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Neville Poy B.Sc., M.D., C.M., M.Sc., FRCS (C), FACS

People, East Asian, Profiles

Neville Poy

A native of Hong Kong, Dr. Poy immigrated to Canada in 1942, at the age of seven, with his sister and parents after the Colony fell to the Japanese.

Rapidly adapting to his new environment, he progressed to the Presidency of The Students' Council at elementary school, winning the Rotary Club of Ottawa's Public Speaking Contest in l949. He became President of the Boy's Hi-Y in his senior year at Lisgar Collegiate Institute.

During this time, his hobbies included breeding tropical fish and developing his own colour pattern of Lebistes Reticulatus. Model airplane building, flying, including competitive radio-control pattern and scale flying, earned him numerous awards and trophies.

In 1960, he graduated from McGill University with a degree in Medicine. After training in General Surgery and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at McGill, he practiced his specialty as a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada in Toronto until his retirement in 1995.

During his medical career, Dr. Poy was the Director of the First Burn Unit in Canada. His keen interest in Hand Reconstructive Surgery led to appointments in numerous educational and executive roles within the American Association for Surgery of the Hand, including its Vice-Presidency. He also established his own surgery clinic where he practiced Cosmetic Surgery.

An active participant in the medical community, he was President of his hospital's Medical Society, President of the Ontario Medical Association, Plastic Surgery Section, and President of the Sydenham Club. He was the first Honorary Member of the Medical Staff at the Scarborough General Hospital.

He holds memberships in numerous national and international medical societies and organizations, and was a Visiting Professor at McGill University and the University of Toronto. He served on the Dean's Medical Advisory Board of McGill University from its inception until 2005.

In 1997, he received the Chairman of the Board of Governor's "Award of Excellence in the Medical Community," a prestigious award offered annually by his hospital, the Scarborough General.

In 1998, he was inducted into The Order of Canada as an Officer within the Order in recognition of his groundbreaking medical achievements. In 2002, he received the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal and in 2003, he was made an Officer of the Order of St. John. In the same year he was appointed Honorary Lieutenant Colonel of the Queen's York Rangers Regiment (Militia). Dr. Poy was subsequently promoted to Honourary Colonel 2007-2010. He was conferred the status of Honourary Colonel of his regiment. Since 2004, he has also been "on call" to act as Presiding Officer for Citizenship and Immigration's Citizenship Swearing-in Ceremonies for new Canadians.

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