Dr. Howard accepts honour

Chris Clegg
South Peace News

A former High Prairie doctor has received an Honorary Membership in the Canadian Medical Association. The honour was bestowed upon Dr. Ray Howard in a ceremony Aug. 19-22 in Vancouver. A medical graduate of the University of Edinburgh, Dr. Howard emigrated to High Prairie in April 1972 with three young children. He served the community as a general practitioner, surgeon and chief of surgical staff for more than 30 years. After restructuring he was appointed regional chief of staff for Keeweetinok Lakes Regional Health Authority. Concern about medical services in smalltown Alberta led Dr. Howard to represent the Alberta Medical Association on joint AMA-Alberta Health committees looking at programs and services in small hospitals. He championed the creation of Alberta’s first regional picture archiving and communications system in Keeweetinok Lakes, where he also chaired a local TeleHealth project committee raising money for Canada’s first regional TeleHealth network. In 1997 he was appointed to a provincial working committee on TeleHealth. From 1990-2004 he was a surveyor for the Canadian Council for Health Services Association. Twice he has served on the Hospital Privileges Appeal Board and, since 1991, he has been a member of the University of Alberta continuing medical education advisory committee. Since 2003, as medical consultant for Alberta Health and Wellness, he has served on a variety of trilateral committees and working groups. He also found time to participate in the MD-MLA and MD-MP programs and was extensively involved in community religious, cultural and recreational activities. Dr. Howard’s call to medicine is a family pursuit. His parents were physicians, as is his wife, Barbara. In fact, they met as medical students at the University of Edinburgh and enjoyed time together walking the hills and kayaking the lakes of Scotland. They were married in 1963 and had five children: Mary, Andrew, Jennifer, Peter and Ian. Of Dr. Howard’s five children, three are physicians who also are married to physicians, and hold two PhDs. During their time in High Prairie the Howards were involved in the recreation board, Ladies’ Hospital Auxiliary, Preschool Association, Dolphins swim club, Ukrainian dance club and the Advisory Board for Winagami Lake Park. They were also long-time members of the High Prairie United Church with Ray serving on the building committee for the new church.

Copyright © 1999-2005 South Peace News. All Rights Reserved.
No part may be reproduced without written permission.

View our Privacy Statement.
Send website suggestions to the Webmaster