Known for her many contributions to palliative care in Saskatoon, Dr Nora McKee’s passion for family medicine has made a lasting impact on the lives of her students and patients.
After earning a Doctor of Medicine with Distinction degree at the University of Saskatchewan, Dr McKee received her certification in family medicine from the College of Family Physicians of Canada in 1995. She became a Fellow of the College in 2007.
In 1995, Dr McKee joined the Saskatoon Health Region’s (SHR’s) West Winds Primary Health Centre, long considered a leader in interdisciplinary primary health care.
Through involvement with many committees such as the Saskatchewan Health Provincial EMR Working Group and the SHR Maternal Leadership Committee, Dr McKee has advocated for positive change in the discipline of family medicine.
Currently, Dr McKee is Associate Professor in the Department of Academic Family Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan. She also serves as a Preceptor in the Family Medicine Pre-clerkship Longitudinal Clinical Experience. As the College’s representative for undergraduate learning, Dr McKee is responsible for coordinating inter-professional problem-based learning modules focused on palliative care, Indigenous health, and HIV/AIDS.
In 2011, Dr McKee’s teaching team received the prestigious Alan Blizzard Collaborative Projects Award. The award is presented on behalf of the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education to recognize exemplary collaboration in university teaching.
Dr McKee spends most of her spare time with her husband Peter, son Regan, and daughter Rachel. The family enjoys an all-season cabin in northern Saskatchewan, where they go boating and snowmobiling.
Canada’s Family Physicians of the Year – the Reg L. Perkin Awards
Since 1972, the CFPC and its Research & Education Foundation have honoured family physician members who exemplify the guiding principles of family medicine. Initially, one award recipient was selected to receive the Family Physician of the Year (FPOY) Award each year. Since 2002, ten family physicians have been recognized annually—one representing each CFPC Chapter.
Canada’s FPOYs are chosen by their peers, other health care colleagues, and community leaders for:
- Providing exceptional care to their patients
- Making meaningful contributions to the health and well-being of their communities
- Dedicating themselves as researchers and educators of future generations of family doctors
FPOY recipients must exemplify the four principles of family medicine:
- Be skilled clinicians
- Be community based
- Act as a resource to a practice population
- Recognize the central importance of the doctor-patient relationship
CFPC Chapters review nominations and select the FPOY for their respective provinces. The provincial FPOYs are honoured at their respective Annual Scientific Assemblies or Annual General Meetings. The national FPOYs are honoured at the annual CFPC Family Medicine Forum.