Dr. Franco Rizzuti
While still in residency in Public Health and Preventive Medicine at the University of Calgary, Dr. Franco Rizzuti played a significant role in responding to COVID-19. His work on contact tracing led to the creation of the Alberta COVID-19 exposure Response Team, a model replicated across Canada, the United States and United Kingdom.
At the community level, he helped manage a COVID-19 outbreak at a Calgary meat processing plant, advocating on behalf of immigrant workers and their families.
Dr. Rizzuti is also a strong advocate for physicians. As president of the Professional Association of Resident Physicians of Alberta, he negotiated two agreements that led to improvements in wellness, learner safety and compensation. As the current president of the Canadian Association of Physicians with Disabilities, Dr. Rizzuti is spearheading initiatives aimed at increasing inclusivity in the workforce.
“Franco has made remarkable contributions to the health system, particularly to communicable disease emergency response, for the benefit of community members, health care workers and clinicians.” – Dr. Richelle Schindler, Medical Officer of Health - Calgary Zone, Alberta Health Services
Dr. Franco Rizzuti is receiving the CMA Award for Young Leaders (Early Career) in recognition of his exemplary creativity, initiative and commitment to making a difference at the local, provincial/territorial or national level.