Canadian Medical Hall of Fame Laureates are Canadian citizens whose outstanding leadership and contributions to medicine and the health sciences, in Canada or abroad, have led to extraordinary improvements in human health. Their work may be a single meritorious contribution or a lifetime of superior accomplishments. Pioneers in their field, they are role models who inspire young Canadians to pursue careers in the health sciences. Six Canadian medical heroes are inducted annually to the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame.
An international leader in surgical research and innovation, Professor Meakins has transformed surgical thinking and practice, improving outcomes for patients worldwide. A pioneer in the immunology of surgical infections, his seminal work demonstrated the relationship between weakened immune responses and poor surgical outcomes leading to significant improvements in assessment and nutritional support for surgical patients. After a career spanning nearly 30 years as an outstanding academic surgical leader at McGill University, including Surgeon-in-Chief at the Royal Victoria Hospital and Chair of the Department of Surgery at McGill,
Professor Meakins was recruited to Oxford University in 2002 as Nuffield Professor of Surgery and Head of the Nuffield Department of Surgery, which was later renamed as the Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences. The only Canadian to be honoured with this prestigious appointment, Professor Meakins provided lasting contributions through his leadership of the Balliol Colloquium, an international consortium exploring basic principles and guidelines for the introduction of innovations in surgical practice, now a basic reference to guide the introduction of new techniques and technology in surgery. Member of numerous learned societies in executive leadership roles, Professor Meakins influenced professional surgical practice and mentored many generations of surgical residents providing a powerful role-model for academic surgeons everywhere.
The Laureate Induction Ceremony will be held in association with the University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine on 17 June 2022 in Ottawa, Canada.