Solidifying a legacy: The Dr. Roger G. Keith Award in Surgery
Dr. Roger Keith (MD), former head of the Department of Surgery at the University of Saskatchewan (USask), was a leader, educator and innovator.
A gifted teacher and nationally respected surgeon, he helped define the modern era of hepatopancreatobiliary surgery in Canada.
In his honour, his family established the Dr. Roger G. Keith Award in Surgery to support post-graduate surgical residents who demonstrate dedication to excellence in patient care and innovation.
“Our family wanted to establish this award to honour my husband’s life work by continuing his legacy through this endowment,” said Nancy Keith, partner of the late Dr. Keith.
Keith shaped a generation of surgical residents, and his influence continues through the many Keith-trained surgeons working across Canada and beyond. Among them is Dr. Michael Kelly (MD), the current Provincial Department Head of Surgery, and Fred H. Wigmore Professor.
Kelly noted, “The Dr. Roger G. Keith Award in Surgery will have a tangible impact on our residents by supporting those who demonstrate exceptional commitment to patient care and innovation. We are deeply grateful to the Keith family for creating an award that reflects his enduring values and strengthens surgical training in our province.”
Keith was the head of surgery from 1990 to 2005 and the first USask Fred H. Wigmore Professor of Surgery. He was the director of clinical affairs for the College of Medicine and chair of the faculty council from 2014 to 2016. For more than five decades, Keith trained under world-renowned surgeons, introduced new surgical techniques to Canada, and served in leadership roles across major national and international organizations.