Canada's first female First Nations general surgeon is Prince George's Dr. Nadine Caron, who has won the 2016 Royal College Dr. Thomas Dignan Indigenous Health Award, presented today on National Aboriginal Day.
Caron is recognized as a role model and for her success in co-creating the UBC Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Health.
Caron is a general and endocrine surgeon who works in the city and teaches at the UNBC's Northern Medical Program as an associate professor.
"Receiving the Dr. Thomas Dignan Indigenous Health Award is an incredible honour," said Caron. "Thank you for having this award, for realizing the importance of what this award means and for your support of indigenous health."
Caron has several accomplishments of note that she's recognized for as a recipient of the award. She was the first indigenous woman to graduate from UBC's medical program, and as a mentor for indigenous youth she took students from UBC and UNBC and enrolled them in courses she taught at Johns Hopkins University for American Indian Health, facilitating a transfer of new knowledge that would influence the development of the curriculum at UBC for indigenous health.
"Nadine embodies the values of role-modeling, mentoring and changing the status quo that define the Dr. Thomas Dignan Indigenous Health Award," said Andrew Padmos, Royal College CEO,. "She has become a shining example for others, especially indigenous girls and women, to aspire to higher education and careers in science and medicine."
The award began in 2014 and was named for Thomas Dignan, chair of the Royal College of Indigenous Health Advisory Committee that embraces cultural safety and recognizes the importance of how health is affected by social factors.
