Dr. Stanley Vollant

Dr. Stanley Vollant

Arts (2004)

Betsiamites, Quebec

Dr. Stanley Vollant is a skilled surgeon with a strong sense of social responsibility. Born in Quebec City in 1965, Stanley was raised in the Montagnais community of Betsiamites. Among his role models, Dr. Vollant draws inspiration from his grandparents who canoed down the Betsiamites River for six weeks each year – with children and belongings in tow – in order to reach their fishing and hunting grounds. They had many obstacles to overcome and fought for their survival, which they did with great pride. Stanley was determined to help others and earned his medical degree in 1989 and his Diploma in General Surgery in 1994 from the Université de Montréal. Named a Distinguished Aboriginal Role Model by the Governor General in 1996, he was also awarded a Certificate by the American Board of Surgery in 2000. From 2001 to 2003, Dr. Vollant was the President of the Quebec Medical Association, making him the first Aboriginal physician to lead and provincial medical association and the first Aboriginal person to become a board member of the Canadian Medical Association. As the president the QMA, he represented 6,000 physicians in Quebec. Dr. Vollant is currently a surgeon at the Complexe Hospitalier de la Sagamie in Chicoutimi, where he specializes in abdominal laparoscopic surgery. Concerned about the health of First Nations people, Vollant makes regular visits home to see patients and to provide support and encouragement in Betsiamites. Dr. Vollant’s outstanding success in the medical field owes much to his strength of character, his hard work and his ability to seize the opportunities life offers. Dr. Vollant is receiving a National Aboriginal Achievement Award for his outstanding contributions to the medical profession.