Head and shoulders image of Dr. Robert G. (Bob) Murray, Dean of Medicine, 1974-1983.

Bio/Historical Note: Dr. Robert Gordon (Bob) Murray was born in 1917 and was raised in Saskatoon, attending Wilson Elementary School and City Park Collegiate. He began his medical studies at the School of Medical Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan, receiving his BA in 1938. He completed his MD at the University of Toronto in 1941. Dr. Murray joined the Royal Canadian Navy and served as a surgeon-lieutenant aboard the HMCS Saskatchewan. After the war he returned to Saskatoon to join the faculty in Pathology under Dr. D.F. Moore at the School of Medical Services. Dr. Murray later joined the general surgical practice of Dr. Elmer Wait and served on the medical staff at Saskatoon City Hospital from 1946-1950. He left Saskatoon to specialize in ophthalmology at the University of Toronto and neuro-ophthalmology at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, under another Canadian physician, Dr. Frank Walsh. He became an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill in 1953. In 1955 Dr. Murray returned to join the faculty of the new College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan. As the founder of the Department of Ophthalmology, he served as chairman from 1955-1973. He practiced as one of Saskatchewan's first ophthalmologists and for many years only neuro-ophthalmologist. The residency program he established and directed was one of the most successful in the College of Medicine. His residents practiced throughout Canada and the United States. As chair of Ophthalmology, he started an orthoptic-training program, a low-vision clinic and with the assistance of the CNIB, one of Canada's first eye banks. He was active in the Canadian Ophthalmologic Association and became the Society's first honorary fellow in 1989. Dr. Murray became dean of the College of Medicine in 1973. His 10 years as dean of the medical school were associated with a number of milestones for the college. During his tenure Dr. Murray encouraged many of Saskatchewan's graduates to stay in the province and prompted a number to return following specialty training. Dr. Murray was an active member of the Canadian Association of Medical Schools and was president of the Association from 1980-1981. He served as a member or chair of a variety of special provincial and national committee's including the national Cancer Institute, the Saskatchewan Cancer Commission and Saskatchewan's Advisory Committee on medical Licensure. When Saskatchewan introduced the first medicare program in Canada in 1962, the College of Physicians and Surgeons to the Medicare Insurance Commission nominated Dr. Murray. He was appointed head of the Medical Care Insurance Commission in 1963 by Premier Ross Thatcher. During his 10 years of service directed the commission under four different ministers of health, Saskatchewan's Medicare program served as the model for the rest of Canada. Although Dr. Murray retired from the Medical Care Insurance Commission in 1973, he regularly served as a consultant about Saskatchewan's health care system. In 1988 Dr. Murray reviewed health care delivery in Saskatchewan as chairman of the Commission of Health Care Services (the Murray Commission) from 1988-1990. The Murray Commission's report and recommendation continue to be implemented by Saskatchewan's current and former ministers of health. After retirement Dr. Murray continued to serve on Saskatoon's City Hospital Board, The Saskatchewan Cancer Foundation, the South Saskatchewan Hospital Center in Regina, the Royal University Hospital Foundation as well as the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Murray died 16 October 2003 in Saskatoon at age 86.