Congratulations to Dr. Marc Ruel who was awarded on November 22, 2018 with an Order of Ottawa.
Dr. Marc Ruel is a pioneer in the field of heart surgery, where he has distinguished himself as a top surgeon, researcher, educator, and administrator. Dr. Ruel is a professor in the Faculty of Medicine Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine and in the Department of Surgery, where he is also the Head of the Division of Cardiac Surgery. He is the Michael Pitfield Chair in Cardiac Surgery and Chair in Cardiac Surgery Research, and the Surgical Director of the heart transplantation program at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. He is also the President-Elect of the Canadian Cardiovascular Society, Canada’s most prestigious cardiovascular organization.
Committed to seeking new, innovative and minimally-invasive ways in which to execute cardiac care, Dr. Ruel co-developed the world’s first series of minimally invasive cardiac surgical coronary artery bypass grafting operations, changing cardiac surgical practices worldwide. He is continually pushing the boundaries of surgical intervention, advancing care, research and technical innovation in an effort to shorten patient recovery time and ensure better overall outcomes. Dr. Ruel shares his knowledge and expertise with his peers across Canada and internationally, widely involved in teaching advanced surgical techniques. He is the editor of a textbook about cardiac surgical techniques, and he has authored more than 300 peer-reviewed scientific publications and book chapters. He is devoted to improving the access, safety and efficiency of cardiovascular care delivery, for the greater overall benefit of Ottawans, Ontarians and Canadians.
Dr. Ruel has received many awards. He was named UBC’s Alan Bernstein Distinguished Lecture, the first recipient of the University of Ottawa Robert Roberts Award, the University of Ottawa Alumnus of the Year, and Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee Medal recipient. He was awarded the Gold Medal in Surgery from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, becoming the first Ottawa surgeon to ever win this award.
Learn more about the other inductees to this year’s order of Ottawa.
