CDF 2008 Practitioner of the Year Dr Ralph Wilkinson
is presented with commemorative plaque at the CDA President’s Banquet in Montreal, 1 July 2008.
L - R: Dr. Kenneth Kobayashi, Dr Ralph Wilkinson,
Dr John Elie, Dr Neil Shear

Montreal, Quebec. Dr Ralph Wilkinson, a highly respected Montreal dermatologist was honoured as the Canadian Dermatology Foundation “Practitioner of the Year 2008” at the President’s Banquet of the Canadian Dermatology Association’s Annual Meeting, held July 1, at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel.

The audience responded with a standing ovation when CDF President Dr Neil Shear announced the prestigious award to a surprised and delighted Dr Wilkinson.

Nominator Dr John Elie said that during his 40 year career, 20 years of which he was Chief of Dermatology at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, Dr Wilkinson had inspired many students, and had made an enduring contribution to Canadian Dermatology that few of his peers could match.

Dr Shear acknowledged that the audience response indicated a high degree of approval of the award, adding that his nominators described Dr Wilkinson as “…a brilliant and inspiring teacher, an extraordinarily good clinician and surgeon… a man dedicated to academic dermatology for over forty years, possessing a knowledge of basic and clinical sciences second to none, and someone who is very much active in the Montreal dermatological community". Accepting a commemorative plaque, Dr Wilkinson said that he was honoured by the award, and hoped that the many residents he had been privileged to teach would experience the same fulfilment he had enjoyed by pursuing his career in dermatology.

CDF 2008 Practitioner of the Year Dr Ralph Wilkinson with some of the residents he had taught during his career. At front, Dr John Elie, who nominated Dr Wilkinson for this honour.

Dr Wilkinson studied at Queen’s University, Montreal General Hospital, F. E. Bunts Inst, of the Cleveland Clinic ( Dermatology - Dr. J. Haserick), and McGill, receiving his Canadian and Quebec Certification as a dermatologist in 1961, and both fellowship of the Royal College, and Fellow of the American Board of dermatology, in 1962.

He became Director of the Dermatology Research Unit at the Royal Victoria in 1965, the first of many managerial positions. He was a member of a numerous academic boards, and examining committees. In addition to teaching throughout his career at the Royal Victoria, he was a visiting professor at UBC, Vancouver, and University of Nagoya, Japan. An active clinical researcher from the start, Dr Wilkinson has an extensive bibliography of publications.

Dr Wilkinson retired from Chief of Dermatology in 1990, but is active in the McGill University Health Centre and maintains a clinical practice at the Royal Victoria, and Westmount Square.

The CDF bestowed on Dr Wilkinson a Benefactor Life Membership in the Foundation, the highest level in the organization, recognizing contributors of $10,000 or more. The elevation of Dr Wilkinson from his former Life Membership to the higher level was made possible by funding from corporate benefactors La Roche Posay ($4,000), Galderma ($2,000) and Stiefel Canada ($2,000).