Honours and Awards

2020 Recipients


Saskatchewan Family Physician of the Year Award

Dr. Paula Schwann, MD CCFP FCFP

Dr. Paula Schwann completed medical school in 1987 and her family medicine residency in 1989 at the University of Saskatchewan.  She obtained her fellowship with the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) in 2004.  She completed 4 PMI courses through the CMA, and graduated from The Leadership Institute in 2005.  Paula commenced her full-service family medical practice with Herold Road Family Physicians in Saskatoon in 1989, which included an active obstetrical practice until 2015.

Medical education has always been dear to Paula’s heart.  Her long involvment with the physician education process started early in her career when she enthusiastically engaged in undergraduate and resident teaching as a clinical instructor.  She is a U of S College of Medicine faculty member. She served as an LMCC and CFPC examiner; is a past member of the National Committee for CPD, setting medical education standards for family physicians; was a a national and provincial accreditor for CPD programs; is a reviewer for the Canadian Task Force for Preventative Health; and has served on numerous committees through the College of Medicine.  She worked on the Chronic Disease Management Committee of the Saskatoon Health Region for 15 years and the Physician Referral Action Committee for In Motion.  She served as an investigator for CPSS for the Preliminary Inquiry Committee and as a member of the ECG Committee for 24 years.

Paula proudly served on the Saskatchewan College of Family Physicians Board of Directors from 2003 – 2018; including 9 years in an executive capactiy.  During her tenure as President, she guided the organization into a new era presiding over a financial reorganization, the recruitment of the first Executive Director, negotiating a lease, and lending her creative talents in the architectural and interior design of new office space. She served as a planning committee member for the Family Medicine Conference for 25 years.  Paula was the 2017 recepient of the Dr. Michael Krochak Award for outstanding contributions to family medicine in Saskatchewan.

Paula’s father, Dr. Paul Schwann, was a pioneer in the promotion of exercise for the prevention and treatment of disease.  She has followed in her father’s footsteps in promoting a physically active lifestyle with her patients.  She believes in leading by example and is a dedicated participant in an exercise group that meets with a personal trainer three times a week at the U of S PAC for the past 14 years.  Paula and her “exercise buddies” have been featured twice in the U of S newsletter as an example of “Leadership in Fitness” for students, faculty and colleagues at the U of S.  She is an avid cyclist, skier, swimmer, yoga enthusiast, and runner, completing the Queen City Half-Marathon 10 times.

Paula has been a volunteer in her community, serving on preschool executives, as a Beaver Leader, a volunteer with Sask Alpine and the Saskatchewan Winter Games, a Level 1 Alpine Canada Official, a canvasser for the Canadian Cancer Society, United Way and the MS Society; and an active organizer of all her College of Medicine class reunions.  Paula and David have been married for 36 years and are proud parents to Paul and Mark.


SCFP Dr. Michael Krochak Award

FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO FAMILY MEDICINE IN SASKATCHEWAN

Dr. Alanna Danilkewich, MD CCFP FCFP

I wish to thank the nomination committee for selecting me for this award. The honor is to be shared and celebrated by all the Family Physicians who came before me and worked with me over the past 45 years as I could not have accomplished as much without the support of colleagues, residents and students, the College of Medicine, the CFPC, family and friends in Saskatchewan, Canada and internationally through NAPCRAG, WONCA, The Federation of Medical Woman of Canada, Medical Women’s International and rural academic physician colleagues in Australia.

Dr. Louis Christ, the first Department Head of The Academic Department of General Practice, invited me to do a locum for him in 1978 which launched my career as an Academic and Assistant Professor of Family Medicine.  I moved from Prince Albert to Saskatoon and was charged with bringing woman and children into the teaching unit.  I have delivered more than 1000 infants and provided comprehensive care to patients and their families, along with my teaching, research and administration roles.

For the first years, I was the only woman on the Family Medicine faculty of 10 (5 in Saskatoon and 5 in Regina) allowing for ample opportunity to sit on many committees and to make changes to improve the life of medical students and residents.  I encouraged many undergraduate students to choose a career in medicine and a residency in Family Medicine.

In 1989, I chaired the first Gender Issues Committee, “Women in Academic Medicine” which implemented the right for female students to study medicine while being pregnant and to have a safe space to breast feed their babies and continue to study medicine.  In 1990, I was elected to the Canadian Medical Association’s first Gender Issues Committee. Our small committee of 4 members edited the goals and objectives of the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Exam making them gender friendly.  For this advocacy, I was awarded the YWCA Woman of the Year Award for Leadership in Women’s Health in 1993.

I am proud to say that as Program Director of AFM, from 1996 – 2006, AFM started the Rural FM training program with one resident doing 9 months of rural training in the City of Humboldt and the remainder of his training in Saskatoon.  This program grew and became formal in 2003 with the opening of the Prince Albert Family Medicine Training Program.  During my term as Department Head, the DAFM opened FM Distributed Medical Training (DME) in Family Medicine in Swift Current in 2010, North Battleford in 2012, La Ronge in 2013, and Moose Jaw in 2014.  In 2005, with the help of the CoM, CPSS, SCFP and some enthusiastic residents, AFM developed the 3rd year enhanced skills in surgery/obstetrics (the second surgical training in Canada for FM).  I was honored with the Teaching Excellence Award for the College of Medicine in 2007.

I have had the privilege to hold many leadership positions at a local, national and international levels.  I am proud of the contributions made to the CoM, the U of S, the Heath Region(s), the MCC of Canada (Chief examiner or deputy registrar for approximately 25 – 30 MCCQE2 exams), the CMA, the CPSS Council, the HQC, the CFPC (Chairing the Janus Committee, Section of Teachers Executive Committee), the RCPS (leading the National Physician’s Survey), the Federation of Medical Women of Canada (Past-President), the Medical Women’s International, and for the people of Saskatchewan, Canada and the world.

A transition and restructuring of the CoM was initiated in April 2012, during my term as Department Head (2010 – 2016).  This was a difficult time of major change.  At the same time, the CanMEDs competency-based training program was implemented in postgraduate education.  Our department was the first to develop an online competency evaluation tool and an evaluation methodology.  In 2014, Dr. Preston Smith, an Academic Family Physician from Nova Scotia, was recruited as Dean and our College and Department was on its feet again.

Another goal I pursued was to encourage research.  I initiated and built the first Saskatchewan Family Medicine research program in 1990 based on the University of Western Ontario’s model. Every FM resident is exposed to research and evidence-based medicine and is expected to complete a project.  We are now in our 30th year and are the envy of many other programs in Canada.  My own FM research contributions are primarily in generalism, woman’s health and gender studies.  I (and 3 others) authored a book, A Handbook on Sensitive Practice for Health Care Practitioners: Lessons from Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse published by Health Canada’s National Clearinghouse on Family Violence online and book format.  In 2016, I became a member of the Cochrane International Living Systematic Review Network and have published a few articles.  My other knowledge contributions and articles are in the areas of patient-centered communication, solution-focused therapy, collaborative practice, ‘the Patient’s Medical Home’, medical education (undergraduate, postgraduate, rural medicine, distributed medical education, faculty development, continuing professional learning, and competency based assessment), wellness and the theory of system change using Kotter’s model.

I consider my most important contribution to have been teaching and mentoring future generations of health professionals. Overall, I think that my career as an Academic Family Physician has been very stimulating and rewarding.  I have been blessed with a great husband, Dr. Joseph Angel, PhD, and Professor Emeritus, Biochemistry, a supportive family, many friends and colleagues, great teaching patients and learners, good health, the passion for learning and growing and the stamina and resilience to continue my life’s journey.  I try to ‘pay it forward’ and hope that I inspire others to do the same.


SCFP Awards of Excellence

For Contributions to the medical community in Saskatoon and throughout Saskatchewan through his/her leadership and advocacy for family physicians and patients.

Dr. Stan Oleksinski, MD CCFP

Dr. Stan Oleksinski completed his medical degree at the University of Saskatchewan in 1982 and his Family Medicine Residency in Regina in 1984.  Since that time, he has been primarily practicing family medicine in Prince Albert.

Dr. Oleksinski has been honored many times over the years for his work in family medicine and his dedication to his community.  He received the Prince Albert Health Authority Award for Health Excellence in 2010; the Prince Albert Parkland Health Authority Practitioner Staff Award of Leadership and the U of S College of Medicine Clinical Teacher of the Year Award in 2017; and the Victoria  Hospital Foundation Physician of the Year award in 2019.

Throughout his career, Dr. Oleksinski has participated in many professional associations.  He has held various positions with the SMA, including his current roles as the President of the Section of Family Practice and Past-President of the Prince Albert Regional Medical Association.

Outside of his advocacy and work in the medical community Dr. Oleksinki enjoys most sports.  He and his wife, Lizbeth, have 2 grown children.


SCFP Awards of Excellence

For Contributions to the medical community in Saskatoon and throughout Saskatchewan through his/her leadership and advocacy for family physicians and patients.

Dr. Carla Holinaty, MD CCFP

Carla Holinaty completed her medical degree at the University of Saskatchewan in 2010 and remained in Saskatoon to complete her Family Medicine residency.  After residency, she joined a fee-for-service practice at Kenderdine Medical Clinic where she worked for the next 3 and half years.  During that time, she offered a full-service practice and provided 24/7 obstetrical coverage for her patients.

In July of 2016, she joined the U of S Department of Academic Family Medicine as a clinical teacher at the West Winds Primary Health Centre.  The move was motivated by a strong desire to participate more in teaching and to share her love of Family Medicine with students.  Within the Saskatoon Unit, she acts as the chair for the Family Medicine Clinical Skills modules in the College of Medicine undergraduate education curriculum.  She is very proud of establishing a consult service for people who are trans and gender diverse at her clinic.

Dr. Holinaty is passionate about Family Medicine and enjoys acting as an advocate for the profession.  After a colleague persuaded her to try out medical politics as a resident, she discovered that she actually really enjoyed it.  She now serves as a member of the Executive of the Saskatoon Regional Medical Association Board of Directors, a Saskatoon delegate to the SMA Representative Assembly, the Chair of the Section of Family Medicine, and sits as a member of the SMA Board of Directors.

Carla lives in Saskatoon with her husband, two children, and two dogs.

Dr. Holinaty is humbled and honoured to be selected as a recipient of this award and thanks the colleague who nominated her.


SCFP MY FAMILY DOC ROCKS AWARD

Nominated by a Saskatchewan patient who believes their Family Doc Rocks

Dr. Allison Adamus, MD CCFP

 

Dr. Adamus graduated from the University of Saskatchewan, College of Medicine and completed her Family Medicine residency at the Moncton, NB site through Dalhousie University.  Five years ago, she started a shared clinic in Martensville, SK.  She enjoys the variety of her practice, delivering care in obstetrics, pediatrics, women’s health, chronic disease, geriatrics and palliative care.  She believes that Family Medicine is a specialty in relationships, and feels honored to develop and nurture those relationships throughout these settings.

Advocating for increased health services in Martensville has become her passion.  With the support of the community and the city leadership the community is starting to see the fruits of this labour.  She is looking forward to expanding this work to the Saskatoon North Network as she has recently taken on the Area Division Lead with the SHA.  She has been getting to know more about the services and physicians that make up this network.  Although this work has primarily been focused on pandemic planning to date, she is excited to start diving deeper into the network, working with and further developing the health care team to serve her area.

She is often described as a busy body who struggles to slow down.  Outside of work, when she is not spending time with her husband and 2 children, she can be found sewing, crafting, baking, gardening, or reading.

Patient Nomination


SCFP MY FAMILY DOC ROCKS AWARD

Nominated by a Saskatchewan patient who believes their Family Doc Rocks

Dr. Marlys Misfeldt, MD

 

Marlys was born and raised in Melfort, Saskatchewan and is the 5th of 9 children in a family knowing from a young age that secondary education was expected.  Her family moved to Saskatoon in her teen years; she graduated from Walter Murray Collegiate and went on to study medicine at the University of Saskatchewan.  She graduated in 1981 and set up a family practice in Saskatoon.

As well as her busy family practice, Marlys has expanded her interests, including G.P. obstetrics and sport medicine.  She has acted as a clinical lecturer in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Saskatchewan.

Marlys has held multiple positions, including president of the Saskatchewan Sports Medicine and Science Council.  Pairing her black belt in Shotokan Karate, with her passion for sports medicine she obtained her diploma in sport medicine.  She spent over 30 years volunteering as team doctor for the Canadian International Traditional Karate Federation, and the Chief Medical Officer at provincial, national and world karate tournaments.

As a volunteer, she has spent time in her community offering her services for Saskatoon High School Athletics, for which she was honoured in 2015, with the Saskatoon Secondary School Athletic Directorate Service Award.  She has also volunteered with various Husky athletics, Saskatoon Hilltops, rugby, National Ballet of Canada and Knights of Columbus Track and Field meets.

Marlys continues to live and work in Saskatoon with her husband Doug Miller.  Two of her four children live in Saskatoon, as well as three of her six grandchildren.  Even with her three grandchildren in Australia, she is an engaged grandma, reading books and having tea parties via FaceTime.

Her recent interest in photography has been burgeoned by her love for birds and local Saskatchewan flora.  You will often find her in her backyard garden with a macro lens absorbed in the antics of a bumble bee.

Patient Nomination


SCFP MY FAMILY DOC ROCKS AWARD

Nominated by a Saskatchewan patient who believes their Family Doc Rocks

Dr. Dawne Pierce, MD CCFP

 

Dr. Dawne Pierce grew up in Victoria, BC, where she received her BSc. in Biology at the University of Victoria.  She went on to attend Medical School at the University of British Columbia and graduated with her MD in 1996.  She spent part of her residency training in the interior of BC, but quickly realized Saskatchewan would be her forever home.  She shares prairie life with her husband, two sons, and two stepsons.

Dr. Pierce trained for two more years in Saskatchewan and received her CCFP in 1999.  She has been practicing family medicine in Saskatoon for over twenty years and feels very fortunate to have the profession she does. 

“The relationships I have developed with my patients are very important to me.  Some of the famililies that attend my clinic span for generations.  Those relationships, along with the variety each day brings, are the reasons I decided to practice family medicine twenty years ago.  I have had the privilege of watching so many of the babies I delivered grow up and become young adults.”

Dr. Pierce is grateful for the incredible staff at Broadway Family Physicians who approach everyday challenges with enthusiasm and humour.  It is a special place to work.

Patient Nomination


SCFP MY FAMILY DOC ROCKS AWARD

Nominated by a Saskatchewan patient who believes their Family Doc Rocks

Dr. Mark Viger, MD CCFP

Patient Nomination


SCFP MY FAMILY DOC ROCKS AWARD

Nominated by a Saskatchewan patient who believes their Family Doc Rocks

Dr. Susan Wagner

Patient Nomination


Dr. Keith Ogle Award for Teaching in Family Medicine

Dr. Aaron Prystupa