Glenrose medical director garners national honours

Spinal-injury expert recognized with Chinese Canadian Legends Award

Story & photo by Sharman Hnatiuk

EDMONTON — In July, six individuals across the country received the 2023 Chinese Canadian Legend Award for outstanding contributions in Canada, including the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital’s Facility Medical Director Dr Chester Ho.

Today, Dr. Ho is a recognized expert in spinal cord injury and related complications, but his journey to such accolades in Canada has not been an easy one. After completing medical school at Cambridge University in the early 1990s, Dr. Ho had his hopes set on completing his medical residency in Canada.

“At that time, it was very difficult for international applicants pursuing placements who were not trained in Canada,” says Dr. Ho. “I was well-trained at Cambridge, but I was basically told my education was not recognized in comparison to my Canadian-trained competition.”

When no doors opened for him in Canada, he accepted an opportunity to complete his residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School.

With his parents setting down roots in Calgary after immigrating from Hong Kong, Dr. Ho kept his sights on practising in Canada. He spent a decade in America distinguishing himself towards a career in the field of spinal cord injury rehabilitation before he was eventually recruited by the University of Calgary and Alberta Health Services (AHS) in 2011.

Today, in addition to his role as medical lead at the Glenrose, Dr. Ho is also the Senior Medical Director for AHS Neurosciences, Rehabilitation & Vision Strategic Clinical Network. His role in this work led to a recent invitation to present to the World Health Organization in Geneva about using evidence to influence clinical practice and policy in the healthcare system.

“Chester’s passion for research and lifelong commitment to improving the quality of life for his patients is evident to all of us at the Glenrose who have the opportunity to work with him,” says Lynette Lutes, Senior Operating Officer, Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital.

“We are fortunate to share in his expertise and enthusiasm for patient care; it is a privilege to work in partnership with him at the site.”

While he says he’s humbled by the term role model, Dr. Ho embraces the opportunity to mentor not only ethnically Chinese medical students and trainees, but any individual coming from abroad to work and study in Canada.

“As an immigrant, I can relate to the cultural challenges of working in a different healthcare system in a new country,” he says. “I have been fortunate to be successful in this system, and I want other new healthcare professionals to Canada, especially the young ones, to know that they can be, too.”