In this episode, medical student and graduate researcher Vaidehee Lanke shares what large provincial datasets reveal about opioid use disorder, maternal mental health, and pregnancy.
We're sharing the top news stories from the College of Medicine for 2025.
Joel McNair understands what it’s like to deal with trauma as a frontline worker.
As a student, Jack Walther's friends often came to him when they needed a listening ear, or help with relationship struggles.
Eve Simpson knows from experience scientific research doesn’t always follow a linear path.
From the Prairies to Passchendaele, from the Land of Living Skies to the skies over London in the Battle of Britain, the McNab brothers from the University of Saskatchewan (USask) answered their country’s call in both world wars.
Pressure on the health-care system – from factors including workforce shortages, rising costs and an aging population – takes a prominent and hard-to-shift position among Canada's top challenges.
Dr. Sajia Kontulainen stands with a second-generation, high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT-II) scanner secured by an investment from CFI-JELF (photo: Erin Matthews/USask)
USask alumna Dr. Alanna Danilkewich (MD’75), one of this year’s Golden Grads, is known for her dedication to students, patients, and the medical profession.
Enhancing access and improving the quality of care in rural communities.
A new cell sorting hub at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) has received prestigious national-level funding through a joint, multi-unit effort.
A new School of Rehabilitation Science student-led clinic on the USask Prince Albert campus supports clinical education and interdisciplinary learning opportunities for Master of Physical Therapy (MPT) students, highlights rural and remote physical therapy opportunities, and improves access to care for Prince Albert and surrounding communities.
Dr. Jessica Sheldon (PhD) is on a mission to starve out Acinetobacter baumannii—one of the world’s most virulent hospital-borne pathogens.
Researchers from the University of Saskatchewan's (USask) College of Medicine received funding as part of Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s (CIHR) 2025 Spring Grant Competition.
Now in its seventh year, the University of Saskatchewan’s (USask) People Around the World (PAW) international congress will bring together community members, researchers, industry partners and students for data-driven discussions about global challenges.
Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) have published the first Canadian clinical guidelines for Spinal Bulbar Muscular Atrophy (SBMA), a rare hereditary neuromuscular disorder.
The Office of the Vice Dean Indigenous Health welcomes all to take part in Canada's fifth National day for Truth and Reconciliation observed on September 30.
Two new programs have been launched in the School of Rehabilitation Science in the University of Saskatchewan’s (USask) College of Medicine. Learners can now apply to be part of the province’s first occupational therapy and speech-language pathology training programs.
A team of University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers have identified a pathway to help the human body defend itself against sepsis – a life-threatening condition caused by the body’s inappropriate response to an infection.
Kirk Haan graduated from high school, thinking he’d study pharmacy at the University of Saskatchewan (USask), and walk out five years later.
New program launches as interest in profession grows
On September 10, the University of Saskatchewan (USask) community will come together in support of Giving Day, an annual 24-hour fundraising initiative. Among the researchers that could benefit from donor support that day is Dr. Stephen Lee, an associate professor, infectious disease and internal medicine physician, and member of the College of Medicine’s artificial intelligence (AI) education committee, who is exploring how AI could fundamentally change health care.
Brianna Andrews has compiled a truly remarkable resume during her time at the University of Saskatchewan (USask).
Dr. Sébastien Gauvrit (PhD) was only ten when his family let him have his first tank of guppies. Within weeks, he was hooked.
Canadian collaboration identifies optimal treatment approach to improve outcomes after emergency department discharge
A University of Saskatchewan (USask) research team is bringing health education into a new, technological – and virtual – world.
Dr. Stu Skinner (MD) knew something was wrong three years ago, when patients started coming to him with vision loss, fever, rashes and meningitis.
Dr. Jacqueline Kraushaar (MD), assistant professor and Regina area department lead in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, has been recognized with a prestigious teaching award.
USask graduate Dr. Ron Shore’s (MD’70) creativity and ingenuity has led to innovations in the field of dermatology and golf.
While working as a pharmacy assistant in rural Saskatchewan, Emilia Gillies witnessed firsthand the gaps within the health-care system, particularly when it came to individuals who experienced substance abuse.
The University of Saskatchewan (USask) is honouring groundbreaking neuroscientist Dr. Valerie Verge (PhD), a professor in the College of Medicine’s Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, with its top academic honour of Distinguished Researcher. The award will be presented June 5 during Spring Convocation at Merlis Belsher Place.
Dr. Chris Zhang (PhD) knows and understands the amount of time it takes to recover from lung cancer surgery.
Biomedical neuroscience undergraduate student receives Governor General’s Silver Medal and the University Medal.
Dr. Yi-Chun Chen (PhD) is taking a close-up look at some of the body’s hardest-working cells — the ones often processing an overabundance of modern-day food and nutrients.
Today, the University of Saskatchewan (USask) celebrates 60 years of training physical therapists.
Could a potential treatment for Alzheimer’s disease be sitting in the dairy cooler of your local grocery store?
The College of Medicine has recognized an outstanding team from the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine with the 2025 Team Achievement Award.
SASKATOON – A team of University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers, using innovative genetic screening, have identified a new target to suppress breast cancer growth.
Dr. Calvin Tsui recognized for excellence as a medical education teacher with a 2025 Regina Campus Teaching Award.
Established in 1985, the Order celebrates excellence and achievements by Saskatchewan citizens and is the province’s highest honour
Trust in public health care is vital to its success, and that trust has been tested over the past five years like never before.
The honorary title of distinguished professor is an award that celebrates lifetime achievement in research, scholarly, and artistic work. Three University of Saskatchewan (USask) faculty members and two professors emerti were selected to receive the honorary title this year.
Dr. James Stempien (MD) has navigated some of the most challenging corners of emergency medicine, from the frigid isolation of Inuvik to the bustling corridors of Saskatoon’s emergency departments. His experience in low-tech outposts has shaped his approach to modern emergency care.
Connective Issue is the College of Medicine's digital magazine
As the world aims to eradicate hepatitis C (HCV) by 2030, Carrielynn Lund and Dr. Alexandra King’s (MD) team created a how-to guide.
Twenty individuals and two teams from across the College of Medicine have been honoured for their outstanding dedication and contributions through the 2025 Faculty and Staff Awards.
Award-winning USask graduate Dr. Monique Simair (BSc’04, PhD’09) has leveraged her passion for science, innovation, and problem-solving into two successful environmental consultancy businesses
In December 2024, the College of Medicine bid farewell to an alumna whose life story reflects determination and ingenuity that will not soon be forgotten. In celebrating Dr. Geraldine Kurz (MD’73), the Alumni and Community Program remembers not only an accomplished physician but also a determined and generous soul who embodied the very spirit of our college community.
Completing a degree in medicine is a major achievement and a huge responsibility. It requires a significant investment of time, money, and dedication. Support in the form of scholarships, bursaries and awards can be critical in ensuring students have the resources they need to achieve their educational goals.
The College of Medicine invites alumni, former faculty, deans, students, and researchers to join us for the 2025 Highlights in Medicine Conference from June 19 to 21, 2025. The theme is, “Care in Matters of Life and Death: Collaborative learning for the enhancement of patient care in all stages of life and circumstance.” Don’t miss this chance to reconnect, contribute, and celebrate.
The College of Medicine has concluded its 2017-2025 Strategic Plan. Considerable progress has been made across the seven pillars, including the following highlights:
The late Dr. David Cotton’s (MD) legacy lives on through the Margaret Cotton Memorial Bursary, a tribute to the mother who first inspired his journey into medicine.
Health-care researchers from USask are working on a massive international development project to improve the sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women in Mozambique.
The campaign for the College of Medicine Regina Campus expansion at Regina General Hospital has successfully concluded, raising an incredible $400,000 thanks to the generosity of our donors and alumni.
The Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) program, offered through the University of Saskatchewan’s (USask) College of Medicine, will welcome its first cohort of students this fall.
There are over 7,000 rare diseases worldwide, with more being discovered every year. One in 12 Canadians has a rare disease, with children representing two-thirds of those cases. Unfortunately, the lack of treatment options means that 75 percent of children with a rare disease will not live to see their tenth birthday.
Researchers are still discovering more about the fundamental building blocks of human cells and a University of Saskatchewan (USask)-led research project is exploring microproteins and their role in defending against viruses.
Since its humble beginnings at the Saskatoon airport, the School of Rehabilitation Science at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) has been a cornerstone of high-quality physical therapy education and research for students from across the province.
Dawson Holt knew it would be difficult balancing his ambition to be a physician with his mission to win a championship with the Huskies.
Dr. Brianne Philipenko (MD) was midway through her respirology fellowship in Calgary when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the city.
The human immune deficiency virus (HIV) first entered public consciousness in the early 1980s, after cases of unfamiliar and deadly illnesses began to overwhelm medical centres across North America.
We're sharing the top news stories from the College of Medicine for 2024.
A new evidence-based resource has been launched to help eliminate hepatitis C as a public health threat in the Prairie provinces.
Many clinicians are anticipating the massive wave of impact Artificial Intelligence (AI) will have on the field of medicine. But instead of watching from the shore, Dr. Stephen Lee (MD) is jumping right in.
USask graduate and veterinary toxicologist Dr. Barry Blakley (BSc’70, Sc’71, DVM’75, MSc’77, PhD) made a big impact in his profession and in the classroom. After passing away in March from pancreatic cancer, his legacy continues through ocular donations and student scholarships.
In this episode, we catch up with Dr. Sarah Forgie (MD), the new dean of the College of Medicine.
Dr. Kathy Lawrence selected as the 2024 Ian McWhinney Family Medicine Education Award winner.
USask Distinguished Teacher Award winner honoured for the recognition.
For many university students, Fall Convocation represents a culmination of hard work, perseverance and late nights.
When she wasn’t studying, Amélia Katherine Gagnon—and her dog—supported students, health-care workers and patients
College of Nursing Knowledge Keeper and Indigenous Student Advisor Dr. Kathleen McMullin (PhD) completes doctorate program.
Four members of the College of Medicine have been recognized with awards from the Saskatchewan Medical Association.
Students in the University of Saskatchewan’s (USask) College of Medicine can participate in a breadth of summer research projects within the college, at both Saskatoon and Regina campuses.
A behavioural neuroscientist in Saskatoon is uncovering important truths about cannabis's effects on fetal brain development.
The town of Canora is supporting its rural older adults to live well by developing a local primary care memory clinic delivered by health providers in the community.
A new fellowship at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) is helping address health needs across the world.
A Breast Cancer Awareness Month discussion with Dr. Mita Manna (MD) — University of Saskatchewan (USask) College of Medicine faculty member and medical oncologist.
An ambitious simulation exercise at the University of Saskatchewan Clinical Learning Resource Centre is addressing the need for disaster management curriculum in Canadian emergency medicine residency programs.
USask graduate and honorary degree recipient Dr. Richard Ehman (BSc’74, MD’79, DSc’00), a Mayo Clinic radiologist and researcher, reflects on his university education and his impactful career in medical imaging.
New treatments for promoting nerve cells regrowth in those with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) are inviting optimism after pre-clinical trials at the University of Saskatchewan (USask).
Dr. Jim Dosman (BA'59, MD'63, MA'69) has been recognized with a 2024 University of Saskatchewan (USask) Lifetime Achievement Award.
A top University of Saskatchewan (USask) health researcher renowned for her work in Indigenous wellness is now a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS).
Everybody ages – but new research at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) is exploring both how aging damages cells and how that aging might be countered.
What if a key to improving children's health and learning outcomes lies in the food they eat at school?
SASKATOON – Applications open this fall for the new Master of Physician Assistant Studies program (MPAS) that begins next year in the College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan (USask). The program, one of the few of its kind in Canada, will begin in September 2025 with a cohort of 20 learners.
A team of University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers believe that iron metabolism could be targeted to treat an aggressive form of cancer.
Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF) and MS Canada’s $599,000 Investment.
Even as a teenager, Dr. Juan-Nicolás Peña-Sánchez (MD, PhD) could see stark differences in health for those who had medical coverage — and those without, thanks to his stepfather, an emergency department physician.
Understanding the interactions between microbes and their hosts can lead to new therapeutic strategies for major bacterial threats.
The answers to a crucial connection between the gut and the brain of individuals dealing with Crohn’s disease might lie in tiny, lab-grown brain and intestine organoids at the University of Saskatchewan (USask).
University of Saskatchewan (USask) kinesiology students are gaining real-life experience working as part of a health care team at West Winds Primary Health Centre in Saskatoon, SK.
The Government of Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) have announced the recruitment of pediatric gastroenterologist Dr. Rabin Persad, who will begin practicing in Saskatchewan this fall. He will also serve as a faculty member in the College of Medicine.
The Canadian Centre for Rural and Agricultural Health (CCRAH) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) partnered with industry to conduct much-needed research at the annual Ag in Motion outdoor agricultural show.
Dr. Linda Chelico (PhD) is the new head of the College of Medicine’s Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology.
"When I got into medical school, the last thing in the world I wanted to be was a surgeon because I couldn't stand the sight of blood," said Dr. Mike Moser (MD).
Life-saving technology speeds heart attack response times.
