From the start, the evening reflected a joyous gathering: graduates reuniting with their mentors, hospital partners chatting with members of the faculty community, colleagues catching up, and students engaging with their professors.
Marie-Eve Sylvestre, president of the University of Ottawa, who mingled with attendees, including Ottawa’s Mayor, Mark Sutcliffe, underscored the Faculty’s pivotal role in the medical and scientific community.
“The University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Medicine has so much to celebrate this year, and MEDGALA is the perfect event for that.” she said.
“The Faculty embodies excellence, innovation and a deep commitment to the health of our communities. Our relationships with our partners and institutional allies in the eastern Ontario biomedical ecosystem are at the core of this success, and this evening is a wonderful illustration.”
Celebrating excellence and partnerships
The formal program began with an inspiring speech by the interim dean, Dr. Melissa Forgie, who spoke about the Faculty’s history and achievements.
“We’re the custodians of a legacy of excellence, yet fully aware of the profound responsibility that binds us to the communities we serve,” she said, highlighting the 80 years of education, research and care that have transformed health in Canada and around the world.
Reflecting on the collective journey, she added, “Together, we have travelled an extraordinary path. We have built a faculty recognized around the world for the quality of its research, the relevance of its programs, and the passion of its community.”
“Together, we have travelled an extraordinary path. We have built a faculty recognized around the world for the quality of its research, the relevance of its programs, and the passion of its community.”
Dr. Melissa Forgie
— Interim Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Guests then enjoyed a performance by Two-Spirit Anishinaabe/Algonquin and French-Canadian artist Makhena Rankin Guérin, one of the evening’s highlights. Her hoop dance, rooted in storytelling, resilience and healing, captured the attention of the entire room.
A delicious three-course dinner was served, with professors, students, graduates, researchers, clinicians and partners chatting at their tables, enjoying the elegant yet relaxed atmosphere.
Distinction and recognition
The presentation of the 2025 Faculty Member Awards of Excellence was another MEDGALA highlight. The awards cover a wide range of contributions, including biomedical, clinical and public health research; innovation in education; mentoring; teaching; social accountability; professionalism; leadership in wellness as well as in equity, diversity, inclusions, Indigenization and accessibility; Francophonie; international impact; and global health leadership. The categories reflect the diversity of expertise within the Faculty, and the winners were applauded for the quality of their work and the tangible impact of their achievements.
“I’m thrilled by this recognition from my peers,” said Dr. Jean-Claude Béïque, winner of the Researcher of the Year — Biomedical award. “The Faculty of Medicine is a community that supports us, and I’m so happy to be a part of it.”
The evening was also an opportunity for the Faculty to express its gratitude to the leaders having completed their terms on the senior leadership team. Their contribution to the Faculty’s development and the implementation of major projects was gratefully acknowledged.
This celebration of commitment and collective endeavours echoed the message from the dean, who spoke of the mindset driving the faculty community: “What makes me most proud is that, despite our size, our influence and our successes, we have remained deeply human, guided by compassion and empathy.”
This year, a team of students took on hosting duties at MEDGALA. Aliki Karanikas, Véronique Lapierre, Nicholas Lafond, Abdelrahman Fahmy, Stephanie Perron and Julia O’Gallagher did an outstanding job of presenting the winners and honoured leaders.
“It’s an honour to acknowledge these educators and researchers whose work has a real impact here at uOttawa and beyond,” said Karanikas, a third-year medical student. This event has inspired me and showed me the countless opportunities available to us to have an impact ourselves.”
A united community
Later in the evening, the dance floor came alive with a musical performance by Phenotype, a group made up of colleagues from the Faculty, the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and The Ottawa Hospital, whose positive energy quickly got the room on its feet.
The band and their performance reflected the spirit of MEDGALA, bringing together Ottawa’s medical and scientific community for a night of celebration.
“Your passion and collaboration are what make this possible,” Dr. Forgie told the crowd in her closing remarks. “Let’s keep pushing boundaries, innovating, and working together to make an even greater impact. Thank you all for being part of this journey—and for everything you do to make our vision a reality.”
Browse the photos from MEDGALA 2025 in our Flickr album.
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