Ontario’s Anesthesiologists’ Distinguished Service Award

Do you know an Ontario anesthesiologist who goes Beyond the Mask to provide significant service to our profession? Consider nominating them for Ontario’s Anesthesiologists' Distinguished Service Award! Presented during the Ontario Anesthesia Meeting, our Distinguished Service Award is the highest honour our organization can bestow.

Our Distinguished Service Award recognizes anesthesiologists who have provided significant service to the promotion of anesthesiology and/or its respective subspecialties in the Province of Ontario by having had an active role in:

• Clinical Service or Excellence

• Administrative and Leadership

• Education and Teaching

• Research and Scientific Work

• Humanitarian and Altruism

To be eligible for nomination, the candidate must be an anesthesiologist who has been an active member in good standing in the Section on Anesthesiology in the OMA or has practiced anesthesiology in Ontario for a minimum of 10 years.

Nominations are now closed for 2026.

2026 Distinguished Service Award Recipient

Dr. Janet van Vlymen from Queen’s University

The DSA is our highest honour and recognizes Ontario anesthesiologists who demonstrate exceptional leadership in our specialty. In 2026, that honour is being awarded to one of our members who has not only dedicated decades to anesthesiology as a clinician, educator, researcher, and leader, but who was described by one of her nominators as “the person people seek out when systems are strained, when decisions are difficult, and when the stakes are high” due to “her rare combination of intellectual clarity, moral courage, and relentless follow-through.”

Dr. Janet van Vlymen, congratulations on being this year’s recipient of the Distinguished Service Award!

Dr. Vlymen received her award on Saturday, November 7, at the 71st Ontario Anesthesia Meeting. We look forward to sharing a longer biography of her later in November.

Past Recipients