It is with sadness that the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) acknowledges the passing of Dr Ian McWhinney on September 28, 2012, at the age of 85.
Dr McWhinney was born in 1926 in Burnley, England. Following his medical training at Cambridge, he entered general practice in Stratford-upon-Avon with his father. In 1968, he immigrated to London, Ont, where he became the first chair of family medicine in Canada at the University of Western Ontario. His visionary work transformed family medicine worldwide from an unacknowledged subject into an academic discipline with undergraduate courses and postgraduate training.
Dr McWhinney received Certification in Family Medicine in 1970 and became a Fellow of the College in 1981. He received Life Membership in 1996. In 2003, he was the recipient of the CFPC’s Family Medicine Researcher of the Year Award.
Known as “the father of family medicine,” Dr McWhinney inspired many family doctors to pursue teaching with a dedication to mentoring future generations of doctors. His tireless efforts on behalf of family medicine and improved patient care resulted in many honours and awards, including induction into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame and the Order of Canada.
The College established the Ian McWhinney Family Medicine Education Award—an important award in his honour to recognize an outstanding family medicine teacher in Canada. The award continues to be presented annually to family physicians nominated for making unique and innovative contributions to family medicine education.
The CFPC sends its heartfelt sympathies to Dr McWhinney’s family: his daughters, Heather and Julie; their husbands, Michael and Paul; and his grandchildren, Leah, Max, and Claire.
- Copyright© the College of Family Physicians of Canada
