Summer 2026 (Volume 36, Number 2)

The CRA’s 2026 Leadership Impact Award Recipient: Dr. Steven Katz

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Some time ago, I was a third-year internal medicine resident attending one of my first CRA annual scientific meetings. I gave my first oral scientific presentation and, at the annual dinner, I can recall when my name was called to receive an award for my talk. I remember standing on the stage next to Dr. Gunnar Kraag, an esteemed rheumatologist and then President of the CRA, with his deep, kind booming voice, standing to my left, leaning over and whispering in my ear: “Welcome to Rheumatology!”

Over two decades since, that moment has stuck with me. I am preaching to the choir to tell you how lucky we all are to practice within the best field in medicine, with science that is growing by leaps and bounds, with patients from all walks of life who you get to know and truly help year after year, and with absolutely wonderful colleagues who you get to work and play with every day, knowing they will be your rock in good times and bad.

I think it’s because of all those things that I am here being honoured by my amazing colleagues with this award. I have been and remain inspired by rheumatology, by our patients and by all of you. I look forward to rheumatology every day, knowing the good that you and I are going to bring into this world. And so, knowing that, knowing all that we do, why wouldn’t I want us to be able to do more, to be inspired, to make things easier and better for patients and rheumatologists alike. This award is given for impact of leadership, but it has been the immense impact all of you have made on me that continues to inspire me to listen, to build, to innovate, to have fun and to create a world where rheumatology is more.

I humbly thank the CRA for this honour. Thank you to Drs. Claire Barber and Stephanie Keeling for nominating me. Thank you to each and every one of my colleagues in Edmonton, who are individually amazing and collectively the best rheumatology team around. Thank you to the Queen’s rheumatology group who have welcomed me with such open arms over the last year. And thank you to the rheumatology team in Winnipeg for setting me down this path many years ago. They nurtured my initial love of rheumatology, something I try to give back to every medical student and resident with whom I work.

So, you had me at “Welcome to Rheumatology!” So simple, so powerful, life changing and life affirming.  Share the message with the next generation so we continue to grow and flourish. I will forever feel welcomed. Thank you for allowing me the privilege of being your colleague. Thank you all!

Steven Katz, MD, FRCPC
Professor and Chair, Rheumatology, Queen's University
Adjunct Professor, Rheumatology, University of Alberta