The Grade 11 student at St. Mary’s Academy said she’s thinking about going into nursing because she likes caring for people, and many of her family members are nurses.  

Participants learned how to use a stethoscope at the nursing workshop.

At the nursing workshop, she was hoping to gain some insight into what it’s really like to be a nurse.  

“Nursing can be portrayed in different ways, especially in the media. So, I just want to get a feel for what it is actually like,” said Guarang, while watching other high school students use stethoscopes on a training mannequin.  

Guarang is one of more than 370 participants from 80 high schools across Winnipeg and the surrounding area who had the opportunity to learn about careers in the health sciences. And seventeen students travelled from northern communities.  

The Rady Faculty of Health Sciences has co-hosted Discovery Days with the London, Ont.-based Canadian Medical Hall of Fame (CMHF) for the past 24 years.  

More than 20 faculty-led workshops offered the high school students a chance to explore different fields in the health sciences – from dentistry and family medicine to medical microbiology and pharmacy.  

Harsahij Brar (left) takes part in the family medicine workshop.

Harsahij Brar, a Grade 10 student at the University of Winnipeg Collegiate, wants to become a physician and thought Discovery Days was an excellent opportunity to learn more about the field of medicine. He thought the family physician workshop was fascinating.  

“I’ve seen stitching, but I’ve never seen how suturing is done, and it was really cool seeing the different types of stitches you can do, and the different biopsy tools they use. It was pretty interesting,” Brar said.  

Cyrill Martinez, a Grade 11 student at Sisler High School, took part in the dentistry workshop because she’s interested in going into dental hygiene.  

“I’m interested in cleaning. I’m very detailed. I like working with my hands. It’s an extrovert job, so I enjoy talking with people and working with others,” Martinez said.  

The day started in the Frederic Gaspard Theatre with opening remarks by Nani Moleko, director of development at the CMHF, and Dr. Jim Butler, associate dean, undergraduate medical education, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences.   

Dr. Harvey Chochinov, distinguished professor of psychiatry at the Max Rady College of Medicine and 2020 CMHF laureate, presented a message to his teenage self. In his message, he said very few people, if any, would get in the way of him fulfilling his dreams.  

“You will be your biggest obstacle,” Chochinov said. “Your own self-doubt will cause you to stumble on occasion more so than anyone else trying to trip you up. You’re going to have an extraordinary privilege of working to make the world a little bit better, so have faith in the future, have faith in yourself …”  

Dr. Marlyn Cook

Dr. Marlyn Cook, a member of the Misipawistik Cree Nation, gave the keynote lecture. When she graduated from the UM medical school in 1987, she became the first First Nations woman to graduate from medicine in Manitoba.  

Cook has practiced medicine in several First Nations communities in Manitoba and Ontario. She combines traditional medicine with Western medical practice.  

Cook shared her inspiring journey and encouraged the students.  

“You can do anything you set your mind to, all of you. Whatever it is you want to do, you can just do it. And be aware of your thoughts. Your thoughts create your reality. Negative thoughts do not cause a positive life. You always have to stay positive and see the silver lining in every cloud. And take care of your body and your mind and your spirit,” Cook said.   

Following the keynote lecture, the students attended two workshops, and the event ended with a career panel discussion and a Q&A session.

Watch highlights of Discovery Days on Instagram. 

The honour goes to one second-year student at each Canadian medical school who demonstrates community leadership, superior communication skills and an interest in advancing knowledge.

“I’m incredibly grateful to the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame,” said Zohair, who received a prize of $5,000 and a travel subsidy to attend the 2024 Canadian Medical Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Vancouver in April.

Zohair, a first-generation Pakistani immigrant, completed her bachelor of science at UM in 2021. Now in her third year at the Max Rady College of Medicine (having applied for the award in the previous academic year), she has excelled as a student leader focused on creating a more equitable environment for learners.

“I think the work I do comes from a place of passion,” she said. “Everything that I’ve done comes from a deeply personal place.”

Zohair said she has faced Islamophobia and discrimination, and these experiences have led to her advocacy work in an effort to mitigate Islamophobia in the future.

She has served as the equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) representative for the Manitoba Medical Students’ Association and now holds the position of vice-stick EDI senior.

In her current role, she provides a student perspective as a voting member on the medical school’s admissions committee, assists in developing anti-racism polices on the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences’ EDI committee and serves as a member of the Doctors Manitoba Speaker Series planning committee.

She also helped establish Islamophobia training at the Rady Faculty and worked with a team to organize UM’s first EDI and global health conference earlier this year.

As a co-executive of the Muslim Medical Association of Canada’s UM chapter, Zohair helped create a prayer space for Muslim students on the Bannatyne campus and organized an iftar meal for Muslim medical learners and professionals during Ramadan.

“I got involved in the Muslim Medical Association of Canada to help ensure that Muslim students feel represented and accepted on campus,” she said.

This past summer, Zohair took part in the Med Summer Research Program. As part of her research study, she interviewed young adults and adolescents from diverse backgrounds who had experienced cancer.

“I was hoping to work on a study in a field that was personal to me,” she said. “As someone who is racially diverse themselves, I’ve had the experience of being a hijabi within the health-care system. That was something deeply personal to me but also happened to fit into my medical research.”

Zohair said the EDI work she’s involved in is important because every medical student at UM deserves a good experience.

“I don’t think I came into medical school thinking, ‘I’m going to have all these positions; I’m going to do all these roles.’ But I experienced things that made me think, ‘This isn’t right,’” Zohair said. “So, it was ‘If I don’t do this, who will?’ So I took it on myself.”

Roos is being recognized for unlocking the potential of big data systems analysis to clarify the social determinants of health, helping inform effective policies in support of universal health care. Roos and her husband, Dr. Leslie Roos, co-founded MCHP at UM, in 1991. The Manitoba Population Research Data Repository at MCHP makes it possible to track the health and health systems use of approximately one million Manitoba individuals and has become a model for research data centres across Canada and around the world.

“The award makes it clear that even in these weird difficult times, very nice things sometimes happen,” said Roos.  “This is a special honour because I am not a physician, and yet I have had a wonderful career teaching and doing research in a medical faculty. Currently, I’m working with health care providers helping them understand the importance of diagnosing and treating poverty in their patients.  Life is good!”

Canadian Medical Hall of Fame Laureates are Canadian citizens whose outstanding leadership and contributions to medicine and the health sciences, in Canada or abroad, have led to extraordinary improvements in human health.

“Dr. Noralou Roos is a pioneer in her field and role model for generations of public health policy researchers,” said Dr. Digvir Jayas, vice-president (research and international) and Distinguished Professor at UM. “The impact of her leadership and contributions to providing an evidence informed decision-making model for policy makers has influenced the care that millions receive around the world.”

Recognizing that administrative data were ideal for researching pharmaceuticals after they come to market, Roos worked with Health Canada and other groups across the country to design and implement a research network to monitor Drug Safety and Effectiveness (with an initial commitment of $32 million from then Minister of Health).

“Dr. Roos is an extremely worthy inductee to the prestigious Canadian Medical Hall of Fame.” said Dr. Brian Postl, dean, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences and vice-provost (health sciences). “As a leader, her influence on health policy, knowledge translation, health equity and drug safety have been transformative. I congratulate her on this well-deserved honour.”

Roos was able to create analytic capabilities for understanding the social determinants of health that existed nowhere else. MCHP’s work inspired the creation of Healthy Child Manitoba, a cross-ministry (Health, Education, Justice and Family Services) effort to target these social determinants of health. Building on her experience with policy makers, she developed a 6-year CIHR-funded initiative linking 80+ academics across Canada, helping them communicate their research via the media, eventually publishing more than 650 OpEds in the major daily broadsheets across Canada.

For 25 years she held a National Health Research Scientist award and was awarded a Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in Population Health (2001-2007) in the first round of funding. She completed her undergraduate degree at Stanford University (A.B. with distinction and departmental honours) and her PhD from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her PhD dissertation was published by Harvard University Press. One of her papers was awarded the “best article of the year” by the American Association for Health Services Research. The Institute of Scientific Information (ISI) reported Roos’ work as being cited among the top half of 1 per cent of published scientists globally.

She was a member of the Prime Minister’s National Health Forum, a member of the executive of the Medical Research Council and the Interim Governing Council that ultimately established CIHR. She received the Order of Canada and in 2016 was promoted as an Officer. She was elected to the Academy of Science of the RSC and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. She was named the 2010 Hall Laureate and received the 2011 Inaugural Population and Public Health Research Milestone Award (from CIHR and the Canadian Public Health Association). She received the Biomedical Science Ambassador Award from Partners in Research, and recently, was the recipient of both the 2020 Vanier Medal from the Institute of Public Administration of Canada and the Manitoba 150 Women Trailblazer award.

The 2022 Canadian Medical Hall of Fame Laureates will be celebrated at a ceremony held in association with The University of Ottawa, Faculty of Medicine on June 17, 2022 in Ottawa, Ontario.

“I really appreciate all the support that helped me get this award from the people who wrote me reference letters, to my family and friends who supported me through a lot of busy years in school and the hardships along the way. I couldn’t have gotten this award without them,” says Jayelle.

The CMHF partners with donors, MD Financial Management Inc. and Canada’s 17 medical schools to recognize young leaders who exemplify qualities of CMHF Laureates: perseverance, collaboration and an entrepreneurial spirit.

Jayelle is starting their third year of medicine at the Max Rady College of Medicine, while concurrently completing their master’s in medical microbiology and infectious diseases at the University of Manitoba. She is on the student council for the Manitoba Medical Students’ Association and was voted the class president for the past two years and was re-elected to continue as class president for the next two years.

Jayelle, a Métis woman, has been a determined advocate for inclusion and representation initiatives for Indigenous medical students. She has worked with UM medical faculty on the admissions process for Indigenous applicants to make sure the process was more equitable and included Indigenous backgrounded questions.

“We try to make sure the process is inclusive so people think about Indigenous health in the process of going into medical school, with the hope that it will make medical school and the health care field more safe and accessible for Indigenous people,” says Jayelle.

Recently, Jayelle co-founded the Indigenous Medical Students’ Association of Canada (IMSAC) to provide a space for advocacy and support for Indigenous medical students who often face additional barriers to achieving their educational goals.

“As an Indigenous medical student I didn’t know what to expect going into the field of medicine and I was hit with a lot more resistance than I thought I would be. There were a lot more micro-aggressions and things that were difficult for myself. I saw a lot of other Indigenous medical students having the same issues.

“Realizing this was such a universal experience for Indigenous medical students across the country made me realize it would be nice to have a group that could stand together when things like this happen and be someone to reach out to externally. There were a few other students across the country that also showed an interest in the same thing and somehow we managed to get together and get it started. It’s super exciting,” says Jayelle.

Receiving the CMHF award is important to Jayelle because it can inspire other Indigenous people to recognize their own potential when they see someone like themselves being recognized for achievements.

“I admire every Indigenous faculty member, professor and doctor I see and know how important that is to me, so I really wanted to be a role model for people like me coming into medical school,” says Jayelle.

Each of Canada’s medical faculties or colleges facilitated the review of applicants and recommended one award recipient. Three letters of support are required by applicants including a non-academic community reference describing their community impact, along with a 1,000 word essay describing why they should be considered for the award and articulating the qualities of the CMHF Laureate who inspires them most.

The 17 recipients each receive a cash prize of $5,000 and a travel subsidy to attend the 2022 Canadian Medical Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Ottawa, ON where they will have the opportunity to meet CMHF laureates and interact with health leaders from across the country.

To be inducted into CMHF, recipients must not only be exemplary scientists, but leaders whose work has led to extraordinary improvements in human health.

This distinction is awarded each year by the CMHF, based in London, Ont., to a select few who have pushed the boundaries of discovery and innovation.

The University of Manitoba is home to 10 such exceptional physicians, including two named just this year: Dr. Philip Berger, [MD/74] and Dr. Cheryl Rockman-Greenberg.

“These portraits are on now on permanent display for two important reasons,” said Dr. Brian Postl, dean, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences & vice-provost (Health Sciences). “First, we wish to honour these members of our community for their professional contributions. But equally, we want those who walk past the portraits every day to be inspired by the achievements of those who came before them and to strive to continue that tradition of excellence in health care.”

We encourage you to visit the new portrait wall, which is located on the main floor of Brodie adjacent to the bookstore.

Biographies of our CMHF laureates:

2018 – Philip Berger [MD/74]

Over a 40-year career, Dr. Philip Berger built a legacy of advocacy and activism fighting for health care for all people, regardless of their circumstances, and sometimes against powerful resistance. His achievements include founding the Toronto HIV Primary Care Physicians Group and leading high-profile campaigns to persuade government officials of the HIV prevention benefits of methadone and needle exchange programs.

He also co-founded and co-chaired Canadian Doctors for Refugee Care, leading the Federal Court of Canada Charter challenge restoring health coverage to about 100,000 refugees. 

2018 – Cheryl Rockman-Greenberg

U of M Distinguished Professor Dr. Cheryl Rockman-Greenberg, a renowned clinician scientist at the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, has advanced the global understanding of rare inherited disorders. Working closely with Manitoba communities she has developed diagnostic tests, screening programs and treatment for disorders that are over-represented in certain populations, notably hypophosphatasia, a bone disorder affecting Mennonite people, and glutaric aciduria type 1, a metabolic disorder affecting Oji-Cree people.

2017 – Estelle Simons, [MD/69] FRCPC

Professor emerita Dr. Estelle Simons is internationally renowned for research on the pharmacologic management of allergic diseases, including anaphylaxis and asthma. Early in the allergy epidemic, she led an interdisciplinary team that conducted landmark investigations to establish the scientific basis for use of new medications that have since become safe and effective treatment for allergic diseases worldwide.

Her research focuses on development of a non-invasive epinephrine (adrenalin) formulation for treatment of anaphylactic episodes. With her colleagues, she is developing a rapidly-dissolving drug tablet that could be placed under a patient’s tongue.

2013 – Arnold Naimark, OC, [MD/57]

A builder, a leader, a pioneer – these are just some of the words used to describe the impact of Dr. Arnold Naimark.

Naimark received his medical degree at the U of M in 1957 and joined the faculty of medicine in 1963 as assistant professor. He rose quickly, soon becoming head of the medical department. In 1981, he was the appointed ninth president and vice-chancellor of the University of Manitoba. Under his transformative leadership, the university became known as one of Canada’s major academic health sciences institutions.

He is recognized for his work as one of the country’s foremost educational administrators and for his lifetime of work in the development of departments, universities, institutions and organizations at the local, provincial and national level.

2012 – John Dirks, OC [MD/57]

In a career now spanning five decades, Dr. Dirks has made huge impacts in every field he has touched, from scientific and academic achievements in nephrology to the promotion and advancement of excellence in medical research in Canada and around the globe.

Dirks was awarded the NFK International Medal by the National Kidney Foundation (USA) and the Roscoe Robinson Award by the International Society of Nephrology for his contribution to nephrology education.

2011 – Allan Ronald, OC [MD/61]

Dr. Allan Ronald, a pioneer of the University of Manitoba’s world-renowned infectious disease research program in Africa, is recognized for his tireless work in HIV/AIDS research. Much of his early work took place in an international setting, but his return to Winnipeg in 1968 set in motion the creation of the Manitoba Infectious Disease Program. It became internationally recognized, and has been acknowledged as Canada’s centre of excellence in the research and training of infectious diseases. As a mentor of young physicians, his limitless enthusiasm and dedication has ensured the advancement of Infectious Disease as a discipline.

In 2002, he retired from a 35-year career at the University of Manitoba but he has continued to foster the HIV/AIDS Care and Prevention Program in Uganda.

2010 – James Hogg [MD/62]  

Dr. James Hogg’s career researching and studying pathology, pulmonary physiology and molecular biology has had a tremendous influence on the world’s understanding of lung disease. Hogg’s research and studies advanced knowledge of how the lung works in health and disease as well as the pathophysiology of asthma and the harmful effects of smoking and pollution.

An outstanding researcher, teacher, lecturer and colleague, many say that Hogg has had a greater influence on the medical community’s knowledge of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and asthma than any other individual worldwide.

2003 – Charles Hollenberg [MD/55]

Dr. Charles Hollenberg’s academic career in the 1960s, where he carried out research in fat metabolism and promoted the growth of scientific medicine at the Montreal General Hospital. From 1970 to 1981 he was the Chairman of the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto, where he successfully furthered their goals in teaching and research.

In 1991, he accepted the position of President and CEO of the Ontario Cancer Treatment and Research Foundation (OCTRF), reinventing it as Cancer Care Ontario and Cancer Care International.

2001 – Henry Friesen [MD/58]

Dr. Henry Friesen’s research on human growth hormone made successful replacement therapy in hormone-deficient children possible. Further endocrine research led to his isolation and purification of the hormone prolactin. In addition to this ground breaking work, Friesen developed the drug Bromocriptine in collaboration with researchers in the pharmaceutical industry, which proved to be effective in the treatment of infertility in women.

1995 – Bruce Chown, OC [MD/22]

Dr. Bruce Chown is renowned for his research on Rh hemolytic disease of the newborn and the development of the Rh immune globulin, which saved the lives of hundreds of thousands of babies around the globe. Chown joined the Children’s Hospital as a pathologist and took on a number of teaching posts, including professor and head of the department of pediatrics at the University of Manitoba. He has been called “a true giant in the overlapping fields of pediatrics, obstetrics, hematology and blood banking” who virtually eradicated the scourge of Rh incompatibility.

Research at the University of Manitoba is partially supported by funding from the Government of Canada Research Support Fund.