Dr. Jim Dosman will be honoured in May
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
A Saskatchewan doctor whose career intersected the ag industry and the medical field will receive a prestigious honour next year.
Dr. Jim Dosman, considered by many as the “father of agricultural medicine” in Canada, will be inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame in May.
Growing up in Humboldt, Sask., Dosman saw the dangers of the ag industry for producers, workers and families.
After earning his M.D. from the University of Saskatchewan in 1963 and specializing in respiratory medicine at McGill University, he began studying the effects of dust exposure on farmers and ag workers.
Dosman helped found several organizations dedicated to ag health, including the Canadian Coalition for Agricultural Safety and Rural Health (now the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association) in 1993.
In 1986, he founded the Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S).
The facility conducts research on farm injuries, rural health and childhood asthma, while also partnering with local organizations to reduce injuries and illnesses on farms.
Dr. Dosman helped the International Labour Organization design Safety and Health in Agriculture in 2011, a code of practice that brought health care standards to millions of people in the ag industry.
His work in the medical and agricultural sectors make him a perfect fit for the induction.
“A pioneer in his field, Jim has been devoted throughout his career to improving and protecting the health of agricultural workers in Canada and the world,” Karen Chad, U of S vice-president of research, said in a statement Oct. 12.
“He has been an outstanding leader at the forefront of agricultural health and safety efforts, policy, and research. He is a visionary, a builder of teams and organizations, and a truly collaborative partner with farmers, industry and government to advance health and safety of rural Canadians.”
Farms.com has reached out to Dosman for comment on his induction.
Canadian Medical Hall of Fame photo