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The Dr. Frank S Rutledge Award for Excellence in Critical Care Teaching 

Call for Nominations 

Nominations closed for 2022

Who can be nominated?
Any staff physician involved in full or part-time clinical teaching of residents in a Canadian academic critical care training program (adult or pediatric) is eligible. The nominee must be a member in good standing of the Canadian Critical Care Society at the time the nomination is reviewed.

How are they nominated?
Any critical care resident can make a nomination. Alternatively, a group of critical care residents may submit a joint nomination. Several letters signed by different residents but part of one academic training program may better convey the strengths of the nominee than a single letter signed by multiple residents.  The letter(s) should be detailed outlining the qualities of the candidate. Specific examples illustrating these qualities are helpful. It must provide the name and contact information for the nominee.

Upon receipt of the letter(s), the nominee will be contacted by the Chair to confirm the nomination and request a current CV.

The selection committee will consider both recent and career contributions by the nominees. If a nominee is a past winner, the committee will give more weight to recent contributions. The letter(s) will be the primary information the Selection Committee has to make a decision. On occasions where nomination letters are deemed not to uphold the qualities that constitute the award, the Selection Committee will not give an award for that particular year.

Areas that the Awards Committee will consider include:
• passion and enthusiasm for teaching
• proficiency in delivering clear and relevant information
• quality of clinical and bedside teaching
• comprehension and appropriate use of the literature
• ability to be flexible and relate the teaching for the level of training
• ability to relate to and appreciate patient needs; be a local champion for exceptional patient care
• being a positive role model and mentorship of trainee/ junior staff
• interest in trainees' personal development and well-being
• commitment to the evaluation process
• collaborative multidisciplinary approach to teaching and clinical care
• innovative techniques
• curriculum development
• connecting teaching with problem solving and research

To acknowledge the particular values and interests of the late Dr. Frank S. Rutledge, specific attention will be given to teaching related to communication, administration and professionalism.

How are the winners chosen?

The Award winners are chosen by the Dr. Rutledge Award Selection Committee. This committee is chaired by the Chair, Critical Care Western, and is comprised of the Canadian Critical Care Society President, Canadian Critical Care Society Education Committee Chair, Critical Care Canada Forum scientific program chair, the Critical Care Western Program Director and the previous recipient of the award. Should there be a conflict of interest, in that a nominee is a member of the selection committee, the individual in question will not participate on the committee for that year. Please remember that nominations are judged on the quality of information provided in the supporting letter(s).


What do the winners receive?
All nominees receive a confirmation letter from Critical Care Western informing them of their nomination. At a nominee’s request, a letter will also be sent to other individuals the nominee feels are relevant for his/her career goals.

The winner will also receive a letter. The winner will be honoured at the Critical Care Canada Forum, where he/she will be invited to deliver a lecture.

The winner will also be presented with a plaque, and a $1,000.00 honorarium.

Who do I contact with questions? Where do we send nomination letters?
Please do not hesitate to contact Dr.
Wael Haddara - whaddar@uwo.ca

Mailing Address for letters:

Dr. Wael Haddara
London Health Sciences Centre
Room B2-194
339 Windermere Road
London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5A5

Or by Fax: (519) 663-8813

Or by E-mailing Dr. Haddara’s Administrative Assistant: Jessica Sturt-Smith  -  jessica.sturtsmith@lhsc.on.ca 

This is an important opportunity to recognize those who have made a remarkable contribution to the future leaders of critical care in Canada. We thank you for taking the time to acknowledge Canada’s outstanding clinical teachers in memory of one of our very best teachers, Dr. Frank S. Rutledge.


Previous recipients of the Frank S. Rutledge Critical Care Teaching Award:

  • 2010 David Leasa, University of Western Ontario
  • 2011 Simon Abrahamson, University of Toronto
  • 2012 Adam Peets, University of British Columbia
  • 2013 Susan Moffatt, Queen’s University
  • 2014 François LeBlanc, Université Laval
  • 2015 Not awarded
  • 2016 Toledano Baruch, Universite de Montreal
  • 2017 Philippe Couillard, University of Calgary
  • 2018 Pierre Cardinal, University of Ottawa
  • 2019 Alberto Goffi, University of Toronto
  • 2020 Dominique Piquette, Sunnybrook Hospital
  • 2021 Robert Arntfield, Western/London 



About the Association

The Canadian Critical Care Society (CCCS) is the National Specialty Society, representing Adult and Paediatric Critical Care Medicine physicians in Canada. The practice of Critical Care Medicine in Canada is multidisciplinary and CCCS members hold base specialty certification in anaesthesia, medicine, paediatrics, emergency medicine or surgery and some surgical subspecialties such as cardiac surgery and neurosurgery.

Contact Us

Email: cccs@secretariatcentral.com

Phone: 1-905-604-0166 Ext. 233 & 235

Address: 20 Crown Steel Dr. Unit #6, Markham, ON L3R 9X9

For media inquiries, please contact Kathryn Hendrick at (416) 277-6281.


The Canadian Critical Care Society thanks our organizational sponsors, MD Financial Management and Scotiabank for their generous support!

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