SUDBURY, Ont., May 3, 2024 — Dr. Dominik Nowak, a family doctor practising at Women's College Hospital in Toronto, is now the 143rd president of the Ontario Medical Association and top advocate for the province’s 43,000 doctors.
Dr. Nowak began his one-year term at the association’s Annual General Meeting in Sudbury on Thursday night.
Dr. Nowak’s priorities for his presidency include advancing solutions for a health-care system he calls “more kind, caring, and careful.” He will work with government and stakeholders to be a tireless advocate for the issues facing Ontario’s doctors and implement recommendations laid out in the Prescription for Ontario: Doctors’ Solutions for Immediate Action.
“As a family doctor, I see the issues in our health system and their impact on patients,” said Dr. Nowak. “I’m an optimist, which means owning the reality that health care is under immense pressure. To me, optimism also means hope. It’s never been a more important time to bring forward the voice of physicians so we see action on real solutions that will make an impact now.”
Dr. Nowak will continue his clinical practice with locum support while he is OMA president. Dr. Nowak trained at McMaster University, where he specialized in family medicine and served as chief resident. He went on to the University of Toronto to finish a master of health administration at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation as well as the ICD-Rotman Directors Education Program at the Rotman School of Management. Dr. Nowak is a faculty member at the Department of Family and Community Medicine and the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto.
As OMA president, Dr. Nowak will be focused on getting action on tangible solutions to address the enormous pressure currently on the health-care system. 2.3 million people in Ontario are without a family doctor, and emergency rooms and hospitals are under unprecedented strain.
“We need to lay the foundation for a system that is once again a source of pride for generations to come, said Dr. Nowak. “As doctors and as health-care leaders, we are dedicated to our patients and to building a stronger future where everyone can access the care they need.”
Dr. Nowak will work closely with Dr. Cathy Faulds and Dr. Sharon Bal who were elected by the board of directors to serve as board chair and board vice-chair, respectively.
Dr. Faulds, a family physician from London, Ont., was first elected to the board in 2021 and has served as the chair of the board since 2022.
Dr, Sharon Bal, a family physician from Cambridge, Ont., was elected to the board in 2022.
Dr. Nowak succeeds Dr. Andrew Park as OMA president. During his term, Dr. Park was a critical figure in bringing attention to urgent issues facing health care through media interviews, meetings with government officials, and other advocacy work. Dr. Park will continue to serve the OMA as immediate past president.
OMA members have chosen Dr. Zainab Abdurrahman, an allergist and clinical immunologist practicing in the Greater Toronto Area, as their president-elect. Dr. Abdurrahman will work closely with Dr. Nowak throughout his presidency.
The Ontario Medical Association represents Ontario’s 43,000-plus physicians, medical students and retired physicians, advocating for and supporting doctors while strengthening the leadership role of doctors in caring for patients. Our vision is to be the trusted voice in transforming Ontario’s health-care system.
For more information, please contact:
Emily English, OMA media relations
media@oma.org