Prince George’s Dr. Nadine Caron has been awarded this year’s Order of British Columbia.
“I was blown away to hear about it, obviously,” Caron told My PG Now. “I have a lot of thank you’s to pass out, a lot of gratitude.”
From the Province: “the Order of British Columbia represents the highest form of
recognition the Province can extend to its citizens. Appointments to the order are made annually to the most outstanding British Columbians.”
Caron graduated from Simon Fraser University (SFU) in 1993 with a bachelor of science in kinesiology where she was awarded SFU’s most prestigious undergraduate award, the Gordon M. Shurm Gold Medal, bestowed on the student whose high scholastic standing and extracurricular activities demonstrate outstanding qualities of character and unselfish devotion to the university.
She then pursued her medical degree and graduated top of her class at the University of British Columbia (UBC), becoming the first Indigenous woman to graduate from UBC’s medical school.
Next up was her master’s degree, from Harvard.
Originally from Kamloops, Dr. Caron first came to Prince George in 2005, after a surgical residency and fellowship at the University of California, where she became Canada’s first-ever female Indigenous general surgeon.
Today, Dr. Caron teaches at UBC’s Northern Medical Program, teaches and co-directs at UBC’s Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Health (which she co-founded), holds the First Nations Health Authority chair in cancer and wellness at UBC, and holds a faculty positions at John Hopkins University and the Center for American Indian Health.
On top of all of this, she still cares for patients in Prince George.
“Why Prince George? Because Prince George wanted me when I didn’t have the Order of B.C. And that kind of stuff, you never let go of.”
She adds, “I love Prince George. I came up here to start my career. I was welcomed”
“On behalf of the people of British Columbia, I want to thank this year’s recipients of the Order of B.C. for their remarkable contributions,” said Premier John Horgan in a news release. “Your hard work, dedication, and leadership are examples for us all. You have helped create a better British Columbia and for that we are grateful.”
Dr. Caron was one of fifteen individuals to receive the award this year. Since its introduction in 1989, it has been awarded to under 500 of the most outstanding British Columbians.
“I don’t know what one does to deserve honours like this. I think the best way to approach it is to put your head down and spend the rest of your career trying to earn it.”
You can read more about Dr. Caron and the other recipients of this year’s award here.
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