Recognition that reflects their impact
Presented during the Homecoming Welcome reception, the Alumni Awards of Distinction highlight the many ways our graduates shape the future of medicine.
This year, six recipients were honoured in three categories: Lifetime Achievement Award, Exceptional Leadership Award, and Rising Star Achievement Award.
Their paths reflect deep compassion, unwavering dedication to patients and students, and a genuine connection to their alma mater.
Among them, Dr. Marc Rodger, Chair of the Department of Medicine at McGill University, Physician-in-Chief at the McGill University Health Centre, and Harry Webster Thorp Professor of Medicine, was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his exceptional contributions to hematology research and internal medicine.
He expressed gratitude and humility in a video shown during the ceremony, sharing “It is a huge honour to receive a lifetime achievement recognition from the University of Ottawa, my alma mater, where my heart is, where I grew up, as a physician and as a scientist, and as a leader. I'm very grateful for this recognition.”
He also emphasized the collaborative nature of scientific progress, “Most of these achievements that are highlighted in the nomination really are team achievements,” said Dr. Rodger. “But I would like to dedicate this to my ‘blood buddies’ in Ottawa, to the hematology group who were supportive of me and my research, and were collaborators in many of these very successful projects.”
A celebration of health care pioneers
Dr. Bernadette Garvey, Professor Emeritus in Medicine and in Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology at the University of Toronto and St. Michael’s Hospital, received the Lifetime Achievement Award for a career dedicated to advancing hematology, education, and patient care.
“You made me feel proud,” she shared. “It was a well-arranged and lovely evening.”
Dr. Harold Dion, family physician and national leader in primary care and infectious disease management, received the Exceptional Leadership Award for his decades of service at Clinique médicale l’Actuel in Montréal and his impact on family medicine in Canada.
“It’s a beautiful recognition,” he said. “In the early years, there were no treatments for AIDS. We learned by listening to our patients, by attending conferences, and by training together.”
In the Exceptional Leadership Award category, Dr. Jennifer Phillips, Scientific Director and Scientist at the University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research at The Royal, was recognized for her innovative work on depression and suicide prevention and her leadership in integrating research and clinical care.
“It means a lot to get this award. It was a huge surprise. I feel that I am relatively early in my career so it feels like a huge vote in confidence,” said Dr. Phillips. “It’s really just very meaningful to be able to still be working to progress the research that’s going on in the Faculty of Medicine and to have it linked with clinical care through the hospitals.”
Dr. Tanya Shaw, Reader and Head of Anatomy at King’s College London, was celebrated with the Rising Star Achievement Award for her pioneering research in wound healing, scarring, and tissue regeneration. She reflected on how her time at uOttawa shaped her career.
“My time at the University of Ottawa, where I did my PhD in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, completely set me on my path for my career,” she said. “I absolutely couldn't have ended up here without that PhD foundation. Doing my PhD with my supervisor, Dr. Barbara Vanderhyden, just provided the most amazing inspirational environment and space where I was absolutely inspired to be the best scientist I can be.”
Finally, Dr. Saadia Sediqzadah, psychiatrist, clinician-investigator, and Continuing Professional and Practice Development (CPPD) Lead in the Department of Psychiatry at St. Michael’s Hospital, was recognized with the Rising Star Achievement Award for her advocacy and leadership in advancing mental health care for marginalized communities. Through her compassionate approach and inclusive leadership, she embodies the spirit of uOttawa’s new generation of medical leaders.
Read the full biographies of the 2025 Alumni Awards of Distinction recipients.
Support the Next Generation of Medical Leaders
Each of this year’s honourees benefited from an environment that fostered curiosity, rigor, and compassion.
Designate “ Student Financial Assistance at the Faculty of Medicine” on our online giving form, and help today’s students access the same transformative opportunities and shape the future of health for generations to come.