AVC’s Dr. Ian Dohoo receives his Order of Canada medal after waiting four years
In the words of Dr. Ian Dohoo, professor emeritus of epidemiology at the Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC), “it’s better late than never.”
In 2019, Dr. Dohoo was notified that he was appointed a member to the Order of Canada. He bought a suit and picked out a tie to wear to the ceremony, but then life and a global pandemic put the celebrations on hold.
“My daughter had her first child and needed help those first few months,” Dr. Dohoo said of the tumultuous years after the announcement. “And then the ceremonies had to be delayed or canceled altogether because of COVID. For years!”
Dr. Dohoo earned this distinction for his remarkable contributions to veterinary and human epidemiology in both developed and developing countries. As one of the founding members of the AVC faculty, he dedicated his career to research and education until he retired in 2012. Although he proudly displays the official certificate that was mailed to him a couple of years ago, he longed for the complete experience of attending the ceremony in Ottawa.
Finally, after four years of anticipation, Dr. Dohoo received the call he had been waiting for.
"This year, they contacted me and asked if I would still like to proceed with the investiture," he explained. "And so, I jumped at that chance."
This year's ceremony took place on the morning of October 26, 2023, followed by a luncheon. For Dr. Dohoo, it offered him a chance to meet the fellow honorees and the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada. It was made even more special as his wife, sister, and daughter were there to witness Her Excellency pinning the insignia to his lapel.
Dr. Dohoo has won numerous awards for teaching and research, including the 2012 Calvin W. Schwabe Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Association for Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventative Medicine. He was named professor emeritus at UPEI's 2012 convocation ceremony. With Dr. Henrik Stryhn of AVC and Dr. Wayne Martin of the University of Guelph, he authored the standard text used for graduate level epidemiology curricula in veterinary schools around the world. He was also the recipient of AVC’s 2023 Honourable Eugene F. Whelan Green Hat Award.
The Order of Canada ranks high on his list of accolades and was well worth the wait.
“I’ve been very fortunate in my career, but this one is big. It’s an impressive group of people I’m now part of. It’s a huge honour.”
Congratulations, Dr. Dohoo, on this achievement.
