A transformative influence on health research in Canada

A tireless advocate of family medicine and patient-centred care

Founder of Connaught Laboratories and champion of public health

John FitzGerald was the eldest son of a pharmacist of Irish lineage. At age 16 he left home for the University of Toronto Medical School, graduating in 1903 as the youngest in his class. While Dr. FitzGerald began his career in psychiatry and neuropathology, the successes of scientists such as Louis Pasteur fueled a keen interest in bacteriology and the possibilities of preventive medicine.

A pioneer in biomedical research