Health Sciences Centre and Its Research Arm Appoints New Vice President, Research and Chief Scientist

The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and the Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute are pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Abraham (Rami) Rudnick as the new Vice President, Research and Chief Scientist.

This is a position of dual responsibility, facilitated by the fact that the Health Sciences Centre has designated the Research Institute as its research authority.

The Vice President, Research is responsible for all research that is executed within the Health Sciences Centre, thereby ensuring that all research at the Health Sciences Centre is managed by the Research Institute. The Vice President, Research also participates extensively in hospital planning activities including the establishment of clinical priorities, the development of the strategic plan and in determining the role of the Hospital in the North West Local Health Integration Network (the Network).

The Chief Scientist of the Research Institute is responsible for the development of the scientific directions for the Institute, the development and implementation of a strategic plan based on those directions, the recruitment and retention of scientific staff of the Research Institute, and for its overall success. The Chief Scientist provides overall research leadership and strategic direction for the Research Institute.  Further, the Chief Scientist will be responsible for several internal and external funding sources that support the Research Institute.

Dr. Rudnick brings a wealth of experience from many years in leading interprofessional health research.

During his time in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Western Ontario, Dr. Rudnick established and chaired the first Canadian Division of Social and Rural Psychiatry supporting cross-department and cross-faculty mental health research. Also, in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of British Columbia (UBC), he was partner appointed with the Vancouver island Health Authority’s Mental Health and Substance Use Program and served as their joint academic leader for Vancouver Island, advancing rural and other research.

Dr. Rudnick is a certified psychiatrist and a PhD-trained philosopher. He is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences and an Associate Member in the Department of Philosophy at McMaster University, Psychiatrist-in-Chief as well as a staff psychiatrist at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Ontario, and is a Canadian Certified Physician Executive and a Certified Psychiatric Rehabilitation Practitioner.

He is the recipient of the pioneer award in recovery research granted by the Psychosocial Rehabilitation (PSR) / Readaption Psychosociale (RPS) Canada, a recipient of the Michael Smith award granted by the Schizophrenia Society of Canada, a Fellow of the Canadian Psychiatric Association, and a Distinguished Fellow of the European Society for Person Centred Healthcare as well the Chair of its Mental Health Special Interest Group.

“The award-winning experience that Dr. Rudnick brings to this position is undeniable,” says Jean Bartkowiak, President and CEO of the Health Sciences Centre and CEO of the Research Institute. “We are confident that Dr. Rudnick will play a key role in helping us to achieve our strategic goals to advance patient care in Northwestern Ontario and ensure the continued success of the Research Institute.”

Dr. Rudnick will formally begin as Vice President, Research and Chief Scientist on January 3, 2017.

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