Former DFM Chair Dr. Walter Rosser remembered as a leader, mentor and strong advocate for family medicine

Dr. Walter Rosser, a former chair of McMaster University’s Department of Family Medicine (DFM), passed away on October 2, 2022.

Dr. Rosser served as chair of McMaster’s DFM from 1986 to 1991. He also served as chair at the University of Toronto in 1991 and Queen’s University in 2001. He had a distinguished career and received the Order of Canada in 2010. Dr. Rosser is one of twenty individuals regarded as trailblazers in family medicine research.

“Walter [had an] open, gregarious, creative and flexible personality and approach,” said Dr. Bill Seidelman, Emeritus Professor and one of his colleagues at McMaster and the University of Toronto.

There were many developments, recruitments and challenges for the department during his time at McMaster. Dr. Elizabeth Latimer achieved secure funding in her role in palliative care. Doctors Dave Davis, Nancy Fowler, Fionella Crombie, Stephen Lloyd, Phyllis Blumberg, Elizabeth Lindsay, Andrew Oxman and John Swift were recruited as full-time faculty. Three full-time faculty, Dr. John Premi, Dr. Vince Rudnick and Dr. Jack Marlowe retired. The family medicine unit at the Hamilton General Hospital moved to the newly established North Hamilton Community Health Centre.

Dr. Allyn Walsh was recruited part-time. “I think Walt was the first person I met when I came back to McMaster as a nervous potential recruit to my dream job,” says Allyn Walsh, Professor Emeritus, Family Medicine. “He was the perfect fit for his preferred position – chairing an academic department of family medicine in Ontario. From where I sat it wasn’t always apparent just how, but he had a remarkable ability to “make it so.” He is missed.”

One area of focus for Dr. Rosser in his early days as chair was to set a clear mission statement, goals and objectives for the department. He also believed in the importance of having strong departmental communications and collaborative research relationships. He built a connection with the Education Centre on Aging and Health as he believed in the importance of elder care. Under his leadership, McMaster’s DFM played a lead role on the academic development of the Northwestern Ontario Medical Program (NOMP)’s Residency Program.

You can read more about the lasting impact Walter had on the DFM in his five-year departmental review report.

An in-person celebration of his life will be held on Saturday, October 22, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 130 Clergy St E, Kingston, ON K7K 3S3. The service will also be livestreamed. See the obituary for more information.