Faculty of Medicine celebrated alumni achievements at Homecoming Weekend, Sept 15-17

This year’s Homecoming Weekend at the uOttawa Faculty of Medicine welcomed graduates from 1952 to 2017 and celebrated with three days of activities featuring a Dean’s Reception, an awards ceremony, a golf tournament, a professional development session, and a hearty brunch.

Dr. Bernard Jasmin, Interim Dean of Medicine, shared exciting news about uOttawa Faculty of Medicine’s stellar performance as a competitive institution with a growing reputation for excellence.

The Faculty is currently a top 10 medical school in Canada and ranked fourth for research in the country. The University as a whole is ranked second for medical and science grants and third for citations and papers in medicine. Currently, the Faculty of Medicine generates approximately 50-60 percent of all research funding at the University. It is, without a doubt, a weekend of pride and appreciation for alumni, their support, and their legacy at the Faculty.

Each year at Homecoming, the Faculty recognizes two outstanding alumni for their exceptional careers by conferring the Rising Star Achievement Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Since the awards’ inception in 2009, they recognize outstanding alumni who have demonstrated professional excellence and exceptional leadership while making significant contributions in health outcomes and patient care in their communities.

This year’s award winners were Dr. Darlene Kitty (MD 2002) for the Rising Star Achievement Award and Dr. David Grimes (MD 1992) for the Lifetime Achievement Awards. Congratulations!

Dr. Darlene Kitty received her MD from the University of Ottawa in 2002. She is currently the Director of the Indigenous Program in Undergraduate Medical Education at the uOttawa Faculty of Medicine and the President of the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada. Furthermore, she is also the President of the Council of Physicians, Dentists and Pharmacists at the Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay (CBHSSJB). A Cree from Chisasibi in Northern Quebec, Dr. Kitty has worked as a family physician at Chisasibi Hospital since 2006. She is a national role model and advocate for aboriginal people who dream of pursing health careers.

Dr. David Grimes completed his MD and his residency in Neurology at the University of Ottawa. He then spent two years (1997 to 1999) at the Toronto Hospital and the Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases as a research fellow in movement disorders and molecular genetics. Dr. Grimes is currently Division Head and Associate Professor of Neurology/Medicine at the University of Ottawa, Co-Director of the Parkinson Research Consortium, and Associate Scientist, Neuroscience Program at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. His clinician and research interests are focused on improving the understanding and treatment of a wide variety of movement disorders with an emphasis on Parkinson's disease. He recently received the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition for his work from the Parkinson Society Canada. He has authored more than 60 peer reviewed publications on movement disorders, book chapters and two books dedicated to the treatment and care of individuals with Parkinson's disease.

Photo Credit: Mélanie Provencher