THUNDER BAY – A Thunder Bay resident has been honoured with the highest civilian honour that Australia offeres. The Chair of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine’s Board of Directors is thrilled to announce that Dr. Roger Strasser, Dean of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM), has been awarded one of the highest civilian honours in Australia. On January 26, 2011 – Australia Day – Dr. Strasser received notice that he has been named a Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia.
The Order of Australia recognizes the achievements and service of Australian citizens, with nominations submitted directly from the community. The honour bestowed on Dr. Strasser is specifically for service to medicine, through improving the health care of people living in rural and remote communities in developed and developing nations as an educator, researcher, and practitioner.
“On behalf of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine’s Board of Directors, I extend hearty congratulations to Dr. Roger Strasser on this occasion of esteemed recognition of his hard work and distinguished contribution to rural medicine and medical education,” said Dr. Brian Stevenson, President of Lakehead University and Chair of NOSM’s Board of Directors. “As Dean of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Dr. Strasser has brought exceptional leadership and expertise to the development of the Medical School and the delivery of innovative education and research for a healthier North,” he said.
Mr. Dominic Giroux, President of Laurentian University and Vice-Chair of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine’s Board of Directors, said, “It is exciting to see Dr. Roger Strasser recognized with this great Australian honour. Dr. Strasser’s rural health achievements are highly regarded worldwide, and he has had made significant contributions to ensuring the Northern Ontario School of Medicine works to achieve its mandate of educating high quality physicians and health professionals who have the leadership, knowledge and skills to practice in Northern Ontario, and beyond,” he said.
Prior to his appointment with NOSM, Dr. Strasser was Professor of Rural Health for Monash University and Head of the Monash University School of Rural Health, in Australia. Between 1992 and 2004, Dr. Strasser also had an international role as Chair of the Working Party on Rural Practice of Wonca, the World Organization of Family Doctors. In November 2002, he was awarded Honorary Fellowship of the Royal College of General Practitioners in recognition of his world leadership in the field of rural health and in March 2003, Dr. Strasser received the Louis Ariotti Award for excellence and innovation in rural and remote health in Australia. Dr. Strasser is also the recipient of the prestigious award, Fellow of Wonca, presented in October 2004, in recognition of his outstanding service to Wonca and family medicine around the world. In 2006, Dr. Strasser was named the inaugural winner of the Small, Rural and Northern Award of Excellence by the Ontario Hospital Association in Canada and also received the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine Life Fellowship Award for outstanding and meritorious service to Rural and Remote Medicine in Australia.
The Northern Ontario School of Medicine is committed to the education of high quality physicians and health professionals, and to international recognition as a leader in distributed, learning-centred, community-engaged education and research.