April 2 , 2007
Contact:
Judie Havers
London Health Sciences Centre
519-685-8500, ext. 58738
Contact:
Jeff Renaud
The University of Western Ontario
519-661-2111, ext. 85165
Dr. Peter Fowler to Lead Sports Medicine Program in Qatar
(LONDON, Ontario) – One of London’s most respected medical leaders is heading abroad to accept a challenging and exciting new position. Dr. Peter Fowler has signed a contract as Chief Medical Officer for The Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Clinic and Hospital, owned by the government of Qatar.
Dr. Fowler, Medical Director of the Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic (FKSMC) at The University of Western Ontario, was contacted in early March by the government of Qatar in the Middle East to discuss the possibility of accepting a sports medicine position in that country. Qatar has built a facility to house the clinic but requires medical leadership to establish the program.
This presents a very exciting opportunity for Dr. Fowler who had planned to step down as Medical Director of the FKSMC on December 31st, 2007.
Dr. Fowler has a long record of achievement. As a medical student, Fowler was a Mustang swimming sensation, setting numerous records and winning 13 O-QAA gold medals. He was co-winner of the Dr. Claude Brown Memorial trophy in 1963, represented Canada at the ‘55 and ‘59 Pan Am Games, and brought home a silver medal for Canada.
Fowler's real impact to Mustang athletics came when he, along with Dr. Jack Kennedy, established an athletic injuries clinic in the basement of Thames Hall in 1974. This small clinic would ultimately become the leading sport medicine operation in North America, The Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic.
As Director of Sport Medicine and Physician in charge of Western's intercollegiate teams, Dr. Fowler's passion and commitment for the Western football program places the Mustang football players at the forefront of medical care and treatment across Canada.
Fowler is a pioneer in the treatment of sport-related injuries and has received the Sport Medicine Council of Canada Lifetime Achievement Award, was the first recipient of the Westerns Alumni Professional Achievement Award, and has served as Chief Medical Officer to Canadian National teams at Commonwealth and Olympic Games.
Today, Dr. Fowler is recognized as one of the leading sport medicine experts in the world and has devoted his career to building one of the premier sport medicine programs in North America here in London. Many orthopaedic surgeons, physicians and physiotherapists from around the world have trained at the FKSMC and returned to their own countries to launch sport medicine programs.
“Lib and I will miss Western and London very much,” says Dr. Fowler. “This is a tremendous new challenge. Qatar recently hosted a very successful Asian games within a marvelous sports complex. The almost completed Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Clinic and Hospital will strive to be the pre-eminent facility of its kind in the Middle East and beyond. Already, a staff of more than 200 has been recruited from 45 countries. I look forward to being a part of it.”
“We are grateful to Dr. Fowler for all the wonderful work he has done at the Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic over the years,” says Phil Bowman, Chair of the FKSMC Board. “This is a great opportunity that will allow him to finish off his career as the leader of an exciting international project.”
The Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic has been preparing for Dr. Fowler to step down as Medical Director, however, with this recent announcement, the process to fill that position will be accelerated. Dr. Bob Litchfield, Orthopaedic Surgeon at the Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic, has agreed to act as Interim Medical Director during the search process.
Dr. Fowler, currently out of the country, will be back in Canada on April 8th, 2007 for a brief period of time before returning to take up his position in Qatar.
