AWARD WINNERS 2023

Lifetime Member Award

The Lifetime Member Award recognizes individuals who are longstanding members of the SRPC for more than ten consecutive years and have reached the age of 65.

Dr. Karen Forgie, Halfmoon Bay, BC	Dr. Yvon Gagnon, Vermillon Bay, ON
Dr. James Goertzen, Thunder Bay, ON	Dr. Robert Nugent, Fort Frances, ON

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Fellowship of Rural and Remote Medicine of the SRPC (FRRMS)

The Fellowship of Rural and Remote Medicine of the SRPC (FRRMS) is designed to recognize expertise in the practice of rural medicine in Canada.

The Fellowship award is presented to physicians who are previous recipients of the Rural Service Award, working in rural and remote communities, and have acquired a minimum of 10 points under the required criteria.  Physicians must have been members of the SRPC for the last 5 consecutive years.

Dr. Ryan Falk, Chilliwack, BC	Dr. Katie Forfar, Laurentian Valley, ON
Dr. Samantha Harper, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, NL	Dr. Sarah Lespérance, Petitcodiac, NB
Dr Mark Saul, Chelsea, QC

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Rural Medical Student / Medical Resident Leadership Award

Rural Medical Student and Resident Leadership Awards are presented to students and residents in good academic standing who have demonstrated a sustained interest in rural medicine.

Simona Bene Watts, Victoria, BC	Allison Best, St. John's, NL
Dr. Andréa Brabant, Yellowknife, NT	Dr. Natalya O'Neill, Mount Forest, ON

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Rural Service Award

The Rural Service Award provides recognition for physicians who live and work in rural Canada and who have served rural communities for at least 10 years.  Physicians must have been members of the SRPC for the last 5 consecutive years to receive the RSA.

Dr. Amanda Bergman, Winkler, MB	Dre Coralie Boudreau, Concession, NS
Dr. Norma Charriere, Hiller, ON	Dr. Roderick Cheung, Kapuskasing, ON
Dr. Bruce Cook, Dryden, ON	Dr. Robert Greidanus, Peace River, AB
Dr. Amber Hayward-Stewart, Canmore, ON	Dr. Andreas Mostert, Revelstoke, BC
Dr. Robert Nugent, Fort Frances, ON	Dr Martin Papineau, Hearst, ON
Dr. Lyn Power, Burin Bay Arm, NL	Dr. Katherine Turner, Moose Factory, ON
Dr. Roohina Virk, Chilliwack, BC

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Rural Long Service Award

The Rural Long Service Award provides recognition for physicians who have lived and worked in rural Canada and who have served rural communities for 20 years or more.  Physicians must have been members of the SRPC for the last 5 consecutive years and previously received the Rural Service Award.

Dr. Shaun Marshall, Wingham, ON	Dr. H. Susan McArthur, Walkerton, ON
Dr. Dave McLinden, Huntsville, ON	Dr Mark Saul, Chelsea, QC

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National Rural Awards

Rural Leadership Award

The Rural Leadership Award is presented to an individual or an organization that has made an outstanding contribution to rural medicine on a national level in Canada. The recipients are recognized for accomplishments that have impacted rural Canada in a truly significant way. 

Dr. Trina Larsen Soles, Golden, BC

Rural Specialist Merit Award

The Rural Specialist Merit Award is presented to a specialist who lives and works in rural Canada and has demonstrated a long-term commitment serving their community.  They are recognized for providing care for rural patients and supporting rural generalists.  

Dr. Robin Routledge, Duncan, BC

Rural Heart Award

The Rural Heart Award is presented annually to an individual who has demonstrated support and passion for rural medicine, while not currently meeting the residence criteria for the Rural Service Awards or the Fellowship. 

Dr. Emmanuel Abara, Richmond Hill, ON

Rural Mentorship Award

The Rural Mentorship Award is presented to a rural physician that demonstrates outstanding commitment to mentoring and supporting future rural physicians, and/or rural physicians already in practice. 

Dr. David Pontin, Yellowknife, NT

Rural Health Champion Award

The Rural Health Champion Award is a presented to a non-physician who has had a significant impact on rural health care delivery, either through clinical care or system level impact in a community, province, or nationally.

Ms. Kim Williams, Vancouver, BC

Rural Community Impact Award

The Rural Community Impact Award recognizes a physician that has had a significant impact on their community, through clinical services, teaching, research, volunteer work, or other community involvement continually advocating for the best health care available. 

Dr. Eliseo Orrantia, Marathon, ON

Rural Medical Education Award

The Rural Medical Education Award is presented to a Canadian medical school that encourages students to pursue further training in rural medicine. It is awarded to the medical school program matching the most graduates to rural family medicine residency programs based on CaRMS data for the preceding year.

KEITH Award

The Keith Award was the first award established by the SRPC.  It is presented to a Canadian post-graduate program which has excelled in producing rural doctors. It identifies the university with the largest number of graduates practicing in rural Canada for the most recent 10 years after graduation. Family medicine residents are identified through the Canadian Post-MD Education registry and practice location is taken from the Canadian Medical Association database.

Memorial University

Representatives: Dr. Margaret Steele, Dean of Medicine and Professor of Psychiatry at MUN and Dr. Andrew Hunt, Assistant Dean

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Rural Medical Resident/Student Essay Winners

The nominations and awards committee hosts a rural essay contest for medical students and residents each year. Students submitted a non-fiction essay with the rural elective theme, and residents submitted a non-fiction essay about their rural experience.

Dr. Evelyne Guay, Burlington, ON	Mr. Daniel Pearce, Torbay, NL