Please note: All links that begin with “Read more” link to obituaries on external websites.

Janis Bormanis, MD, FRCPC, died on October 22, 2024, in Ottawa, Ont., at age 80. Dr. Bormanis was certified by the Royal College in Hematology in 1974. He obtained his medical degree from the University of Ottawa in 1969. Over a 38-year career at The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) and the University of Ottawa, Dr. Bormanis became a nationally respected hematologist, educator and mentor. He co-founded Thrombosis Canada and helped establish TOH’s renowned Thrombosis Program. A forward-thinking teacher, he was instrumental in adopting Observed Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) and digital learning in Canadian medical education. Dr. Bormanis held numerous leadership roles and was an active Royal College contributor, including as an examiner in Internal Medicine and a member of the Hematological Pathology Committee. Read more about Dr. Bormanis.

George Vladimir Boujoff, MD, FRCPC, died on May 19, 2025, in Toronto, Ont., at age 88. Dr. Boujoff was certified by the Royal College in Psychiatry in 1967. He obtained his medical degree from the University of Toronto in 1962. A devoted Freudian psychoanalyst, Dr. Boujoff practised Psychiatry for more than five decades and served as a training analyst at the Toronto Psychoanalytic Institute. Known for his clinical dedication and intellectual depth, he remained active in practice until late in life, guiding patients toward greater self-understanding. Read more about Dr. Boujoff.

James Dooner, MD, FRCSC, died on December 31, 2024, in Sun Peaks, B.C., at age 73. Dr. Dooner was certified by the Royal College in General Surgery in 1981 and in Vascular Surgery in 1984. He obtained his medical degree from Western University in 1976. Dr. Dooner established his surgical practice in Victoria in 1982, where he became known not only for his technical skill but for his enthusiasm for innovation and patient care. Even in retirement, he remained a passionate advocate for organ donation. Read more about Dr. Dooner.

David Harcombe Evans, MBBS, FRCSC, died on December 15, 2024, in Toronto, Ont., at age 83. Dr. Evans was certified by the Royal College in Urology in 1976. He obtained his medical degree from the University of London in 1965. After immigrating to Canada in 1967, Dr. Evans practised family medicine and later completed Urology training at the University of Toronto, followed by a Fellowship at Princess Margaret Hospital. He served for 25 years at Peel Memorial Hospital in Brampton, including as chief of surgery and chief of staff. In 1991, he began a second career as a coroner, ultimately serving as regional supervising coroner for Toronto West. Read more about Dr. Evans.

Sante Joseph Fratesi, MD, FRCSC, died on June 3, 2025, in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., at age 75. Dr. Fratesi was certified by the Royal College in General Surgery in 1979 and in Vascular Surgery in 1983. He obtained his medical degree from Western University in 1974. After completing his training, Dr. Fratesi returned to his hometown and served as the District of Algoma’s only vascular surgeon for decades. A tireless advocate for his patients and passionate educator, he was a founding faculty member of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine and received the PARO Excellence in Clinical Teaching Award in 2010. Read more about Dr. Fratesi.

Roger Dante Freeman, MD, FRCPC, died on March 13, 2025, in Vancouver, B.C., at age 91. Dr. Freeman was certified by the Royal College in Psychiatry in 1969. He obtained his medical degree from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 1958. A trailblazer in child neuropsychiatry, Dr. Freeman served as clinical professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia and former clinical head of the Neuropsychiatry Clinic at B.C. Children’s Hospital. He was internationally recognized for his leadership in Tourette syndrome research and clinical care, founding the TIC database and co-authoring landmark texts. Read more about Dr. Freeman.

George Yat Poh Lau, MD, FRCSC, died on April 10, 2025, in Burlington, Ont., at age 95. Dr. Lau was certified by the Royal College in General Surgery in 1965. He obtained his medical degree from the University of Toronto in 1958. After post-graduate training at Toronto General Hospital and the Hospital for Sick Children — where Dr. Lau served as chief resident and research Fellow in pediatric surgery — he practiced in Hong Kong before settling in Hamilton and Burlington, Ont. As chief of pediatric surgery at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Dr. Lau was recognized with the Dr. Meyer Carr Award and the Golden Scalpel Award. He continued assisting in surgery until 2017. Read more about Dr. Lau.

Serge Legault, MD, FRCSC, died on June 2, 2025, in Boucherville, Que., at age 62. Dr. Legault was certified by the Royal College in General Surgery in 1991. He obtained his medical degree from the Université de Montréal in 1986. Dr. Legault held numerous leadership roles throughout his career, contributing significantly to the advancement of medical practice in Quebec. He worked at the Cité de la Santé de Laval and was active with the Fédération des médecins spécialistes du Québec (FMSQ), where he was known as a passionate advocate for the profession. He was widely respected for his commitment to patient care and the medical community. Dr. Legault served on the Royal College’s General Surgery Examination Board, and he was an examiner with the General Surgery French Examiners Subcommittee for over a decade. Read more about Dr. Legault.

John Edwin Morgan, MD, FRCSC, died on May 24, 2025, in Collingwood, Ont., at age 90. Dr. Morgan was certified by the Royal College in Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1965. He obtained his medical degree from the University of Toronto in 1958. Widely regarded as the grandfather of urogynecology in Canada, he founded and directed the Gynecologic Urology Unit at Toronto Western and Women’s College hospitals. A respected educator and examiner, Dr. Morgan was a long-serving member of the Royal College’s Obstetrics and Gynecology Examination Board, and he trained generations of surgeons. Read more about Dr. Morgan.

John Cecil Pecknold, MD, FRCPC, died on May 16, 2025, in Westmount, Que., at age 83. Dr. Pecknold was certified by the Royal College in Psychiatry in 1973. He obtained his medical degree from Université de Montréal in 1966. Dr. Pecknold served as a flight surgeon with the Canadian Armed Forces before beginning a five-decade career in Psychiatry at St. Mary’s Hospital and the Douglas Hospital in Montreal. Known for his compassion and dedication, he cared for both the mental health and spiritual well-being of his patients. Read more about Dr. Pecknold.

Dwight Gregory Powell, OC, AOE, MD, FRCPC, died on April 30, 2025, in Foothills, Alta., at age 77. Dr. Powell was certified by the Royal College in Emergency Medicine in 1983. He obtained his medical degree from the University of British Columbia in 1972. An innovator in the field, Dr. Powell was the first director of Emergency Medicine at Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary and a founding force behind the Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service (STARS). He was also a member of the Royal College's Emergency Medicine Examination Board. Widely respected for his vision, leadership and compassion, Dr. Powell was made an Officer of the Order of Canada and received the Alberta Order of Excellence. Read more about Dr. Powell.

Albert Paul Scholtz, MD, FRCPC, died on April 18, 2025, in West Vancouver, B.C., at age 83. Dr. Scholtz was certified by the Royal College in Emergency Medicine in 1983. He obtained his medical degree from the University of Toronto in 1966. After early training at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver and hospitals in Toronto and Hamilton, Dr. Scholtz returned to St. Paul’s to begin a groundbreaking career in Emergency Medicine. In 1979, he became the first president of the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians and played a key role in establishing Emergency Medicine as a recognized specialty in Canada. Read more about Dr. Scholtz.

Anna Elizabeth Sienko, MD, FRCPC, died on January 6, 2025, in Calgary, Alta., at age 71. Dr. Sienko was certified by the Royal College in Diagnostic and Molecular Pathology in 1995. She obtained her medical degree from Jagiellonian University Medical College in Poland in 1983. A passionate researcher and educator, Dr. Sienko dedicated her career to advancing the field of pathology. Widely recognized for her contributions, she earned numerous awards and was admired for her commitment to mentorship and support of medical learners. Read more about Dr. Sienko.

Ian Alexander Jeremy Sloan, MD, FRCPC, died on Jan. 2, 2025, in Toronto, Ont., at age 95. He was certified by the Royal College in Anesthesiology in 1960. He obtained his medical degree from the University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences in 1953. Dr. Sloan served as pediatric anesthetist and deputy chief of anesthesia at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto until 1999 and consulted at Sunnybrook and Women’s College hospitals. A leader in anesthesia standards, Dr. Sloan chaired the technical committee on anesthesia equipment and received the John Jenkins Award in 2001. Read more about Dr. Sloan.

John Ross Wherrett, MDCM, FRCPC, died on March 10, 2025, in Toronto, Ont., at age 94. Dr. Wherrett was certified by the Royal College in Neurology in 1963. He obtained his medical degree from Queen’s University in 1955. Dr. Wherrett trained at Toronto General Hospital and Sunnybrook Veterans Hospital before pursuing advanced studies in neurochemistry at the National Institute for Neurological Diseases in Maryland and a PhD in biochemistry in London, England. He joined the University of Toronto and Toronto General in 1963, where he established the hospital’s first neurochemistry lab. Read more about Dr. Wherrett.