Biography
Dr. Mark Walker was appointed Vice-Dean, Internationalization and Global Health at the Faculty of Medicine in July 2021. He previously served as Interim Vice-Dean, Internationalization and Global Health since January 2021 Interim Director of the Office since October 2019.
Dr. Walker is a high-risk obstetrician and clinical epidemiologist at uOttawa. He earned his medical degree from Queen’s University and completed his residency training in obstetrics and gynecology at uOttawa, followed by a fellowship in maternal-fetal medicine at the University of Toronto. Dr. Walker also earned a Master of Science, Epidemiology from the University of Toronto, and most recently, a Master’s in Health Care Management from Harvard University.
In his 20 years at the Faculty, Dr. Walker has proven an influential leader, an outspoken participant in faculty affairs, a gifted obstetrician, and an expert in clinical epidemiology and maternal child health. He now joins the Faculty’s Executive Leadership Team after having proven his strengths in building international partnerships, establishing global programs, and promoting the Faculty’s brand. Dr. Walker’s leadership in 2018 as Chair of the Task Force on Internationalization resulted in a new set of mandates for the International and Global Health Office (IGHO) to enhance the Faculty’s global footprint going forward.
Dr. Walker is a full professor and until January 2021, he held the positions of Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Faculty and Chief of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Newborn Care at The Ottawa Hospital. He is a Senior Scientist with the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, the Scientific Director of BORN (Ontario’s pregnancy, birth and childhood registry and network), and Medical Lead - Obstetrics and Gynecology, Champlain Maternal Newborn Regional Program. He is alsgo cross-appointed to the School of Epidemiology and Public Health and the Telfer School of Management.
He is internationally recognized for his research, medical leadership and health services and policy work. The OMNI Research Group he co-founded has contributed to understanding of pre-eclampsia, thrombophilia, multi-gestation, treatment of infertility and health services utilization. He has published over 350 peer-reviewed articles including publications in JAMA, BMJ, Lancet and Nature Medicine, and he has been awarded more than $15 million in grant funding as PI.