The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Susan Sullivan, Minister of Health and Community Services:

Dr. Ian Rusted Recognized for Contributions to Provincial Health Care

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in this Honourable House to recognize the contributions of the late Dr. Ian Rusted and the role he played in the founding of Memorial University’s Faculty of Medicine.

Dr. Rusted was born in Upper Island Cove in 1921. During his career he served in many distinguished roles including Medical Consultant to the Department of Health, family physician and most notably Memorial University’s first Dean of Medicine.

Dr. Rusted, recognizing the need for rural physicians, developed formal postgraduate and continuing medical education programs. These programs received national and international recognition and ultimately led to the founding of the Faculty of Medicine in 1967.

Today, as a result of his efforts, we are fortunate to have one of only 17 medical schools in Canada. Since its creation, Memorial University’s Faculty of Medicine has graduated over 2,000 students and is nationally recognized as a leader in developing rural physicians.

Memorial University continues to produce high-quality physicians who are positively impacting our health care system. Our province currently has more active physicians practicing than ever in our history, half of whom are graduates of Memorial’s Faculty of Medicine.

Our government continues to support the medical school. Through Budget 2013, $14.6 million is being provided for the continued expansion of the Faculty of Medicine and construction of the Craig L. Dobbin Genetics Research Centre. This expansion will increase the medical class size from just over 60 students to more than 80, starting in the fall of 2013, as well as provide space for the growth of leading edge genetic research activity.

Dr. Rusted’s contributions were recently highlighted with his induction into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame. This honour is bestowed on individuals who have advanced health care and health research in Canada and around the world.

Today, our government remembers and is grateful for Dr. Rusted’s contributions to our province. Together with his family we celebrate his impressive career and his valuable contributions to Newfoundland and Labrador.

2013 05 14                     1:45 p.m.