Russell Dawe

Dr. Russell Dawe joined the Discipline of Family Medicine as an Assistant Professor in 2016. In 2023, he attained the title of Associate Professor. Dr. Dawe’s Family Medicine clinical practice is based at the Health Sciences Centre’s academic Family Medicine Clinic and he is a Palliative Care consultant at the L.A. Miller Centre’s Palliative Care Program.

Dr. Dawe has held a variety of leadership roles since joining faculty. From 2016 – 2020, he was the founder and Program Director of Memorial’s Care of Underserved Populations Enhanced Skills Program. In the course of establishing this program, Dr. Dawe collaborated with Indigenous partners from Sheshatshiu, Labrador and international partnerships in Nepal and Uganda. From 2018 – 2019, Dr. Dawe was the Social Accountability Lead for the Discipline of Family Medicine and from 2018 – 2021 he was co-chair of the Social Accountability Project Team for the Destination Excellence strategic plan in the Faculty of Medicine. From 2020 – 2025, Dr. Dawe was the Program Director for the Family Medicine Residency Program, providing support and leadership to the program’s five streams offering rural, distributed Family Medicine education throughout Newfoundland and Labrador and Nunavut.

Dr. Dawe grew up in Conception Bay South, NL. He completed a Master of Divinity at Regent College, BC in 2007 before returning home to complete his undergraduate medical education and Family Medicine residency training at Memorial in 2011 and 2013 respectively. His scholarly interests include program evaluation, medical education, Indigenous health, and health equity. Dr. Dawe has mentored many medical learners over the years through their research projects and summer undergraduate research awards, supporting learners to achieve conference presentations and publications in the process.

Selected Publications:

Dawe R, Penashue J, Knight JC, Pike A, Benuen MP, Qupee A, Pollock NJ. Mortality in Innu communities in Labrador, 1993-2018: a cross-sectional study of causes and location of death. International Journal of Circumpolar Health, 83(1), 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/22423982.2024.2378581 

Dawe R, Penashue J, Benuen MP, Qupee A, Pike A, van Soeren M, Sturge Sparkes C, Winsor M, Walsh KH, Hasan H, Pollock N. Patshitinikutau Natukunisha Tshishennuat Uitshuau (a place for Elders to spend their last days in life): a qualitative study about Innu perspectives on end-of-life care. BMC Palliative Care. 121(23), 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-024-01431-5

Boone H, Snow NJ, Allison J, Sturge Sparkes C, Dawe R. Community engagement by faculties of medicine: A scoping review of current practices and practical recommendations. Medical Teacher. Feb 2022. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0142159X.2022.2035339

Dawe R, Pike A, Kidd M, Janakiram P, Nicolle E, Allison J. Enhanced skills in global health and health equity: Guidelines for curriculum development. Canadian Medical Education Journal. 8(2), Apr 2017. DOI: https://doi.org/10.36834/cmej.36885