Canadian Medical Hall of Fame

2001 INDUCTEE John Bradley, MD Leadership in Organizational Development

Born:

October 21, 1917

(Sarnia, Ontario)

Died:

March 22, 2004

Education:

MD, University of Alberta (1940)

Awards & Honours:

2003: Alumni Award for Excellence, University of Alberta

1972: Honorary LLD, University of Alberta

Picture of John Bradley

Facilitated unprecedented investment in provincial health research

Dr. John Bradley

A visionary administrator and champion of medical research

After working for twenty years as a family physician in Wainright, Alberta, Dr. John Bradley entered the field of Health Services Administration where he worked to provide Albertans with an efficient medical delivery system long before universal medical care came to Canada. In 1977, Premier Peter Lougheed, who was in the process of creating the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, appointed Dr. Bradley as his Special Advisor on Medical Research. In this office, Dr. Bradley was able to use his long experience and diplomatic skills to fashion an institution of national and international research excellence.

Dr. Bradley and The Honourable Peter Lougheed were jointly nominated and inducted into The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame.

Key Facts

Served as Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Governors of the University of Alberta

Became an Honorary Life Member of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta

Served as a member of the National Advisory Committee for the Red Cross

At the time of its establishment, the Foundation was the only provincial health research funding agency

Professional timeline

Impact on lives today

While the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research no longer exists in its original form, its legacy continues to endure. The foundation’s two-decades of sustained support for medical research transformed the landscape of medical research in the province. Over 8,500 research positions were created, scientists from around the globe were drawn to Alberta, and many patients experienced improved care through the strengthening of bench to bedside medicine. The products of this investment have gone on to impact not only the lives of Albertans but people across the world. Today, this work is carried on by Alberta Innovates Health Solutions who fund thousands of researchers on a wide range of topics, including rapid COVID-19 detection tests.  

Picture of John Bradley

2010

  • AHFMR became Alberta Innovates Health Solutions

    By 2011, the endowment had grown to $1 billion, which spends $75 million annually on grants and salaries for medical researchers.

  • John Bradley inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame

    Winnipeg, Manitoba

  • The Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research was established

    Leadership in Organizational Development

    The initial investment in the endowment was $300 million. Its objective was “to establish and support a balanced long-term program of medical research based in Alberta directed to the discovery of new knowledge and the application of knowledge to improve health.”

  • John Bradley was appointed Special Advisor on Medical Research

    Leadership in Organizational Development

    Working closely with Premier Lougheed, Bradley was responsible for drafting the plan that became the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research.

  • The Alberta Hospital Services Commission was established

    Leadership in Organizational Development

    The Commission was responsible for the planning and development of a system of hospitals and health care facilities across Alberta. Bradley served as chair of the Commission from 1971 to 1977.

  • Bradley held the position of Executive Director of the Glenrose Provincial Hospital

    Under his leadership, the Hospital developed into a major resource for the treatment of physical and cognitive challenges.

  • Bradley established his medical practice

    After serving in the Medical Branch of the RCAF for three-and-a-half years during the Second World War, Bradley returned to Alberta and co-founded the Wainright Medical Clinic. He practiced medicine there until 1960.

1945

He used his diplomatic skills to establish a foundation of research excellence.

Additional Resources:

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