Physician Emeritus Awards

Congratulations are in order for a long-standing physician who earned an award to recognize her exemplary service and expertise in the community.

Dr. Michele Matter

Dr. Michele Matter is being recognized by Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority with a Physician Emeritus Award. Physician colleagues and community members had the chance to submit nominations for the prestigious award. Matter received a range of nominations, including from several paramedics, the team at the Selkirk Rapid Access to Addictions Medicine clinic, Ekosi Health Centre and leadership in Gimli.

“It is an incredible honour to be nominated for the Physician Emeritus Award and an absolute thrill to be chosen as this year’s recipient,” Dr. Matter said.

“It’s an unexpected yet very satisfying acknowledgment of the many years of hard work I put into my practice as well as the leadership and teaching I did.”

With more than 35 years of experience as a physician, Dr. Matter graduated from the University of Cape Town in December 1989. She worked for four years in Cape Town before leaving South Africa.

From there, her first stop was Scotland to pursue post-graduate education in pediatrics. That’s where she met a South African doctor who had been working in the Manitoba community of Leaf Rapids. That doctor told her about a job opportunity in Lynn Lake, where Dr. Matter ended up working for six years. It’s also where she met her partner, an RCMP officer who ended up being transferred to Gimli.

Thanks to a chance comment from Dr. Colin Nisbet, a previous chief of Selkirk ER who was teaching a course in Lynn Lake, Dr. Matter applied for a position in Selkirk’s emergency department. She got the job and worked there for the next 25 years before retiring in December 2023.

Since then, Dr. Matter has continued to work part time as a family doctor in Gimli and an addictions medicine provider at the RAAM clinic in Selkirk.

Some of her career highlights include being chosen as chief of staff or site lead at three hospitals in two regions of Manitoba —Lynn Lake, Gimli and Selkirk. She also had 10 years of experience teaching and providing on-call support for paramedics as their medical director.

In addition, Dr. Matter had the chance to work in Canada’s North, flying in to communities such as Brochet, Lac Brochet, Tadoule Lake and Pukatawagan to provide care.

“It was an incredible honour to have travelled where so few have, been able to see and appreciate the remote wilderness of the North and work with the amazing peoples who live there,” she said.

At the same time, her career helped create connections within the community while providing longitudinal care. She enjoyed the “absolute thrill and excitement” of the ER, as well as the satisfaction of getting to really know her patients in family medicine.

“Medicine has also given me the opportunity to volunteer my skills at many high-level sporting events, including the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games, World Women’s Hockey Championships and the Pan Am Games, amongst others. Imagine going to work on a ski-lift,” she said.

“My newest love is the incredible joy of helping people overcome addictions and maintain sobriety, one of the most difficult things I think humans have to go through. These are not weak people; they are amongst the strongest I know. It is such an honour to be able to offer them the slightest support.”

When reflecting on her career, Dr. Matter shared some words of gratitude.

She described Dr. Colin Nisbet, previous chief of ER in Selkirk, as “the most amazing medical mentor a person could wish for.” 

She also pointed to the positive impact of FeminEM, an informal WhatsApp group of the female physicians who worked together in the Selkirk ER through COVID and continue to provide each other with support and advice.

In addition, Dr. Matter is grateful for Dr. Shelley Turner, who taught her to dream big and encouraged her to always approach life with curiosity and kindness.

“To my patients who made all this possible, a huge debt of gratitude and love for the wonderful opportunities,” she said.

“To my teachers and mentors who made me the physician I am today, I couldn’t have done it without them. So when my turn came to take over those roles, it was done with humility and gratitude for those who led me.”

Dr. Scott Gregoire, Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority’s regional lead of medical services and chief medical officer, shared gratitude for Dr. Matter’s contributions.

“Dr. Matter has served the community and has be the model for professionalism, competence and mentorship,” he said.

“On a personal note, she has been an absolute pleasure to work with and her care to patients is exemplary. To work with her has been a privilege.”
“I’m just one of many people in the health-care system who try to do their best,” he said. “I appreciate
the recognition given to me by my colleagues. It is touching and humbling.”

Two longtime physicians earned a moment in the spotlight to recognize their commitment to health care throughout their careers.
Dr. Eric Stearns and Dr. Greg Pinniger each received a Physician Emeritus Award at Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority’s annual spring physician dinner on April 23 at the Selkirk Golf and Country Club.

Dr. Eric Stearns

Dr. Stearns graduated from medical school at the University of Manitoba in 1978 and finished his residency in obstetrics and gynecology five years later. He began practising at the Manitoba Clinic, while also working for the Northern Medical Unit and travelling to northern communities including Churchill, Rankin Inlet, Arviat, Coral Harbour, Baker Lake and Repulse Bay.

Over time, he shifted his focus to offer care in Hodgson and Fisher River. At the same time, he spent
more than 25 years in Selkirk performing surgery and providing clinical care. He also ran a private
practice in Selkirk for two years. Today, Dr. Stearns continues to do surgical assisting in Selkirk.
He also serves as a physician advisor for the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba (CPSM) and is a past-president for CPSM. In addition, he chaired the perinatal maternal health standards committee at the CPSM for many years and worked as a consultant on the Manitoba Physician Achievement Review program. He continues to work with CPSM’s quality improvement program.
Adding to his varied experience, Dr. Stearns was a department head at Seven Oaks General Hospital and served on multiple committees through Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority, as well as holding the position of assistant professor in University of Manitoba’s department of obstetrics and gynecology.

With a global reach, Dr. Stearns taught the ALARM International Program in Guyana, Ethiopia and
Tanzania. This program aims to reduce maternal and newborn mortality around the world. In Guyana,
Dr. Stearns also reviewed the national obstetrical program for the government.

As he prepares to wrap up a career that spans more than four decades, Dr. Stearns said receiving the Physician Emeritus Award is the top honour.

Dr. Stearns expects that 2024 will be his final year of practice. Looking back, there’s much that he’s
enjoyed over the decades.
“You can’t beat delivering babies, and I also love to teach,” he said. “And to go out with this award is
awesome. It’s the highlight of my career. It really tops it off. This is amazing to me.”

Dr. Greg Pinniger

Dr. Greg Pinniger also enjoys the variety he has experienced through his career in rural general practice.
Since 1992, Dr. Pinniger has served as a physician in Manitoba with four years in Killarney and 26 years
at Stonewall Medical Clinic, along with work in the surgical intensive care unit at Health Sciences Centre.
Outside of Manitoba, he did locums in Prince Edward Island and Alberta.
As a general practitioner, Dr. Pinniger said he enjoys “knowing a little bit about a lot of things.” He also appreciates that the duration of his career has allowed him continuity of care with his patients. By
working alongside other dedicated and enthusiastic doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and
administrators, Dr. Pinniger feels gratitude for individuals who comprise the care teams that health-care requires.
At the same time, Dr. Pinniger has enjoyed serving on Interlake-Eastern RHA’s medical advisory
committee over the years.
Looking ahead, he hopes other new physicians might pursue a similar path in rural general practice.
“I hope that rural and family medicine can one day recapture the attention of new medical graduates
and entice them into a rewarding, challenging career — one where they can grow professionally and
personally and one where they can feel truly needed by those that they serve,” said Dr. Pinniger, adding that coming to Stonewall was the highlight of his career.

As for being chosen as a recipient of the Physician Emeritus Award, Dr. Pinniger said it’s an honour —
and a surprise.
“I’m just one of many people in the health-care system who try to do their best,” he said. “I appreciate
the recognition given to me by my colleagues. It is touching and humbling.”

2023 Winners

On April 25, Dr. Habtu Demsas and Dr. Richard Roland Lindenschmidt were presented with the Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority’s Physician Emeritus Award for exemplary service and expertise to their community. This award is the first in the Interlake-Eastern RHA and was presented to the doctors in front of 45 colleagues and their spouses at the Spring Physician Dinner on April 25 — the first dinner held since 2019.

Dr. Habtu Demsas

Dr. Demsas has practised for almost 45 years. Originally from Eritrea, he is fluent in multiple languages and has a special interest in orthopedics. Nominated by physician colleagues, Dr. Demsas has served the community in Selkirk for 35 years and was instrumental in starting the cancer outreach program 30 years ago. In 2009 he was awarded the Jack Armstrong Humanitarian award by Doctors Manitoba for outstanding contributions in the service of humanity.

“I thank my colleagues at Selkirk Medical Centre, the hospital and the personal care homes for thinking of me. This is really huge for me, my family and my wife too as they have supported me throughout my work,” says Dr. Demsas. “Working in this area has been wonderful. I have been able to teach students, residents, all while serving the community and living and working rurally but close to the city centre.”

Dr. Demsas plans to retire in October 2023.

Dr. Richard R. Lindenschmidt

Dr. Lindenschmidt has been practising in the community for more than 40 years. His colleagues who nominated him pointed out how dependable he is and his exemplary bedside manner and commitment to his patients.

“I feel really honoured that my colleagues thought of me. I think that was really thoughtful of them to nominate me for this award,” says Dr. Lindenschmidt. “The best part of serving Selkirk and surrounding areas has been that I’ve been able to help people and their families, and also getting to know people in the community has been definitely a benefit to living and working here.”

Dr. Lindenschmidt retired last October.