Congratulations to Dr. Robert Olson, Division of Radiation Oncology, who is the recipient of a 2021 Faculty of Medicine Distinguished Achievement Award in the category of Overall Excellence – Mid Career. Each year, the Faculty of Medicine recognizes faculty members who exemplify exceptional contributions in the areas of education, research and/or service, and who are dedicated to advancing both the Faculty’s values and vision of transforming health for everyone. Read about the other recipients here.
In July 2021, Dr. Olson was appointed as Associate Head, Research who will be responsible for enhancing and supporting the UBC Department of Surgery’s research activities.
Additionally, it was recently announced that Dr. Olson is leading one of the regions selected for a proof-of-concept phase of the Canadian Remote Access Framework for Clinical Trials (CRAFT) through the Canadian Cancer Clinical Trials Network (3CTN), which aims to broaden trial options for eligible cancer patients, regardless of where they live in Canada. for this initiative. “We are excited to partner with local health authorities in B.C., including Northern Health and Interior Health, to facilitate clinical trial follow-up in patients’ home communities,” says Dr. Robert Olson. “General practitioners in partner communities will undergo clinical trial training and help with patient follow-up, physical exams, and adverse event reporting, enabling patients from more remote communities, including First Nations, to commit to the multi-year follow-up programs needed for clinical trials.” Read more about this initiative here.