Celebrating Women Dedicated to Health

#WomenInStem | #GirlPowerEffect | #CanadianHealth | #HealthCareCanada

DR. REBEKAH JACQUES

Forensic Pathologist, London Health Sciences Centre

What is your background in healthcare and what is your current role/profession?

I am a medical doctor that has specialized training in the field of forensic pathology. I work as a forensic pathologist at London Health Sciences Centre. Before obtaining my medical degree, I completed an undergraduate degree in forensics. My area of interest is in Death Investigation Bioethics as there is a need to develop ethics framework that apply to a medical practice that extends beyond the life of our patients. Early into my independent medical practice, I found that the ethical issues in pathology lacked applicable ethical frameworks to resolve value-based problems in this area of medicine. Although bioethics is an important practice of medicine, it largely remains centered on the physician-patient relationship; however, pathologists do not fit the prototypical physician-patient relationship and we have ethical issues that are unique to pathology.

What brought you to the work you are currently doing (why did you choose this profession)?

I recently was asked to author the reasons for choosing a career as a forensic pathologist and how it connected with my role on the National Advisory Committee for Residential Schools Missing Children and Unmarked burials. 

Here is the link – I think it will answer your question:

Western Alumni Magazine

Story by Dr. Rebekah Jacques - May 15, 2024 Full Circle - Resilience, reflection, relationships & residential schools

How does your current work serve to empower women and girls?

Healthcare leadership lacks gender and ethnic diversity. Having diverse healthcare leadership teams may improve healthcare experiences and outcomes for patients. A powerful tool to overcome gender- and ethnic-based disparities is through representation and mentorship as these tools can empower others that are not traditionally represented in healthcare leadership positions to take the journey to become one. As a young person, it was a woman physician that had a huge impact in both representation and mentorship in making me feel that I too belonged in medicine. Today, I try to pay it forward via representation and mentorship in my current work to close these healthcare disparities.

Interviewed by Christina Parke Registered Practical Nurse Indigenous Social Work Student, Laurentian University