Respirology and Sleep Medicine Division Chair Transition

General DOM News & Events

| 23 May 2024

Dr. Sue Moffatt has decided to step down as the interim Chair of the Division of Respirology and Sleep Medicine, effective June 30, 2024. We are pleased to announce that Dr. Geneviève Digby and Dr. Christopher Parker have agreed to serve as dyad to fulfill the interim Division Chair role, effective July 1, 2024. Both Dr. Digby and Dr. Parker are highly experienced and respected physicians, and we have full confidence in their ability to lead the division.

We would like to take this opportunity to extend our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Dr. Moffatt for her outstanding contributions to the division - far beyond what the Department was ever entitled to or could have asked of her. When Respirology needed leadership, Dr. Moffatt was approached based on her well-known merit as a superb clinician and medical educator. Despite her plans for retirement, she accepted the challenge of the Division Chair role in December 2021. As interim Chair, Dr. Moffatt has consistently represented the division and ensured its stability and growth.

Dr. Moffatt’s distinguished career spans over 35 years, during which she has made significant contributions in clinical practice, administration, and medical education. Her exemplary leadership skills and unwavering dedication to patient-centered care have been instrumental in advancing healthcare delivery at Queen’s University and Kingston Health Sciences Centre. In addition to her clinical responsibilities, Dr. Moffatt has excelled as a lecturer, educator, and mentor. Dr. Moffatt is widely celebrated for her exceptional teaching ability, earning acclaim locally, provincially, and nationally. Her unwavering dedication to fostering the next generation of healthcare professionals has been acknowledged through numerous prestigious awards. Notably, she has been honoured with the esteemed W. Ford Connell Awards for Excellence in Teaching from Queen’s University an impressive seven times.

In addition to these awards, Dr. Moffatt's contributions have been recognized with the Department of Medicine Master Educator Award in 2013, the Department of Medicine Master Clinician Award in 2019, and the Stephen Archer Outstanding Leadership Award in 2023. Her impact extends beyond her immediate academic sphere; she has received the Aesculapian Society Lectureship Award from medical student classes on seventeen occasions. Additionally, she was recipient of the Faculty of Health Sciences Ron Wigle Mentorship Award in 2020. Beyond the confines of Queen’s University, her educational expertise has earned her widespread recognition. She has been honoured with the PARO Excellence in Teaching Award, the Canadian Critical Care Society’s Frank S. Rutledge Award of Excellence in Critical Care Teaching, and the Canadian Association for Medical Education Certificate of Merit Award.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Dr. Moffatt embodies the values of excellence, compassion, and advocacy that are central to the mission of Queen’s University. She is not only a skilled clinician and educator but also a caring and conscientious physician who prioritizes the well-being of her patients and colleagues. Her dedication to excellence in patient care, education, and community service exemplifies the highest standards of professionalism and integrity.

Members of the Division of Respirology and Sleep Medicine would also like to take this opportunity to share the following messages:

Dr. Moffatt took over the Division when it was in a very difficult situation, with a severe attrition of Respirologists and as a consequence imminent burnout and very low morale of the Division members. She has been instrumental not only in maintaining the services the Division provided to in and outpatients, but was able to recruit several new members and avoid what was likely a series of catastrophic events.
Dr. Moffatt has shown exemplary leadership by listening and supporting the needs of the members of the Division and as a result has improved the quality of the life of Faculty, Fellows and patients alike. She did all this by accepting to stay and help the Division when she was about to retire, a great example of generosity and collegiality!
Dr. Moffatt is a strong advocate for her patients and she has been a tremendous support for the Sleep program. I value her wise counsel, foresight and integrity.
Dr. Moffatt has gone above and beyond in responding to Divisional member needs, recruitment, onboarding, and optimizing the day-to-day functions of the Division so that faculty members are supported to provide the best possible care to their patients. She has given so much of herself to support the Division, not just in terms of her time, but in terms of her compassion and empathy, her emotional support of faculty members, her problem-solving skills, and her attention to detail. Those of us who have had the benefit of learning from her and working with her have been forever changed and will always be grateful for how she has helped shape our careers, work environment, and our futures.

Thank you, Dr. Moffatt, for your outstanding contributions to the Department of Medicine, and congratulations on a stellar career. Your legacy of unwavering commitment to patient advocacy, collegiality, and integrity will be remembered. Wishing you all the best in your future endeavours!

Respirology and Sleep Medicine Division Chair Transition

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Respirology and Sleep Medicine Division Chair Transition

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