Dr. Anna Jarvis appointed to the Order of Ontario

By Tenney Loweth, Intern, Communications & Public Affairs

Dr. Anna Jarvis, retired Staff Physician in the Division of Paediatric Emergency Medicine and Professor Emerita at the Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto (U of T), has been appointed to the Order of Ontario. The announcement  was made by the Government of Ontario on Dec. 14.

The Order of Ontario is the province's highest official honour. It is awarded to individuals who have demonstrated excellence and achievement in any field benefiting the people of Ontario or anywhere in the world.

Jarvis has made significant and lasting contributions to the field of paediatric emergency medicine. She is an international authority on emergency health care for children and was a member of the national task force that led to the accreditation of paediatric emergency medicine at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

After completing basic training in her native Jamaica, Jarvis joined the Department of Paediatrics. She became a SickKids staff member in 1977 after completing four years of paediatric training at SickKids, followed by paediatric oncology clinic and ward work at Princess Margaret Hospital. While at SickKids, Jarvis created and implemented the Department of Paediatrics Clinical Fellowship Program in Paediatric Emergency Medicine. She supervised the program for 13 years. She also initiated a program that brought international graduates from around the world to learn North American paediatric emergency medicine. She retired from clinical practice in 2010.

Jarvis is still involved in the SickKids community, teaching paediatric life-support simulation skills in the Simulation Centre and evaluating paediatric medicine exams. She continues to teach and mentor students, as well as lend her expertise to emergency medical programs in other countries, with a trip to Kuwait coming up next.

Awards in Jarvis’ name were established in 1993 by U of T (Anna Jarvis Award for Teaching Excellence in Emergency Medicine) and in 2010 by the Canadian Paediatric Society (Anna Jarvis Paediatric Emergency Medicine Teaching Award). Both recognize individuals who excel in paediatric emergency medicine teaching and education.