Council Award
Visionary leader for pediatric medicine honoured
Dr . William Gary Smith
photo : claudia hung
Dr . William Gary Smith , a nationally recognized authority on pediatric medicine , received a Council Award at the May Meeting . In a career that has spanned almost 40 years , Dr . Smith has played a principal role in the development of a regional maternal , child and youth program in Orillia that today is an acknowledged centre of excellence for pediatric patient care , academics , research and training . He has done this in his roles as a pediatric consultant , as Chief of Pediatric and Neonatal Medicine and the Family and Community Program Medical Director at Orillia Soldiers ’ Memorial Hospital ( OSMH ), as a researcher , teacher and in countless other leadership positions . Along the way , Dr . Smith has firmly established himself as an expert in neonatal intensive care , pediatric asthma , diabetes and sports medicine . Dr . Smith was the driving force behind the development of a regional clinic model in which pediatricians work with allied health-care professionals to manage numerous chronic conditions within the local community . Today , thanks to his vision , Orillia and the surrounding region boast pediatric multi-discipline teams in diabetes , eating disorders , developmental disabilities and assessments , sexual assault and child abuse , and a neo-natal follow-up clinic . While multi-discipline teams are common today , when Dr . Smith proposed establishing them in Orillia 30 years ago , it was a novel concept for the community . Dr . Smith grew up in Timmins and earned his medical degree at the University of Toronto . He settled in Orillia in the early 80s where he earned a reputation as a clinician deeply committed to the well-being of every child and family that came under his care . That commitment was the impetus for his push to develop specialized pediatric programs , as well as for his research , and his leadership at the provincial and regional levels to develop pediatric standards . Dr . Smith ’ s published research covers a broad range of issues from diabetes in First Nations children , nonsurgical treatment of protruding ears , screening for congenital heart disease , apnea in premature infants , and evaluation of sexual assault in children , just to name a few . In almost every instance , his research has led to new standards in care and system management . His academic appointments at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine as well as McMaster , Toronto , and Western universities have extended his influence to the next generation of physicians , nurses and trainees , many of whom describe him as an outstanding mentor who made a significant impression on their careers . “ He is a builder ,” said Dr . Nancy Merrow , Chief of Staff at OSMH . “ His patients and thousands of patients across the province have benefited from his contribu-
Issue 2 , 2017 Dialogue 19