresses inequities in health outcomes.
Inspired by 2007 Laureate Elizabeth Bagshaw MD
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
