Judy Elder Alumna Award 2025
We are proud to announce Dr. Amira El-Messidi from the Class of 1995
as the 2025 recipient of the prestigious Judy Elder Alumna Award.
Dr. Amira El-Messidi started at The Study in grade 4 and remembers her faculty as the guiding light that nurtured her curiosity, determination, and love of learning. She distinguished herself early on as a budding scientist, winning first place in The Study’s Science Fair in both Grade 10 and Grade 11; she received bronze and silver medals at the Montreal Regional Science Fairs in her high-school senior years, in addition to recognition for her participation in different competitions and activities during her Study years.
Today, as an Associate Professor at McGill’s Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Consultant of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Amira’s career is defined by compassion and excellence. She has received numerous ‘Angel Awards’ from the McGill University Health Center Foundation through patient donations for meaningful differences she made in their medical care. Such heart-centred recognitions reflect the values of leadership and service that Judy Elder modelled and that The Study continues to inspire in its students.
Amira’s ambition to excel is reflected in both her academic achievements and distinguished career in postgraduate education. Her dedication has earned her 15 departmental awards, a scholarship to McGill’s Teachers’ Scholars Program for Educators in Health Science, McGill’s prestigious Maude-Abbott Prize, the Carl Nimrod Educator Award for Excellence in Education, the National Faculty Award from the American College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists’ Council on Resident Education, and the Excellence in Teaching Award from the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics.
Amira has advanced her field through national leadership roles, serving as an examiner for the Medical Council of Canada and the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada in both Obstetrics & Gynaecology specialty and Maternal-Fetal Medicine sub-specialty. Having served as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada and a current reviewer for Cambridge University Press textbook proposals, Amira continues to influence medical education globally. She also designed an undergraduate curriculum in Obstetrics & Gynaecology and postgraduate curriculum in Maternal-Fetal Medicine for trainees in developing nations and continues to volunteer uncounted hours training, guiding and counselling young residents in this country and elsewhere with her skills, compassion and patience. These honours and contributions reflect her unwavering commitment to academic excellence and to inspiring future generations—embodying The Study’s mission to empower young women to reach their full potential.
With courage and vision, Amira has also broken new ground. She initiated and pioneered the innovative textbook, “OSCEs in Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine: An Evidence-Based Approach”, Cambridge University Press, 2023, providing a unique stimulus for all obstetric learners and care providers who aim to achieve excellence in modern evidence-based clinical and academic general obstetrics and medical complications of pregnancy. This textbook, allowing multidimensional assessment including self-directed, peer-to-peer, and teacher-learner strategies, represents a forward-thinking contribution to medical education worldwide and embodies a spirit of curiosity, innovation, and determination. Currently, her second innovative textbook is under production by Cambridge University Press; this work features a different dimension of learning comprising advanced, multi-source, evidence-based multiple-choice questions for global postgraduate training, modern assessments, and certification exams. A sought-after international speaker, respected researcher, and dedicated mentor, she continues to uplift others through teaching and by example.
From her earliest days at The Study to her international impact as a physician and educator, Dr. El-Messidi has embodied the qualities of heart, courage, and ambition. She has uplifted her patients and their families, undergraduate students, postgraduate trainees and colleagues while setting new standards of excellence in her field. We are proud to honour her as this year’s recipient of the Judy Elder Alumna Award.