Honouring Impact: The 2020 Dean’s Alumni Awards

Lifetime Achievement Award – Global Impact
Dr. Anthony Lang, MD ‘75

Dr. Lang is the former President of the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society and past Editor of the journal Movement Disorders. He pioneered the use of specific rating scales for a number of neurological movement disorders (including the most commonly used scale for cervical dystonia), advocated for the use of experimental therapeutics in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and was instrumental in changing the way that Parkinson’s disease is evaluated. Dr. Lang established the Pan American Section within the international Movement Disorder Society — uniting clinicians and scientists from the United States, Latin America and South America, and representing those regions in the Society’s programming and outreach.

Lifetime Achievement Award - National/Community Impact
The Honourable Rosemary Gay Moodie, Senator, PGME ’88 (Paediatrics)

Senator Moodie is an advocate for equal opportunity, health equity and social justice. In 2018, she was the first U of T academic physician to be appointed to the Senate of Canada. Her work focuses on the rights of children and well-being of vulnerable populations. Senator Moodie is a neonatologist, clinical teacher and Associate Professor in the Department of Paediatrics. Her community practice serves priority urban neighbourhoods that are home to new Canadians, low-income families and those with significant social needs. She serves on numerous national and international non-profit boards, including the Unity Health Toronto and Orbis Canada. Among Senator Moodie’s recognitions are the City of Toronto’s Access, Equity and Human Rights Award - Constance E. Hamilton Award for Status of Women; UTAA’s Carl Mitchell Award for Community Engagement; Ryerson University’s Viola Desmond Honouree Award; and the Government of Jamaica’s Order of Distinction, Rank of Commander.

Humanitarian Award
Dr. Naheed Dosani, PGME ’13 (Family & Community Medicine)

Dr. Dosani founded Palliative Education and Care for the Homeless (PEACH) — Canada’s first community-based Palliative Care outreach program, aimed at supporting the needs of Toronto’s most vulnerable and marginalized citizens. The street and shelter-based community outreach program aims to meld evidence-based practices from the field of Palliative Care with best practices from inner-city health research, using a supportive and empathic approach. Since its founding in 2014, PEACH has become nationally and internationally recognized with over 350 patients receiving PEACH-style care. As a result of his leadership and advocacy, Dr. Dosani inspired the development of Journey Home Hospice (JHH), a residential hospice that provides high-quality end-of-life care to individuals who have lived along the homeless continuum.

Emerging Leader Award
Dr. Mark Sinyor, MD ’07, PGME ’12 (Psychiatry)

Dr. Sinyor is an international leader in suicide research and is at the forefront of shaping suicide prevention at the local, national and international levels. He has advised Canadian media about safe reporting related to suicide, as well as the World Health Organization and Mental Health Commission of Canada on creating guidelines for safely disseminating suicide-related content. Dr. Sinyor has also created workshops for the lay public and educators across Ontario on how to understand mental health, build resilience, and to talk safely about suicide. He is also the creator of a 3-month mental health literacy and skills curriculum for middle school students, which is being used across Ontario and will soon be in use in several countries around the world.

MD 25th Anniversary Award
Dr. Christopher Chan, MD ’95, PGME ’02 (Clinician Investigator Program)

Dr. Chan has made globally-recognized contributions to home hemodialysis. He has championed and defined this important therapy, leading and coordinating a large network dedicated to the clinical and basic science aspects of optimal dialysis delivery. He leads an internationally-recognized home dialysis centre of excellence in Toronto and led the development of the UHN-Baxter Home Dialysis Fellowship. Dr. Chan also co-chaired the International Consensus Statement of Innovative Dialysis Therapies and has over 200 highly cited peer-reviewed manuscripts.