Mohamed Alzahran, NOSM University medical student, has been awarded the prestigious Canadian Medical Hall of Fame (CMHF) Award for 2026. The award recognizes a second-year student from each medical school across Canada who exemplifies perseverance, collaboration, and an entrepreneurial spirit. Recipients have an established track record of community leadership, superior communication skills, and demonstrated interest in advancing knowledge.
“I came to Canada in 2016 as a Syrian refugee,” says Alzahran. “My parents left behind everything they had built, their home, their careers, their entire world, and fled with my siblings and me to a country we knew almost nothing about, except that it offered a good education and a real chance at something better. It cost them everything. It gave us everything. The people of Capreol took my family in as their own, with a warmth and generosity I have never forgotten and never will.”
Alzahran completed an Honours Bachelor of Kinesiology and Health Sciences with a Minor in Indigenous Interdisciplinary Studies from Laurentian University and a Master of Public Health from the University of Waterloo. He completed an honours thesis at Laurentian University under Dr. Michel Larivière on return-to-work outcomes following occupational injury. Driven by a commitment to improving health equity, he has dedicated his time to addressing gaps in access to care and supporting communities where health-care needs are greatest.
His community leadership includes helping organize the Syrian Canadian Blood Donation Day, helping lead the Northern Ontario PPE for Healthcare Providers Campaign during the pandemic by hand-sewing and distributing masks to frontline workers, volunteering with St. John Ambulance to provide first aid at community events, and serving as Manager of Finance for the Human Kinetics Student Council at Laurentian University. Through these efforts, Alzahran has consistently demonstrated that meaningful change begins with community service and a willingness to step forward when communities need it most.
A two-time recipient of the Summer Medical Student Research Award (2025 and 2026), Alzahran’s most recent research projects examined stigma toward patients with mental illness among emergency department staff under the supervision of Dr. Mohamed Abbasy. He also collaborated with Dr. Mohammed Shurrab to examine cardiovascular health disparities in Northern Ontario. Committed to supporting the next generation of health-care professionals, he co-leads the Suture Society and the Altitude Healthcare Mentoring Program, which supports students from underserved communities pursuing careers in health care. He serves as Vice-President of the Orthopedic Interest Group, fostering mentorship and student engagement.
“Everything I have done comes from the same place: that geography should never determine the care you receive, and that every patient, whatever their condition or background, deserves the same standard of care and advocacy,” says Alzahran. “This award does not change those convictions. It sharpens them. It is a reminder to hold myself to a higher standard, to collaborate with my peers and trust their expertise, to take matters into my own hands when something needs to change, and to be the beginning of the change I want to see.”
“I am not just honoured by this award,” says Alzahran. “I am answerable to it. This recognition is not only personal; I hope it sends a message to every newcomer, every refugee, every student from a small Northern community who has wondered whether there is space for them in Canadian medicine. There is. With hard work, dedication, and the right people behind you, it is possible.”
“Congratulations to Mohamed Alzahran on receiving the CMHF Student Award,” says Dr. Michael Green, NOSM University President, Vice-Chancellor, Dean, and CEO. “This is an outstanding recognition of Mohamed’s hard work and commitment to equitable health care in the North. It is inspiring to see all he has accomplished and the impact Mohamed is making this early in his career.”
Soon beginning his third-year Comprehensive Community Clerkship in Parry Sound, Alzahran will receive a cash prize and a travel subsidy to attend the CMHF Induction Ceremony in Montreal, where he will have the opportunity to meet CMHF Laureates and interact with health leaders from across the country.
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In a video, Alzahran shares his thoughts about receiving the award and the CMHF laureates who inspire him.
NOSM University is Canada’s first independent medical university and one of the greatest education and physician workforce strategy success stories of Northern Ontario. More than just a medical university, it was purpose-built to address the health needs of the region. While advocating for equitable access to care, the university contributes to the economic development of Northern Ontario. NOSM University relies on the commitment and expertise of the people of Northern Ontario to educate health- care professionals to practise in Indigenous, Francophone, rural, remote, and underserved communities. With a focus on diversity, inclusion, and advocacy, NOSM University is an award-winning, socially accountable organization renowned for its innovative model of distributed, community-engaged education and research.
For more information, contact: news@nosm.ca