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    Canada Research Chair

  • Portrait of Harvey Max Chochinov.
  • Distinguished professor

    Max Rady College of Medicine
    Department of Psychiatry
    University of Manitoba
    4005-675 McDermot Ave
    CancerCare Manitoba
    Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 0V9

    Phone: 204-975-7728
    Fax: 204-940-2327
    harvey.chochinov@cancercare.mb.ca

Affiliations/appointments

  • Senior Scientist, CancerCare Manitoba Research Institute, CancerCare Manitoba
  • Co-Founder – Canadian Virtual Hospice

Research groups

  • CancerCare Manitoba Research Institute
  • Research Lead, Palliative Care and Palliative Medicine Residency Program. The University of Manitoba

Research summary

Dr. Chochinov has been doing palliative care research since 1990 with funding support from local, provincial and national granting agencies. He has been a grantee of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the National Cancer Institute of Canada and the National Institute of Health. His work has explored various psychiatric dimensions of palliative medicine, such as depression, desire for death, will to live and dignity at the end of life.

Biography

Dr. Harvey Max Chochinov is a distinguished professor of psychiatry at the University of Manitoba and Senior Scientist, CancerCare Manitoba Research Institute.

His seminal publications addressing psychosocial dimensions of palliation have helped define core-competencies and standards of end-of-life care.

Dr. Chochinov has been a guest lecturer in most major academic institutions throughout Canada and United States; he has also lectured in South America, New Zealand, Australia, Europe, Cuba, Israel, China, Singapore, Taiwan and Japan.

He is the only psychiatrist in Canada to be designated as a Soros Faculty Scholar, Project on Death in America.

He is the co-founder of the Canadian Virtual Hospice, which is the world’s largest repository of web-based information and support for dying patients, their families and healthcare providers. His book, Dignity Therapy: Final Words for Final Days was the 2011 winner of the Prose Award. In addition to over 300 publications, he is the co-editor of the Handbook of Psychiatry in Palliative Medicine, published by Oxford University Press, and the Journal Palliative and Support Care, published by Cambridge University Press.

He has received top research awards from the Canadian Psychiatric Association, the Canadian Cancer Society, the American Association of Hospice and Palliative Care and the International Psycho-oncology Society; a lifetime achievement award from the Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology. In 2021, he received the highest honour that can be bestowed by the Canadian Medical Association, the FNG Starr Award. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. He is a recipient of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal and the Order of Manitoba. He is also an Officer in the Order of Canada. In 2020 he was inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame.

Education

Residency in Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University of Manitoba (1987)

Doctor of Medicine, University of Manitoba (1983)

Bachelor of Arts (English), University of Winnipeg (1993)

Doctor of Philosophy (Community Health Sciences), University of Manitoba (1996)

Awards

2021:

  • European Association of Palliative Care Research, Clinical Impact Award

2020:

  • Canadian Medical Hall of Fame

2015:

  • 12th Annual John Mendelsohn Award for Outstanding Contributions in the Development of the Field of Palliative Care, MD Anderson Cancer Centre, Houston, TX
  • Eduardo Bruera Award in Palliative Medicine, Canadian Society of Palliative Care Physicians
  • Officer of the Order of Canada, Government of Canada

2014:

  • Carmelita Lawlor Lectureship in Palliative Care, Hospice Palliative Care Ontario

2012:

  • Prose Award for Professional and Scholarly Excellence in Clinical Medicine, American Publisher’s Award
  • Frederic Newton Gisborne Starr Award, Canadian Medical Association
  • Scholastic Award, Doctors Manitoba

2011:

  • Award for Excellence in Scientific Research, American Association for Hospice and Palliative Medicine

2010:

  • Lifetime Achievement Award, Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology
  • Bernard Fox Memorial Award, International Psycho-Oncology Society

2009:

  • The Dr. John M. Bowman Memorial Award, Winnipeg RH Institute Foundation

2008:

  • O. Harold Warwick Prize, Canadian Cancer Society

2007:

  • Fellow, Canadian Academy of Health Sciences

2006:

  • Fellow, Royal Society of Canada
  • J.M. Cleghorn Award for Excellence and Leadership in Clinical Research, Canadian Psychiatric Association

2004:

  • Order of Manitoba, Government of Manitoba
  • Research Award Recipient, Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine

2002:

  • Queen’s Golden Jubilee Anniversary Medal

1996:

  • Fellow, Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine
  • Soros Faculty Scholar, Project on Death in America, Open Society Institute
  • RH Award for Outstanding Contributions to Scholarship Research, University of Manitoba

Contact us

Psychiatry
PZ433-771 Bannatyne Avenue
University of Manitoba, Bannatyne campus
Winnipeg, MB R3E 3N4 Canada

204-787-7056 
204-787-4879