2025 Honours and Awards Program
Awards
2024 Recipients:
Dr. Stephanie Smith
Dr. Lindsay Herzog
The Early Career Development Awards recognize the efforts of new family physician leaders of tomorrow for their outstanding contributions today. Nominees for these awards must be College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) members who have been in active practice for five years or less. Nominees should exemplify leadership, innovation, initiative, and dedication in one or more of the following areas:
- Acting as a role model for learners and colleagues
- Conducting outstanding scholarly activities in family medicine
- Being involved in important health care projects or initiatives at the community level
- Providing leadership in a hospital committee or project
- Being involved in Chapter and/or national College activities
The CFPC Early Career Development Awards will be presented during the Family Medicine Forum (FMF) 2025. The recipients will receive complimentary 1-day registration to FMF. In addition, the CFPC Early Career Development Awards may reimburse up to $1,500 to offset the costs of accommodation, meals, and travel to attend FMF and up to $1,250 towards professional development or capacity building training.
Eligibility criteria:
Each nominee must be a CFPC member who has been in good standing for at least one year.
Nominees cannot have received this award in the past three years.
Please visit our Policies and Procedures page for basic eligibility guidelines and additional considerations.
Selection process:
Nominations for the CFPC Early Career Development Awards are invited from CFPC members, Chapters, and the public.
The CFPC Working Group will recommend the recipients of these awards to the national Honours and Awards Committee.
Nominees will be notified of results formally in August.
Nomination process:
- Your nomination will be evaluated based on the information provided regarding the following areas:
- Patient care (family medicine expertise, clinical skills, communication, patient-centred care)
- Citizenship (collaboration, contributions to community/society)
- Teaching and education (undergraduate students, residents, fellows, continuing professional development, public education)
- Scholarship (scientific discovery, innovation, translation of knowledge to practice)
- Leadership and administration (medical or nonmedical organizations)
Nominations must reach the CFPC National Office by 4:00 p.m. (ET) on May 31, 2025.
Nominations must be submitted online.
Please refer to this PDF for nomination requirements.
Submit your nomination nowRecognition of support:
This is a program of the Foundation for Advancing Family Medicine, through the generosity of its donors and TD Insurance.
2024 Recipients:
Dr. Shannon Curtis
Dr. José Francois
Dr. Carmel Casey
Dr. Stacy Desilets
Dr. Ajantha Jayabarathan
Dr. Maureen Doyle
Dr. Herman Schalk Van Der Merwe
DR. Laura Phillips
Dr. Ginette Griffin
Dr. Robert Ian Greidanus
Dr. Patricia DeMaio
The Family Physician of the Year awards, named in honour of Dr. Reg L. Perkin, Executive Director of the College of Family Physicians of Canada™ (CFPC) from 1985 to 1996, recognize outstanding CFPC family physician members who exemplify what it means to be a family doctor: providing exceptional care to patients and contributing to the health and well-being of their communities. These awards are based on peer nominations, with all CFPC members welcome to submit nominations for their fellow family physicians who meet eligibility.
The value of the Family Physician of the Year award is up to $1,500 for provincial recipients, and up to $5,000 for the recipient from the Territories, to support travel to Family Medicine Forum (FMF). Additionally, the CFPC will be pleased to cover the cost of your registration for FMF 2025. Please note the complimentary registration does not cover the cost of any of the FMF sessions.
Eligibility criteria:
Each nominee must be a CFPC member who has been in good standing for at least one year and is a skilled clinician.
Candidates may be recognized for providing exceptional care to their patients and making meaningful contributions to the health and well-being of their communities.
Candidates may be recognized for their dedication as researchers and educators of future generations of family doctors.
Each nominee must be community based and act as a resource to a practice population.
Candidates must recognize the central importance of the doctor-patient relationship.
Nominees are not eligible if they have received this award in the past three years.
Please visit our Policies and Procedures page for basic eligibility guidelines and additional considerations.
Recognition of support:
This is a program of the Foundation for Advancing Family Medicine, through the generosity of its donors, Scotiabank and MD Financial Management.
For more information about past recipients of these prestigious awards, please visit Family Physicians of the Year.
Selection process:
All CFPC members are invited to submit nominations for Canada’s Family Physicians of the Year. Health care colleagues, community leaders, and patients are encouraged to submit letters of support for these nominations.
Each of the CFPC’s provincial Chapters will select a Family Physician of the Year. Please contact the provincial Chapter of your nominee to confirm their 2025 deadline date.
Nominations for Family Physician of the Year Award for the Territories must reach the CFPC National Office by 4:00 p.m. (ET) on May 31, 2025.
A complete nomination will include responses to the following:
- How does the nominee demonstrate outstanding leadership in areas of advocacy, community service, and/or education?
- Explain how the nominee supports excellence in family medicine, including community medical services and contributions beyond their medical practice to the community at large.
- How does the nominee exemplify the Four Principles of Family Medicine:
- The family physician is a skilled clinician.
- Family medicine is a community-based discipline.
- The family physician is a resource to a defined practice population.
- The patient-physician relationship is central to the role of the family physician.
- Explain why this nominee deserves the Family Physician of the Year honour.
Although not mandatory, the following elements are strongly encouraged in the submission of a nomination package (max. 10 documents):
- A recent resume
- Patient testimonials
- Additional letters of support from peers, community organizations or groups, health professionals/administrators, etc.
- Relevant media reports, pictures, etc.
Family Medicine Residents
2024 Recipient: Dr. Willow Thickson
The Indigenous Family Medicine Resident Scholarship recognizes a top First Nations, Metis, or Inuit family medicine resident in Canada who has shown leadership and commitment to a career in family medicine.
The value of the Indigenous Family Medicine Resident Scholarship is $10,000. The award will be presented during the Family Medicine Forum (FMF) 2025 The recipient will receive complimentary registration for one day at the next live FMF. In addition, the Indigenous Family Medicine Resident Scholarship may reimburse up to $1,500 to offset the costs of accommodation, meals, and travel to attend FMF.
Eligibility criteria:
Nominees must be senior family medicine residents in their second year at the time of nomination.
Nominees must show an interest in enhancing their leadership skills within organized medicine.
Nominees are eligible if they have one or more achievements in the following areas:
- Leadership activities during residency/leadership qualities (beyond departmental and program activities, such as participation in organized family medicine, the College of Family Physicians of Canada’s Section of Residents, or Resident Doctors of Canada)
- Academic achievements related to family medicine (e.g., publications)
- Research achievements
- Oral presentation skills (articulate and confident when presenting to large groups)
- Unique achievements or exceptional activities in medical school or residency
- Service to vulnerable populations, such as rural, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, addiction/mental health, inner city, etc.
Where possible, you are encouraged to consider recognizing a candidate who was not previously nominated for a CFPC Medical Student Scholarship.
Please visit our Policies and Procedures page for basic eligibility guidelines and additional considerations.
Application process:
Nominations must be submitted online.
Nominations must reach the CFPC National Office by 4:00 p.m. (ET) on June 14, 2025.
Please refer to this PDF for nomination requirements.
Submit Your Nomination Now
Selection process:
The CFPC’s Indigenous Health Committee will recommend the recipient to the national Honours and Awards Committee. The Honours and Awards Committee will approve the final recipient for this award.
Applicants will be notified of the results formally by email in August.
The recipient of the Indigenous Family Medicine Resident Scholarship will be forwarded to the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC)’s Section of Teachers Council to be considered for the Val Rachlis Leadership in Family Medicine Award, which focuses on the leadership, academic, research, and communication skills of senior family medicine residents.
Recognition of support:
This is a program of the Foundation for Advancing Family Medicine, through the generosity of its donors, Scotiabank and MD Financial Management.
2024 Recipients:
Dr. Nolan Chem
Dr. Levi Ansell
Dr. Adam Penkul
Dr. Jessica Froehlich
Dr. Katrina Leong
Dr. Moaz Chohan
Dr. Evelyne Guay
Dr. Dominique Bouchard
Dr. Maria Leis
Dr. Jesse Flordeniel Tabije
Dr. Mikaëlle Labonté
Dr. Tatyana Barretta Paulhus
Dr. Élise Girouard-Chantal
Dr. Léa Dancause-Lavoie
Dr. Emmanuel Hébert
Dr. Evan Wheeler
The Family Medicine Resident Scholarship recognize the leadership abilities of outstanding senior family medicine residents from each of the 17 Canadian family medicine residency programs.
The value of the Family Medicine Resident Scholarship is $10,000. The award will be presented during the Family Medicine Forum (FMF) 2025 The recipients will receive complimentary 1-day registration at FMF. In addition, the Family Medicine Resident Scholarship may reimburse up to $1,500 to offset the costs of accommodation, meals, and travel to attend FMF.
Eligibility criteria:
Nominees must be senior family medicine residents in their second year at the time of nomination.
Nominees must show an interest in enhancing their leadership skills within organized medicine.
Nominees are eligible if they have one or more achievements in the following areas:
- Leadership activities during residency/leadership qualities (beyond departmental and program activities, such as participation in organized family medicine, the College of Family Physicians of Canada’s Section of Residents, or Resident Doctors of Canada)
- Academic achievements related to family medicine (e.g., publications)
- Research achievements
- Oral presentation skills (articulate and confident when presenting to large groups)
- Unique achievements or exceptional activities in medical school or residency
- Service to vulnerable populations, such as rural, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, addiction/mental health, inner city, etc.
Where possible, you are encouraged to consider recognizing a candidate who was not previously nominated for a CFPC Medical Student Scholarship.
Please visit our Policies and Procedures page for basic eligibility guidelines and additional considerations.
Selection process:
All nominations submitted for the Family Medicine Scholarship will be forwarded to the Section of Teachers Council to be considered for the Val Rachlis Leadership in Family Medicine Award, which focuses on the leadership, academic, research, and communication skills of senior family medicine residents.
A selection committee composed of residents (R1) and faculty representatives from each family medicine residency program is asked to identify their nominee for a Family Medicine Resident Scholarship. Only one nomination per university will be accepted.
The Honours and Awards Committee will approve the nominations for these awards and inform the recipients in August.
Nomination process:
Nominations must be submitted online.
The deadline for nomination from each university is 4:00 p.m. (ET) on June 14, 2025.
Only one nomination per university will be accepted.
Please refer to this PDF for nomination requirements.
University Staff Submit Here
Recognition of support:
This is a program of the Foundation for Advancing Family Medicine, through the generosity of its donors, Scotiabank and MD Financial Management.
Medical Students
2024 Recipient: Mikaela Vancoughnett
The CFPC Indigenous Medical Student Scholarship recognizes a top First Nations, Metis, or Inuit medical student in Canada who has shown an interest in or commitment to a career in family medicine.
The value of the CFPC Indigenous Medical Student Scholarship is $5,000. The award will be presented during the Family Medicine Forum (FMF). The recipient will receive complimentary 1-day registration at FMF. In addition, the CFPC Medical Student Scholarship may reimburse up to $1,500 to offset the costs of accommodation, meals, and travel to attend FMF.
Eligibility criteria:
Applicants must be Indigenous medical students in Canada.
Applicants must be in their second-last year of study.
Applicants must be in good academic standing.
Applicants cannot have received this scholarship in the past three years.
Please visit our Policies and Procedures page for basic eligibility guidelines and additional considerations.
Taxable income:
Award funds received are taxable and are considered part of your personal income in the fiscal year in which they are received. The Foundation for Advancing Family Medicine (FAFM) will issue a statement of income (T4A information slip) at the end of the year for these amounts. We recommend that you obtain professional advice from your financial/tax adviser regarding the income tax implications of this award.
Application process:
Students are asked to submit directly to CFPC National Office.
Applications must be submitted online.
Applications must reach the CFPC National Office by 4:00 p.m. (ET) on June 14 (TBD), 2025.
Please refer to this PDF for application requirements.
Selection process:
The College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC)’s Indigenous Health Committee will recommend the recipient of this scholarship to the national Honours and Awards Committee.
Applicants will be notified of the results by email in August.
Recognition of support:
This is a program of the Foundation for Advancing Family Medicine, through the generosity of its donors, Scotiabank and MD Financial Management.
2024 Recipients:
Megan Kinley
Ryleigh Vanderschee
Samuel Alatorre-Hinojosa
Lindsay Balezantis
Makoy Penner
Siobhan LeSarge
Brock Browett
Catherine O’Connor
Heba Shahaed
Xin (Cynthia) Qi
Bethany Wollin
Marianne Coutu
Noémie Therrien
Syphax Brouri
Katherine Desrosiers
Sarah Farquharson
Amanda Meliambro
The CFPC Medical Student Scholarships recognize outstanding medical students who have demonstrated an interest in or commitment to a career in family medicine. Each Canadian medical school is invited to nominate a medical student in their second-last undergraduate year of study at the time of nomination (graduating class of 2026).
The value of the CFPC Medical Student Scholarship is $5,000. The award will be presented during the Family Medicine Forum (FMF) 2025. The recipients will receive complimentary 1-day registration at FMF. In addition, the CFPC Medical Student Scholarship may reimburse up to $1,500 to offset the costs of accommodation, meals, and travel to attend FMF.
Application process:
If you are a medical student and would like to be considered, please complete this application form and submit to your Undergraduate Dean’s office By April 19, 2025, unless another date has been communicated from the Undergraduate Dean’s office.
Eligibility criteria:
Medical students in their second-last year of study are eligible.
Medical students who have demonstrated an interest in or commitment to a career in family medicine are eligible.
Nominees cannot have received this scholarship in the past three years.
Please visit our Policies and Procedures page for basic eligibility guidelines and additional considerations.
Nomination process:
The deadline for nomination from each university is 4:00 p.m. (ET) on June 14, 2025.
Nominations must be submitted online.
University Staff Submit Here
Selection process:
A selection committee composed of student and faculty representatives at each Canadian medical school is asked to identify their nominee for a CFPC Medical Student Scholarship. Only one nomination per university will be accepted.
The Honours and Awards Committee will approve the nominations for these scholarships and inform the recipients in July.
Recognition of support:
This is a program of the Foundation for Advancing Family Medicine, through the generosity of its donors, Scotiabank and MD Financial Management.
Grants
The Racialized Communities Leadership Grant in Family Medicine supports family physicians in their efforts to enhance the delivery of primary care to racialized communities. Recipients will collectively demonstrate an understanding of the diverse experiences of marginalized groups and a dedication to inclusivity, thereby contributing to moving the field of family medicine forward in achieving true health equity. With this grant the Foundation for Advancing Family Medicine (FAFM) aims to celebrate each recipient’s focus and leadership and support their project or initiative that will directly benefit one or more racialized communities.
The value of the Racialized Communities Leadership Grant in Family Medicine is $10,000. The recipient of this grant will be recognized during Family Medicine Forum (FMF).
Eligibility criteria:
Applicants must be family physicians who are members of the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC), who have been in good standing for at least one year, and who self-identify as Indigenous, Black, or a member of another racialized community.
The project must enhance the delivery of primary care to one or more racialized communities in Canada.
Please visit our Policies and Procedures page for basic eligibility guidelines and additional considerations.
Taxable income:
Payments will be made in the name of the principal investigator unless indicated on the application, that they are to be redirected to a registered charity.
Award funds received are taxable and are considered part of your personal income in the fiscal year in which they are received. The Foundation for Advancing Family Medicine (FAFM will issue a statement of income (T4A information slip) at the end of the year for these amounts. We recommend that you obtain professional advice from your financial/tax adviser regarding the income tax implications of this award.
It is recommended that recipients of the FAFM Honours & Awards Program enter into an agreement with an institution so that it can hold and disburse grant funds to avoid personal taxes. The Foundation’s values and accountability to donors require that no administrative fees can be claimed in a project budget or taken by the institution holding the grant funds. The FAFM will entrust grant funds to the chosen organization once the charitable registration number or the business GST number is received.
Application process:
Applications must reach the CFPC National Office by 4:00 p.m. (ET) on TBD.
Applications must be submitted online.
Please refer to this PDF for application requirements
Apply Now
Selection process:
A national selection committee composed of CFPC members will collaborate to select the recipient and submit their recommendation to the CFPC’s Honours and Awards Committee.
All applicants will be notified of the results in August.
Recognition of support:
This is a program of the Foundation for Advancing Family Medicine, through the generosity of its donors Scotiabank and MD Financial Management Inc.