Nadine Caron facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nadine Caron
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Nadine Caron in 2015
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| Born | 1970 |
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| Institutions | Prince George Regional Hospital UBC Faculty of Medicine Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health |
Dr. Nadine Rena Caron (born in 1970) is a very important Canadian surgeon. She made history as the first female general surgeon in Canada who is also from a First Nations background. She is Ojibway and was also the first First Nations woman to graduate from medical school at the University of British Columbia.
Early Life and Education
Nadine Caron was born in Kamloops, British Columbia. Her mother was Ojibwe and a teacher, and her father was an Italian immigrant and a mason. She is part of the Anishnawbe people from the Sagamok Anishnawbek First Nation.
After growing up in Kamloops, she studied Kinesiology (the study of how the body moves) at Simon Fraser University. This was in 1993. She was a fantastic basketball player and won many awards. One of these was the Shrum Gold Medal for being the best undergraduate student.
She then went to medical school at the UBC Faculty of Medicine. There, she was again recognized as the top student. Dr. Caron also earned a master's degree in Public Health from Harvard University. She completed special training in surgery, focusing on endocrine surgical oncology. This deals with certain types of cancer surgery.
She has also received honorary degrees. These include a Doctorate of Laws from the University of the Fraser Valley in June 2017. In October 2019, she received another honorary degree from Simon Fraser University.
A Career in Medicine
Dr. Caron works as a general and endocrine surgeon at Prince George Regional Hospital. She is also an associate professor in the Department of Surgery at the UBC Faculty of Medicine. In 2014, she became a co-director at UBC's Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Health.
She received the Thomas Dignan Indigenous Health Award in 2016. This award is from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. In 2023, she won the James IV Association of Surgeons Canadian Travelling Fellowship. This recognized her work in public health, especially for people in rural areas and First Nations communities.
Dr. Caron leads the Northern Biobank Project. This project helps patients in northern British Columbia take part in research for personalized medicine. She also works as an associate faculty member at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
She has been part of many important committees. These include the Native Physicians Association of Canada. These groups work to improve health for everyone.
In 2020, Dr. Caron became the first person to hold the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) Chair in Cancer and Wellness at the University of British Columbia. She also helped start UBC's Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Health with Martin Schechter.
She is also an adjunct professor at the University of Northern British Columbia. She is an associate faculty at the University of British Columbia's School of Population and Public Health. Additionally, she is a BC Cancer Agency scientist at the Genome Sciences Centre.
Honours and Awards
Dr. Caron has received many awards for her hard work and achievements:
- Shrum Gold Medal for being the top undergraduate student at Simon Fraser University (1993).
- Awards from the University of British Columbia, Faculty of Medicine (1997):
- Hamber Medal
- Dr. Jay C. Cheng Memorial Education Foundation Prize
- Dr. Jack Margulius Memorial Prize
- Top graduating student in Medicine and best overall record.
- Dr. John Big Canoe Memorial Scholarship, Canadian Medical Association (1997).
- Named one of "100 Canadians to Watch" by Maclean's Magazine (1997).
- Outstanding Alumni Award, Simon Fraser University (2011).
- Dr. Thomas Dignan Indigenous Health Award, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (2016).
- Recognized as one of "Women of the Year: 12 Canadians who rocked 2016" by Chatelaine Magazine.
- Honorary Doctor of Science, Simon Fraser University (2016).
- Wallace Wilson Leadership Award, University of British Columbia Medical Alumni Association (2017).
- Honorary Doctor of Laws, University of the Fraser Valley (2017).
- Athletic Hall of Fame, Terry Fox Humanitarian Category, Simon Fraser University (2019).
- Inclusive Excellence Prize, Canadian Cancer Society (2020).
- Member of the Order of BC (2022).
- Became a Director for the Terry Fox Foundation (2024).
- Inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame (June 2025).
Research on Health Equity
Dr. Caron's research looks at health for Indigenous people and health policies in Canada. She has found important differences in health. For example, her research showed that First Nations people in British Columbia have higher rates of certain cancers. They also have lower survival rates for almost all cancers compared to non-First Nations people. She also led a study that found Indigenous peoples are more likely to face complications after surgery. Her work helps us understand and improve health for everyone.
