James Dosman

Award for Distinction in Outreach & Engagement - Spring 2003

The Award for Extension and Public Service recognizes a member of faculty who has made an outstanding effort to further the University's extension and public service mission and has extended the University's expertise to the wider community.  James Dosman, Director of the Institute of Agricultural, Rural and Environmental Health, is the recipient for Spring 2003.

Dr. Dosman earned a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Saskatchewan in 1963.  After working for four years as a general practitioner in Saskatoon, he completed a residency in internal and respiratory medicine at McGill University.  In 1975 he joined the University of Saskatchewan as the founding head of the Division of Respiratory Medicine, College of Medicine.

In 1986, Dr. Dosman was instrumental in creating the Centre for Agricultural Medicine to do research and carry out programs relevant to the health of Saskatchewan farmers.  He has served as director of the Centre since its inception and has expanded and diversified its programs to the point in 2001 when, under his leadership, it became the Institute of Agricultural, Rural and Environmental Health.  It's the only institute in Canada that provides research, education, and health promotion to agricultural and rural populations.

In 1988, Dr. Dosman in conjunction with the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (S.A.R.M.) and rural municipal councils established the Agricultural Health and Safety Network.  Unique in Canada, this program provides education services, respiratory health and hearing screening programs, courses in emergency preparedness and other educational opportunities to the rural population.  The program now extends directly to more than 25,000 Saskatchewan farm families.

Dr. Dosman has also been instrumental in establishing rural health safety programs at the national and international levels.  In 1992, he became the chair of the newly-created Canadian Coalition of Agricultural Health and Safety and oversaw a number of new initiatives including the first annual Agriculture Health and Safety Conference, the Canadian Agricultural Injury Surveillance Program, and the Canadian Agriculture Safety Program.