“Our empathy is more important than our expertise,” said Dr. Joss Reimer, the public health expert who led the province’s COVID-19 vaccine implementation taskforce and is currently chief medical officer of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority.

“The number 1 role for physicians is the relationship with the patient,” Reimer said. “As much as we need to know the facts and memorize a lot of details, the most important thing, [as] any patient will tell you … is the empathy that the physician shows.”

Reimer, a two-time UM alum who earned her medical degree in 2008 and her master’s in public health in 2013, is an associate professor of community health sciences at the Max Rady College of Medicine.

In May, she will start her term as the high-profile elected president of the Canadian Medical Association (CMA), which represents about 100,000 doctors across the country.

She was the guest speaker at the 14th annual Teacher Recognition and Manitoba Medical Students’ Association Awards evening on Feb. 28 at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. At the event, attended by more than 120 medical students, teachers, faculty and deans, she spoke in conversation with Dr. Peter Nickerson, dean of the Max Rady College of Medicine and the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences.

Reimer, who grew up in Winkler, Man., recalled entering medical school as one of a tiny number of students with a bachelor of arts, rather than a science degree. Today, she said, medical schools are admitting more students who bring diverse kinds of knowledge and experience.

“The practice of medicine is a lot more than science,” she said.

Part of what motivated her to seek the CMA presidency, Reimer said, was her concern for physician wellness and her traumatic experience of burnout a number of years ago.

“I really wanted to … push for changes to the system, to create a better work environment so that nobody has to experience burnout.”

In her leadership role during the pandemic, she said, she became skilled at providing information to politicians and other decision-makers to help inform their decisions. As CMA president, she said, “I want to keep using that knowledge and those skills to make the systems better.”

She plans to advocate for team-based health care, she said, recalling that when she practised obstetrics at a clinic that included professionals such as a social worker, occupational therapist, dietician and pharmacist, patients were much better served than they are by a doctor “trying to be everything to everyone.” 

Reimer said she is concerned about the decreasing public trust in vaccines. “So many people took advantage of the pandemic to spread misinformation.… It’s contributed to what we’re seeing in Europe, with the measles outbreaks that I presume are coming here soon.”

But doctors are still highly trusted professionals, Reimer said, and vaccine-hesitant patients may shift their thinking when doctors show that they genuinely care.  

“The best opportunity for advocacy is in that relationship that you already have with a patient, where they already trust you,” she said.

“I also think physicians should be doing lots of advocacy…. Some people will be in the university, advocating for educational changes. Some will be in government, trying to do internal advocacy with politicians. Some are going to be out on social media or in the news, trying to speak to the public and shift the conversation there. And all of those are really critical areas.”

The awards evening included the presentation of 21 Teacher Recognition Awards, voted on by medical students to honour teaching excellence in categories such as innovation, inspiration, mentorship, patient advocacy and small-group teaching.

Four awards were also presented to medical students who have distinguished themselves in the categories of citizenship, global health, community service and leadership.

The teaching and student award winners are listed on the Max Rady College of Medicine website.

Watch an Instagram Reel recapping the awards evening.

“As a University of Manitoba graduate, I am so proud that all eight of our Doctors Manitoba award recipients this year have a close connection to the Max Rady College of Medicine,” said Dr. Kristjan Thompson, president of Doctors Manitoba. “I was able to observe first-hand the talented faculty, students and alumni from the university, so it comes as no surprise to me that they are playing such exceptional roles in health care across our province.”

The award winners, which were announced on March 25, were nominated by their physician peers and selected following an evaluation by the Doctors Manitoba’s awards committee. A gala awards celebration will be held later this spring to honour the recipients.

“Not only am I honoured to be one of the award recipients, I’m delighted to see that the Max Rady College of Medicine is represented in all award categories,” said Dr. Brian Postl, dean of the Max Rady College of Medicine and the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, and vice-provost (health sciences). “The winners are made up of our faculty members, a resident and alumni. This reflects how the University of Manitoba fosters the province’s future physician leaders.”

PHYSICIAN of the YEAR

Dr. Marcia Anderson (Photo courtesy of Doctors Manitoba)

Marcia Anderson [MD/02], vice-dean Indigenous health, social justice and anti-racism, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, received the honour for the pivotal role she played in Manitoba’s pandemic response. By leveraging data showing the disproportionate impact COVID-19 was having on diverse Black, Indigenous or racialized communities, Anderson influenced policy provincially to approve earlier access to vaccinations and targeted outreach initiatives to encourage vaccine uptake. Her efforts reduced the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on diverse BIPOC communities in subsequent waves of the pandemic. 

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD

Dr. Brian Postl (Photo courtesy of Doctors Manitoba)

Brian Postl [MD/76], dean, Max Rady College of Medicine and Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, and vice-provost (health sciences), received the award for his distinguished medical career as a pediatrician, researcher and health system leader. As the first CEO of the WRHA, a founding member of the Winnipeg Poverty Reduction Council, and most recently as dean of the Rady Faculty, his clinical experience in Winnipeg and in Northern communities has guided his efforts to champion health equity. His work has led to many improvements, including new admissions criteria for the Max Rady College of Medicine to ensure future physicians more accurately reflect the population they’ll serve.

DR. JACK ARMSTRONG HUMANITARIAN AWARD

Dr. Joss Reimer (Photo courtesy of Doctors Manitoba)

Joss Reimer [MD/08, MPH/13], medical lead of the Manitoba Vaccine Task Force, became a trusted and reliable source of COVID vaccine information through her calm, honest and reassuring updates to Manitobans. She continuously reviewed emerging evidence and sought collaborative advice to ensure vaccines were given first to those most at risk, while also leading to an impressive level of vaccine uptake across the province. Her selfless leadership to inform and protect Manitobans during the pandemic is the very definition of medical humanitarianism.

RESIDENT of the YEAR

Dr. Dorothy Yu (Photo courtesy of Doctors Manitoba)

Dorothy Yu [MD/18] is a natural leader who exceeds expectations through her community service, patient advocacy, academic achievement or her clinical work as the chief resident of psychiatry at the Max Rady College of Medicine. She led initiatives to reduce wait times for psychiatric consultation, collaborated on national research projects and helped to increase her department’s success in attracting talented medical students from across the country. Through the pandemic, she made the support and health of her resident colleagues a focus for her term.

MEDALS of EXCELLENCE

Dr. Barry Lavallee (Photo courtesy of Doctors Manitoba)

Barry Lavallee [MD/88], CEO of Keewatinohk Inniniw Minoayawin, has been driven through his distinguished medical career by Indigenous patients and their stories. As a clinician, educator, researcher, administrator, advocate and mentor, his work has centred around the self determination of Indigenous communities. This drive is behind his most recent work with Keewatinohk Inniniw Minoayawin, an initiative to transform health and wellness services so that they are reflective of the needs and priorities of First Nations people in Manitoba’s north.

Dr. Trina Mathison (Photo courtesy of Doctors Manitoba)

Trina Mathison [MD/99], CMO of the Dauphin Regional Hospital and an instructor of family medicine at the Max Rady College of Medicine, has dedicated her career to serving patients in Western Manitoba. As a rural physician, she has a broad scope of practice including cancer care, inpatient care, emergency medicine and surgical assistance, as well as offering care for the elderly and palliative care. She is often described as a team player by colleagues in Dauphin and she is well-loved by her patients.

Dr. Jai Shankar (Photo courtesy of Doctors Manitoba)

Dr. Jai Shankar, professor of radiology at the Max Rady College of Medicine, has transformed neurovascular care in the few years he has been in Manitoba, most notably driving significant improvements in acute stroke care. As an interventional radiologist, his work has optimized diagnostic imaging for stroke patients while introducing new neuro-interventional devices to improve patient care. He has played a key role in creating the province’s first dedicated stroke unit, set to open later this year.

Dr. Benson Yip (Photo courtesy of Doctors Manitoba)

Dr. Benson Yip, an assistant professor of surgery at the Max Rady College of Medicine, is a trailblazer in the colorectal surgery community, as a surgeon, leader and educator. He founded the University of Manitoba’s first clinical colorectal fellowship program, which has garnered national recognition. He is as well known for his eagerness to support medical learners as he is for his deep level of personal engagement with his patients. Through his many contributions, Yip has made an incredible mark in Manitoba’s surgical community.

With files from Doctors Manitoba