Doctors Manitoba unveiled its 2023 award recipients today, a group of nine dedicated physicians with outstanding achievements, groundbreaking research, and a focus on improving care for their patients.

​“We are celebrating nine inspiring physicians for their diverse accomplishments in patient care, research, education and leadership,” said Dr. Candace Bradshaw, President of Doctors Manitoba.​“Our 2023 Doctors Manitoba award recipients have made a lasting mark on medicine here at home and on the national and international stages, and a lasting impact on the patients they serve.”

The Doctors Manitoba awards are the highest honour bestowed upon physicians in the province. Award recipients are nominated by their physician peers and selected after a thorough evaluation by the Awards Committee.

​“While Manitoba grapples with a record physician shortage, these physicians are showing that doctors can thrive in our province if they have the right support and funding,” added Dr. Bradshaw. 

This year’s honourees include the following group of courageous and committed physicians:

Physician of the Year 

Dr. Ryan Zarychanski led truly groundbreaking work during the pandemic to rapidly assess the effectiveness of potential treatments for COVID-19. His work has been trailblazing at a global level, both in the actual treatments identified as well as the process he developed to identify them. By developing a global network of scientists, he raised significant funding, led life-saving clinical studies spanning 104 countries, and developed a new method of conducting and analyzing randomized clinical trials to speed knowledge generation. Ultimately, these trials identified effective treatment options for patients with serious COVID-19 infections.

Humanitarian

Dr. Tamara McColl is an emergency medicine physician who has dedicated the last year to supporting the Ukrainian community both here in Manitoba and in Ukraine. Her community service and humanitarian work has included leading local efforts to mobilize support through fundraising and rallies while also joining multiple medical relief missions to Ukraine through the Canadian Medical Assistant Teams and Canada Ukraine Surgical Aid Program.

Distinguished Service

Dr. Maggie Morris has served Manitoba for nearly 40 years as a physician, educator, and leader in Women’s Health. As a clinician, she has dedicated much of practice to vulnerable patients. She has played a pivotal role in the education of thousands of physicians and physician assistants using innovative and engaging techniques. As Chair of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences and Provincial Lead of Women’s Health, she oversaw major improvements in care and the design of the new Women’s Hospital.

Resident of the Year

Dr. Alwyn Gomez is an exceptionally talented resident physician specializing in neurosurgery. He has a passion for research and is also completing his PhD, focusing his research on traumatic brain injury. He also has a strong dedication to supporting medical education, helping to develop new programming in dissection and showcasing Manitoba’s post-graduate medication education program to prospective learners.

Medal of Excellence

Dr. Biniam Kidane is a thoracic and foregut surgeon and clinician-scientist, and the medical director of Wilf Taillieu Thoracic Surgery Endoscopy Unit. He is recognized for his constant dedication to his patients, along with his pioneering work to maintain care for patients during the many disruptions to surgical and hospital care through the pandemic, including for lung and esophageal cancer patients. Through his leadership, Manitoba has become a leader in minimally-invasive thoracic surgery & interventional endoscopy, which has resulted in shorter recovery times and better outcomes for patients.

Medal of Excellence

Dr. Courtney Leary is the first physician to be raised in and now serve the people of Norway House Cree Nation. She is now the Chief of Staff for Norway House Hospital and Clinic, and her leadership was pivotal to the development of the new Health Centre of Excellence. Her deep roots and commitment to her community were vital during the pandemic, when she found innovative ways to ensure health care was available, delayed the arrival of COVID-19 in the community, and the relationships she built were pivotal to achieving a high level of vaccine uptake.

Medal of Excellence

Dr. Katherine Kearns and Dr. Christina Raimondi worked together to establish The Winnipeg Breastfeeding Centre in 2017, responding to the overwhelming challenges many patients had in accessing help with lactation or infant feeding. Utilizing the latest scientific evidence on breastfeeding, human milk feeding, and infant feeding practices, the clinic and its experts are now a trusted resource for patients and physicians. They achieved all of this while maintaining their regular clinical practice.

Medal of Excellence

Dr. Michael Loudon is a champion for physician health. While maintaining his rural family medicine practice, Dr. Loudon spent 15 years leading physician peer support programming and helping to destigmatize substance use disorders. His work helped physicians regain their health and continue their medical practice. He has also been a pivotal member of several physician health initiatives, including efforts to tackle the system and organizational causes of physician burnout and distress.

Additional information about the award recipients is available here . A gala awards celebration to honour the winners will be held later this spring.

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