CDF 2009 Practitioner of the Year Dr Richard Cloutier is presented with commemorative plaque at the CDA President’s Banquet in Vancouver, July 4, 2009
L-R: Dr Richard Cloutier, Dr Yves Poulin, President CDA, Dr Neil Shear, President CDF

Vancouver, BC. Dr Richard Cloutier, Clinical Professor, Department of Medicine, Laval University, in Quebec was honoured as the Canadian Dermatology Foundation “Practitioner of the Year 2009” at the President’s Banquet of the Canadian Dermatology Association’s Annual Meeting, held July 4, at the Fairmont Vancouver Hotel.

Recognized nationally as an outstanding clinician, Dr Cloutier practices dermatology in Quebec City and is well known for the excellence of his academic papers and presentations. Dr Cloutier was a long time director of the Laval residency program and served as a mentor not only to countless young, aspiring dermatologists but also to students in all fields of medicine.He is also a past president of the Canadian Dermatology Association (2005).

Dr Shear, President of the CDF presented Dr Cloutier with a plaque commemorating the occasion, saying that his colleague has been an inspiration to his students and a role model for the dermatology community.

Accepting the award to enthusiastic applause by his colleagues and Residents, Dr Cloutier said he was surprised and extremely honoured by the nomination. The CDF bestowed on Dr Cloutier a Benefactor Life Membership in the Foundation, the highest level in the organization, recognizing contributors of $10,000 or more. The award was made possible by a Corporate Benefactor Contribution of $10,000 made by Leo Pharma Inc.

CDF Practitioner of the Year, Dr Richard Cloutier with some Quebec City Dermatology Residents

The CDF Practitioner of the Year is an annual award which was established in 1992 to honour Canadian dermatologists whose major income is produced from clinical practice and who have made a major contribution to dermatology and the community at large. The nomination for the Practitioner of the Year is made by an independent peer group consisting solely of members of the Canadian Dermatology Foundation and the dermatology community. The final selection is made by the Board of Directors of the Canadian Dermatology Foundation.

Previous recipients of the award are Dr. Ralph Wilkinson, Dr. Peter Hull, Dr. John Toole, Dr. Ricky Kanee Schachter, Dr. W. Stuart Maddin, Dr. Pierre Ricard, Dr. Tom Enta, Dr. William Pace, Dr. Don Rosenthal, Dr. Bob Lester, Dr. J. Barrie Ross, Dr. William N. McEachern, Dr. W. Alastair McLeod and Dr. Donald C. Montgomery, who was the first recipient in 1992.

The Canadian Dermatology Foundation was established in 1969 to further scientific knowledge of skin diseases. The CDF is the leading source of funding for peer-reviewed dermatological research in Canada and grants to date total over $5 million. Current advances in knowledge of skin disease are leading to improved methods of diagnosis and treatment, which benefit dermatologists and their patients.

For more information on Canadian Dermatology Foundation activities, go to www.cdf.ca