AV俱乐部

 

Dal Medicine鈥檚 alum of the year improves the lives of transplant patients worldwide

- November 18, 2022

Dr. Robert Liwski, winner of the AV俱乐部 Medical Alumni Association's top award for 2022. (QEII Foundation photo)
Dr. Robert Liwski, winner of the AV俱乐部 Medical Alumni Association's top award for 2022. (QEII Foundation photo)

The AV俱乐部 Medical Alumni Association has announced the recipients of its 2022 DMAA Alumni Recognition Awards 鈥 six deserving members of the alumni community, who will be honoured at a dinner on November 25, 2022.

鈥淲e are thrilled to present the Alum of the Year Award to Dr. Robert Liwski (BSc 鈥94, PhD 鈥99, MD 鈥03), head of the Division of Hematopathology at the QEII Health Sciences Center, and a professor in the Department of Pathology at AV俱乐部,鈥 says Dr. Cindy Forbes (MD 鈥85), president of the DMAA. 鈥淗is work in discovering and implementing new technologies in the tissue-typing laboratory has improved the lives of transplant patients worldwide.鈥

As Director of the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) Laboratory in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the QEII, Dr. Liwski has contributed enormously to optimizing the care of solid organ and bone marrow transplantation patients in Atlantic Canada.

鈥淒r. Liwski has made major innovations in transplant matching that have decreased the time it takes to match transplant recipients with their donors,鈥 explains Dr. Forbes. 鈥淗e is recognized internationally, and we are proud he is a Dal Med alum.鈥

Medicine is one of Dal鈥檚 largest Faculties, graduating 160 students each year who go on to join an alumni community of 10,500.

From veterans to up-and-comers

Among the other award recipients being honoured is Dr. Cyril Moyse (MD 鈥72), who will be presented with the prestigious Honourary President Award for his leadership and outstanding commitment to family medicine on Prince Edward Island throughout his nearly 50-year career. In addition to his practice, Dr. Moyse has served as clinical instructor and preceptor at AV俱乐部鈥檚 Department of Family Medicine.

The 2022 Family Physician of the Year Award will go to Dr. Mary Frances Moriarty (MD 鈥77). Seen as a leader among her peers, Dr. Moriarty is network lead, Dartmouth for the Department of Family Medicine in Central Zone 鈥 where one of her main roles is to recruit, welcome, and help mentor new physicians in the area. Dr. Moriarty has served as an advocate for all family physicians in Dartmouth with her work as their representative to Nova Scotia Health.

Dr. Stephanie Snow (MD 鈥05), staff medical oncologist at the QEII and associate professor in the Faculty of Medicine, will receive the 2022 Young Alum of the Year Award. This award recognizes Dr. Snow鈥檚 commitment to patient advocacy. She serves as the current president of Lung Cancer Canada and sits on the medical advisory committees of several other patient advocacy groups in colorectal and gastric cancer.

Recognizing residents

Since 2020, the DMAA also presents two AV俱乐部 Medical School residents with honours. Dr. Matt Lowe (MD 鈥19) is the recipient of the Resident Leadership Award, Family Medicine, while听Dr. Mike MacGillivary (MD 鈥18) will receive the Resident Leadership Award, Royal College Specialties and Subspecialties.

Dr. Lowe鈥檚 passion for patient advocacy led him to sit on the Nova Scotia Health committee that created the Medical Assistance in Dying protocol, while Dr. MacGillivary has taken on countless volunteer opportunities in his busy dermatology residency, including involvement with Resident Doctors of Canada committees, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia, and Doctors Nova Scotia.

Both Drs. Lowe and MacGillivary are fixtures among their peers and colleagues as resident leaders within the Faculty of Medicine.