Gold Medal

Dr Philip Peng

Toronto, ON

Dr Peng is widely recognized for his outstanding contributions and global impact in pain medicine, including his leadership in organizing and chairing Ultrasound in Pain Intervention education events across the globe. His international impact was recently recognized by the American Society of Regional Anesthesia (ASRA) which granted him the highest award in pain medicine, the John Bonica Award in 2020. He has been recognized for leadership in pain education, ultrasound for pain intervention, and as an innovator for ultrasound guided procedure. Dr Peng is one of the founding members of the pain medicine subspecialty in the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC). Dr Peng is also a founding member and executive of Ultrasound for Pain Intervention SIG of ASRA/ESRA. Dr Peng was also the Chair of the Chronic Pain Section from 2001-2004. 

The Gold Medal is the highest award of the Canadian Anesthesiologists’ Society. It is an inscribed medal given in recognition of excellence in a career in service to anesthesiology.

Clinical Practitioner Award

Dr Gabriele Baldini

Montreal, QC

Dr Baldini’s enthusiasm to empower patients and optimize their health before surgery is contagious. Dr Baldini has been a pioneer in the adoption of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) care in Canada in the past decade. Under his guidance and mentorship, an algorithm for postoperative ileus, the first of its kind, was developed. He has tirelessly continued to develop ERAS protocols and become a renowned expert in this field internationally. Most recently, he is the lead investigator in the development of the Canadian National Recommendations for the Surgical Care of the patient. In addition, he was a leader in the publication of the first consensus statement about ERAS in colorectal surgery. He also represented Canada during the development of clinical practice guidelines for ERAS for the American Society of Colorectal surgeons.  

Given in recognition of excellence in clinical anesthesia practice.

Clinical Teacher Award

Dr Hesham Talab

Ottawa, ON

Dr Talab has made numerous contributions to medical education and to the specialty in Canada. Dr Talab has taught perioperative TEE and POCUS extensively to anesthesia residents and fellows alike, at the bedside, in the operating room, and at the University of Ottawa Skills and Simulation Centre. Dr Talab is the current Program Director of the PHE Fellowship program at the University of Ottawa, and   Program Director of the Perioperative POCUS Fellowship Program.  

Dr Talab’s attention to detail in his teaching is highly commendable and consistently presents a fine example to others.  Many residents have expressed their enormous appreciation for his enthusiastic, positive, and effective teaching style.  

Given in recognition of excellence in the teaching of clinical anesthesia​.

Emeritus Award

Dr Davy Cheng

London, ON

Throughout his career, Dr Cheng has been highly regarded as a leader, mentor, innovator, and collaborator. This is exemplified by the long list of awards, invited honorary memberships, and invited leadership positions in international anesthesia societies. While Dr Cheng is equally regarded amongst his colleagues, he also is sought after by global leaders in healthcare policy.

Dr Cheng served as Chair and Chief of Anesthesia & Perioperative Medicine at Western University for 16 years - the longest known serving clinical department chair in the university’s history. During that time, he implemented several pivotal changes, including a combined citywide department for London Health Sciences Centre and St Josephs Health Care London.  He negotiated with the Ministry of Health to significantly increase funding for anesthesia and implemented programs which supported anesthesiologist and trainee recruitment (nearly  doubling the size of the department, while also increasing diversity) and increased research and education opportunities in the London and Southwestern Ontario region. 

Given to a current member of CAS in any category who has been a member of the Society for 25 years or more and has retired from clinical practice.

CAS Humanitarian Award

Dr Alezandre Dauphin

Hamilton, ON

Through his work over the last 30 years, Dr Dauphin has impacted the anesthesia care of thousands of patients in three continents. In partnership with the Haitian Ministry of Health and his alma mater, Dr Dauphin helped establish an anesthesia training program in Haiti in 1990. Building on the success of the partnership in Haiti, Dr Dauphin forged a partnership between McMaster University, Mbarara University, Makerere University, and the Ministry of Health of Uganda. Each year from 1998 to 2008, Dr Dauphin spent a month in Uganda, training residents and providing anesthesia care. Dr Dauphin was a founding member of MacGlOBAS, an academic global health partnership from the departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Anesthesia and Surgery at McMaster University. Throughout his extensive and fruitful career, Dr Dauphin has been passionately and fiercely committed to justice and health equity. He has dedicated his life to the promotion and provision of safe anesthesia care for all people.

Given in recognition of excellence in global anesthesiology

John Bradley Young Educator Award

Dr Natalie Clavel

Toronto, ON

Dr Clavel is among the most dedicated and committed educators, deserving of recognition through this award for her sustained contributions to the University of Toronto, its learners, and the profession of Anesthesiology at large. 

Dr Clavel has also had a significant impact on the professional development of Anesthesiologists across Ontario. She has been an integral member of the Ontario Anesthesiologists’ “Beyond the Mask” initiative, where she has led the creation of a continuing education curriculum for leadership development within the profession. She has single-handedly established a virtual learning platform for this work and the initiative has now gone through several annual cycles and reached dozens of actively practicing clinicians.  

The John Bradley Young Educator Award recognizes excellence and effectiveness in education in anesthesia.

CAS Outstanding Volunteer Award

Dr Doreen Yee

Toronto, ON

Dr Yee started her extensive volunteer involvement with CAS in 1998 when she was the Local Arrangements Chair for the annual CAS meeting (returning to the role again in 2006). She has chaired CARF (the Canadian Anesthesia Research Foundation) and via that important position contributed to the CAS board for numerous years. CARF has enabled CAS to support Canadian research and advance the field on a national and international level.

Awarded to a CAS member who has made a significant and sustained contribution to the Society and has helped improve its image as a volunteer. 

CAS Outstanding Volunteer Award

Dr James Kim

Vancouver, BC

Dr Kim has been a CAS member since 1999, having contributed to CAS in a wide variety of ways. This includes representing CAS on the Board for the BC Division, serving on various committees throughout the year, and performing Treasurer duties on the Executive Committee.

Awarded to a CAS member who has made a significant and sustained contribution to the Society and has helped improve its image as a volunteer. 

Research Recognition Award

Dr Andre Denault

Montreal, QC

Dr Denault is presently one of the key leaders in cardiac anesthesia, TEE, POCUS, right ventricular function in Quebec and Canada, with an international reputation. His academic activities and achievements are numerous, being a true recognized investigator with a brilliant mind and outstanding attitude towards teaching.

Dr Denault’s exceptional academic achievements encompass both his outstanding research ability in
echocardiography - and more recently in point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) - and his extraordinary capabilities in teaching the management of the unstable patient. He is the lead author of two seminal textbooks on transesophageal echocardiography: “Transesophageal Echocardiography Multimedia Manual: A Perioperative Transdisciplinary Approach” (3rd edition currently in preparation) and “Basic Transesophageal and Critical Care Ultrasound”, making him an international leader in the field of transesophageal echocardiography. Thanks to his visionary work and discoveries, his research findings will have a lasting impact on our specialty.

Presented by the Canadian Anesthesiologists’ Society to honour a senior investigator who has made major contributions to anesthesia research in Canada