2024 INDUCTEE Noni MacDonald, MD Infectious Disease, Allergy & Immunity, Women in Medicine, Global Health, Public Health, Health Promotion & Advocacy, Health and Medical Education & Training
May 27, 1948
(Stratford, Ontario)
MD, University of Ottawa (1975)
2023: Hattie Alexander Lecture, Columbia University, NYC
2023: Appointed Professor Emerita Dalhousie University
See All AwardsAwards & Honours:
2023: Hattie Alexander Lecture, Columbia University, NYC
2023: Appointed Professor Emerita Dalhousie University
2022: Sovereign’s Award: Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II
2021: Discovery Centre Hall of Fame Award
2021: Lifetime Achievement Award, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine
2021: Fellow Royal Society of Canada
2021: Meritas Tabaret Award, University of Ottawa
2021: Richard Doll Lecture (MicroResearch), Oxford University
2020: Mount St Vincent University Leaf on Women’s Wall of Honour
2019: Order of Nova Scotia
2019: Officer of the Order of Canada
2019: Lifetime Achievement Award, Canadian Society for International Health
2019: Dr John Savage Memorial Award for Leadership in Global Health, Faculty of Medicine Dalhousie University
2019: IWK Research Award
2018: Leader, Canadian Women in Global Health. Canadian Society for International Health and the Lancet
2018: CIHR Senior Trailblazer Award in Population and Public Health
2017: National Child Day Award, Canadian Institute of Child Health
2016: Presented with the Dr. Noni MacDonald Award for 20 years as Founding Editor and Editor in Chief of Paediatrics & Child Health, Canadian Paediatric Society and Pulsus Inc.
2014: University of Ottawa Alumni Award for Community Service
2014: Fellow Pediatric Infectious Disease Society
2013: Professional of Distinction Award, Discovery Centre, NS
2013: Life Member Canadian Paediatric Society
2012: Distinguished Lecture in Canadian Immunization. Canadian Immunization Conference
2011: Alan Ross Award Canadian Paediatric Society
2010: Alumni Award of Excellence, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa
2006: Honorary Member, Canadian Medical Association
2005: Fellow Canadian Academy of Health Sciences
2004: New annual “Dr Noni MacDonald Award” for best paper in Paediatrics and Child Health
2003: Canada’s Most Powerful Women, Top 100 Award, Category: Trailblazers
2002: Alumni Award for Community Service, University of Ottawa, Faculty of Medicine
2001: Fellow, Canadian Institute Academic Medicine
1998: Selection for Best Doctors in Canada
1997: University of Ottawa, Award of Excellence, Faculty of Medicine
1993: Fellow, Infectious Disease Society of America
1990: Fellow Society for Pediatric Research
1988: Fellow Green College, University of Oxford
1987: Member Canadian Society of Clinical Investigation
1985: Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Serve and Solve Award
1984: Honorary Class President Fac. of Med Class 1984 University of Ottawa (excellence in teaching and mentoring)
Forged inspiring new paths in preventing and treating paediatric infectious disease
A trailblazer in paediatric infectious disease and pain mitigation
A renowned researcher, paediatrician, infectious disease specialist and vaccinologist, Noni MacDonald has had a distinguished career of “firsts.” Notably, Dr. MacDonald became Canada’s first female Dean of Medicine when she attained the position at Dalhousie Medical School. She was also the country’s first paediatrician to be certified in paediatric infectious diseases and the founding editor of the Canadian Paediatric Society’s Journal of Paediatrics & Child Health. As a strong supporter of global health, Dr. MacDonald made significant advances working with cystic fibrosis patients and on the frontlines of infectious diseases like HIV. She has been a consultant and advisor to the World Health Organization for more than 20 years, most recently with the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE). Her research focus on vaccines involves vaccine safety, hesitancy and acceptance, pain mitigation and policy issues. Relatedly, she continues to be a key member of the Canadian Center for Vaccinology (CCfV), which she co-founded in 2004. Her research focus on vaccines saw her consulted extensively during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to her scientific contributions, Dr. MacDonald has inspired countless other health care workers and researchers to address maternal and child health problems.
Key Facts
Recognized for her incredible devotion to improving health care for children in Canada and internationally for more than 40 years
A fervent activist for vaccine safety, hesitancy, and pain mitigation, Dr. MacDonald has authored more than 500 scholarly publications aimed at furthering disease prevention, immunization, and public health
By 2023 more than 140 research projects launched and more than 1,400 trainees mentored through MicroResearch, an organization co-founded by Dr. MacDonald in 2008
Dr. MacDonald’s research has been cited more than 12,000 times
Fun Fact: For 50 years the second Sunday in December found Noni and Doug surrounded by neighbours and friends enjoying as many as 31 different kinds of cookies – all the results of
Noni’s love of baking passed down from her mother and grandmother.
Professional timeline
Impact on lives today
It may seem surprising that it took until 1999 for a woman to be appointed Dean of a Faculty of Medicine in Canada; it is less surprising to see why that woman was Dr. Noni MacDonald. Dr. MacDonald continues to address complex community and child health issues such as vaccine hesitancy with novel research approaches. Her tireless dedication to developing sustainable, innovative health systems has led to better clinical practices that benefit patients and communities in Canada and around the world.
2024
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Noni MacDonald inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame
Vancouver, British Columbia
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Dr. MacDonald included in the world leading data analytics company Clarivate’s annual list of Highly Cited Researchers.
Only 218 Canadian scientists were included on this list.
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Appointed to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) advisory panel on Vaccine Safety
Building our health organizations and systems, Global Health, Public Health, Health Promotion & Advocacy, Health Policy, Women in Medicine, Leadership in Organizational Development, Health & HumanitiesDr. MacDonald is helping to develop PAHO’s Vaccine Agenda 2030
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Profiled in The Lancet (396:525) as an inspirational leader in Canadian and global health
Global Health -
Received the Orders of Nova Scotia and of Canada, as well as an award for leadership in global health from the faculty of medicine at the University of Dalhousie.
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Noni MacDonald launched MicroResearch Nova Scotia using skills learned from the earlier program developed in Africa
Patient Care, Infectious Disease, Allergy & Immunity, Public Health, Health Promotion & AdvocacyThe program developed and implemented sensitive, research-based health measures particularly for vulnerable and underserved Nova Scotian communities, and has since expanded to Newfoundland and Ontario.
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Noni MacDonald co-founded MicroResearch (MR), an organization that democratizes and decolonizes health research by placing the drivers of change in the hands of locals
Global HealthThrough MR, local health care workers and community experts identify local health care problems, are trained to develop a research proposal, conduct this research, and translate their findings into action.
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The first woman in Canada to become Dean of a Faculty of Medicine
Women in Medicine, Health and Medical Education & TrainingAfter an 18-year career with the University of Ottawa, Dr. MacDonald moved to Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia to serve as the school’s—and the country’s—first female Dean of Medicine.
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Founded Paediatrics & Child Health - a journal of the Canadian Paediatric Society
Dr. MacDonald served as this pioneering journal’s Editor-in-Chief for 20 years.
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Dr. MacDonald became the country’s first paediatrician to be certified in paediatric infectious diseases by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
Infectious Disease, Allergy & Immunity -
Graduated medical school, University of Ottawa
Dr. MacDonald received the University Medal for achieving the highest standing among graduating medical students.
1990
She has contributed enormously to our knowledge and understanding of infection, immunization, and global health for children.
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