Meet our Laureates

Six Canadian medical heroes are inducted annually into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame. Their work may be a single meritorious contribution or a lifetime of superior accomplishments.  Pioneers in their field, they are role models of excellence in health in Canada and the world.

Are you interested in which Laureates relate to a specific disease, or specialty?

    Jack Hirsh, MD

    Blood

    Born in Melbourne, Australia, Dr. Jack Hirsh moved to Canada to join McMaster’s new school of medicine in the 1970s. At McMaster, he made…

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    Bernard Belleau, PhD

    Infectious Disease, Allergy & Immunity, Cancer, Leadership in Organizational Development

    Dr. Bernard Belleau was a Québec biochemist who made remarkable contributions to the world with his discovery of 3TC, a powerful drug in the…

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    Harold Johns, PhD

    Cancer, The Early Days - Health Care Pioneers, Patient Care

    Dr. Harold Elford Johns made a worldwide impact on medicine and, in particular, the fight against cancer. During the 1940s and 1950s, he invented…

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    Roberta Bondar, MD PhD

    Brain & Mind, Women in Medicine

    When Dr. Roberta Bondar reached for the stars, she broke a glass ceiling for women in Canada. As the first Canadian woman to travel in space, Dr…

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    Heinz E. Lehmann, MD

    Brain & Mind

    As a pioneer in psychiatric clinical investigation, Dr. Heinz Lehmann was at the forefront of the movement that turned psychiatric hospitals from…

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    Ray Farquharson, MD

    Hormones, Leadership in Organizational Development

    As an authoritative figure in the field of endocrinology, Dr. Ray Fletcher Farquharson made a lasting mark on Canadian medicine. In addition, his…

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    Murray Barr, MD

    Cells, Genetics & Genomics, Health and Medical Education & Training, The Early Days - Health Care Pioneers

    Dr. Murray Barr had a remarkable medical career which began when he co-discovered the sex chromatin body with his…

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    Norman Bethune, MD

    The Early Days - Health Care Pioneers, Service Abroad, Patient Care, Blood

    A brilliant medical surgeon and a political activist, Dr. Bethune is remembered in Canada for his innovations in medicine; across the world in…

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    Maud L. Menten, MD PhD

    Blood, The Early Days - Health Care Pioneers, Women in Medicine

    Dr. Maud L. Menten graduated medical school at a time when women were not legally considered persons in Canada. Despite the discrimination she…

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    Pagination