Heather Morrison
{{Short description|Canadian emergency room physician}}
Heather Morrison {{postnominals|country=CAN|OPEI}} is a Canadian emergency room physician who serves as the Chief Public Health Officer (also referred to as the Medical Officer Of Health) for Prince Edward Island. She was the first woman to receive the Rhodes Scholarship in the Prince Edward Island region, and was named The Guardian’s Newsmaker of the Year in 2020.{{Cite web|last=Day|first=Jim|title=P.E.I. chief public health officer Dr. Heather Morrison says tackling the pandemic has been 'all-consuming' {{!}} The Guardian|url=http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/local/pei-chief-public-health-officer-dr-heather-morrison-says-tackling-the-pandemic-has-been-all-consuming-441942/|access-date=2021-03-13|website=www.theguardian.pe.ca|language=en}}
Early life and education
Morrison grew up outside of Charlottetown in rural Prince Edward Island. She cites that a high school chemistry teacher, named Mr. Spenceley, convinced her to stay in a science class when she didn't want to. Morrison completed a Bachelor Of Science degree at the University of Prince Edward Island in 1991.{{Cite web|title=Distinguished Alumni {{!}} University of Prince Edward Island|url=https://www.upei.ca/alumni/awards-and-recognition/distinguished-alumni|access-date=2021-03-13|website=UPEI|language=en}} She completed a Master’s degree, and a Doctor Of Philosophy degree at Oxford University, in the United Kingdom.{{Cite web|last=McNeil|first=Nicole|title=The cycle of life|url=https://www.saltscapes.com/roots-folks/2789-the-cycle-of-life.html|access-date=2021-03-13|website=Saltscapes Magazine|language=en-gb}} Next, Morrison completed medical school training at the Dalhousie University, with residency training in community medicine at the University of Toronto.
Career
In July 2007, Morrison was appointed as the Chief Public Health Officer for Prince Edward Island (PEI).{{Cite web|last=Toolkit|first=Web Experience|date=2016-06-08|title=Morrison|url=https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/employee/morrison-heather|access-date=2021-03-13|website=www.princeedwardisland.ca}}
Previously, Morrison has served as the Chair of the Canadian Council of Chief Medical Officers of Health, the Co-Chair of the Opioid Action Plan for PEI, Co-Chair of the Ebola response for PEI, and Chair of the Provincial infection and prevention control Committee. She has also served as a representative on behalf of the PEI on the Public Health Network Council of Canada, the national Special Advisory Committee in H1N1, and on the Epidemic of opioid overdoses committee.
Morrison has spoken about different aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic in Prince Edward Island, including the COVID-19 vaccines, preparations for vaccine delivery and roll-out in Prince Edward Island, and public health practices, for multiple media outlets.{{Cite web|date=2021-05-27|title='Today is an exciting day': P.E.I. announces reopening plan to begin June 6|url=https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/today-is-an-exciting-day-p-e-i-announces-reopening-plan-to-begin-june-6-1.5444958|access-date=2021-06-05|website=Atlantic|language=en}}{{Cite news|title=King, Morrison, Dowling get 1st dose of COVID-19 vaccine|work=CBC News|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-covid-vaccine-premier-king-morrison-dowling-1.6016381}}{{Cite news|title=2 new cases of COVID-19 reported on P.E.I. Friday|work=CBC News|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-covid-19-friday-two-new-cases-1.6044263}}{{Cite web|last=Diamantakos|first=Rinna|date=2021-05-28|title=Second COVID-19 vaccine doses: Where each province and territory stands on rollout|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/second-covid-19-vaccine-doses-where-each-province-and-territory-stands-on-rollout-1.5447228|access-date=2021-06-05|website=Coronavirus|language=en}}{{Cite web|title='This is our ticket out': Generation Z now able to book vaccines in N.S.|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/7899163/generation-z-covid-vaccine-eligible-n-s/|access-date=2021-06-05|website=Global News|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=ICI.Radio-Canada.ca|first=Zone Santé-|title=Le taux de vaccination monte à près de 57 % à l'Île-du-Prince-Édouard {{!}} La COVID-19 en Atlantique|url=https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1797719/ile-heather-morrison-cas-covid-vaccination-juin|access-date=2021-06-05|website=Radio-Canada.ca|language=fr-ca}} Morrison's leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic in Prince Edward Island has been recognized in various media outlets, and earned different forms of recognition, including being named The Guardian’s Newsmaker of the Year (2020) and having a calf named after her.{{Cite web|title=Canada's chief medical officers put women's leadership in spotlight|url=https://policyoptions.irpp.org/magazines/april-2020/canadas-chief-medical-officers-put-womens-leadership-in-spotlight/|access-date=2021-03-13|website=Policy Options}}
Personal life
Honours and awards
- The Guardian’s Newsmaker of the Year (2020)
- University of Prince Edward Island's Distinguished Alumni Awards (2016)
- City of Summerside's Frances O. Perry Good Neighbour of the Year (2021){{Cite news|date=2021-04-02|title=Summerside honours 'good neighbour' Dr. Heather Morrison|work=CBC News|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-frances-perry-good-neighbour-morrison-1.5974325}}
- Order of Prince Edward Island (2021){{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-order-2021-1.6085810|title=Dr. Heather Morrison among 3 named to Order of P.E.I.|publisher=CBC|first=Kevin|last=Yarr|date=June 30, 2021}}
References
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{{CanChiefHealthOfficers}}
{{COVID-19 pandemic in Canada}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Morrison, Heather}}
Category:Canadian health officials
Category:Canadian women physicians
Category:Physicians from Prince Edward Island
Category:Canadian Rhodes Scholars
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:University of Prince Edward Island alumni
Category:Alumni of the University of Oxford
Category:Dalhousie University alumni
Category:Members of the Order of Prince Edward Island