Dr. Barb Zelek

Rural Generalist Family Doctor. CFSA Executive. NOSM Clinical Sciences Faculty and Division Head. NORTHH Physician Lead. 2021 Family Physician of the Year. (bzelek@nosm.ca)

Dr. Barb Zelek is a rural generalist Family Physician, clinical teacher, mentor, researcher and leader in academic medicine at the NOSM University. Dr. Zelek has practiced for 20 years in Marathon, Ontario, in the unceded traditional territory of the Biigtigong Nishnaabeg First Nations people.

An innovative and flexible clinical work environment has supported Dr. Zelek in her academic role as Clinical Sciences Division Head at NOSM U, where she has oversight of the 1,700 clinical faculty teachers. Dr. Zelek was the co-chair of the Section of Family Medicine prior to becoming Division Head. As a community-based researcher, Dr. Zelek co-created a practice-based research network (NORTHH) by collating de-identified primary health care electronic medical record data that can be used for practice-based quality improvement and community-based research. 

Central to her community service work is her quiet, diplomatic advocacy grounded in community relationships. Dr. Zelek is an active community volunteer and a proud mom to two amazing teens and wife to an incredibly supportive husband.