Richard K. Reznick, MD, MEd, FRCSC, FACS, FRCSEd(Hon), FRCSI(Hon), FRCS(hon), is Professor of Surgery and Dean Emeritus, Faculty of Health Sciences Queen’s University and is married to Cheryl, and they have three children—Joanna, Josh and Gabe. Born in Montreal, he received his undergraduate university education and medical degree from McGill University, followed by a general surgical residency at the University of Toronto. He spent two years in fellowship training, first obtaining a Masters’ degree in medical education from Southern Illinois University, followed by a fellowship in colorectal surgery at the University of Texas in Houston, Texas.
Since his first faculty appointment at the University of Toronto in 1987, Dr. Reznick has been active in both colorectal surgery and research in medical education. He was instrumental in developing a performance-based examination, which is now used for medical licensure in Canada. He ran a research program on assessment of technical competence for surgeons and supervised a fellowship program in surgical education.
At the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine, he was the inaugural director of the Faculty’s Centre for Research in Education at University Health Network (The Wilson Centre) from 1997 to 2002. In 1999 he was appointed Vice President of Education at University Health Network. He served 8 years as the R. S. McLaughlin Professor and Chairman of the Department of Surgery at the University of Toronto from 2002 to 2010. From 2010 to 2020, Dr. Reznick served as Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences at Queen’s University and Chief Executive Officer of the Southeastern Ontario Academic Medical Organization (SEAMO).
As of March 1, 2023, Dr. Reznick will be the immediate past president of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
Dr. Reznick has received numerous awards for his work in education, including the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada Medal in Surgery and the James H. Graham Award of Merit, the Association for Surgical Education Distinguished Educator Award, the National Board of Medical Examiners John P. Hubbard Award, the Daniel C. Tosteson Award for Leadership in Medical Education, the 2006 Inaugural University of Toronto President’s Teaching Award and the Karolinska Institutet Prize for Research in Medical Education. In 2015, he was the recipient of McGill University’s Medicine Alumni Global Award for Lifetime Achievement. Dr. Reznick is an honorary fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland, and the Royal College of Surgeons (England).
Dr. Reznick is the author of more than 140 peer-reviewed publications and has delivered more than 300 lectures to hospitals, universities, and scientific organizations around the world.
