Description
Dr. Candace Gibson, Ph.D., CHIM
Dr. Candace Gibson received her Ph.D. in biochemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1977. Her biomedical research encompassed major achievements in neurochemistry, studies of Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative disorders, and experimental studies of nutrition and behaviour. An MA in journalism at the University of Western Ontario (1993) and certification in Health Information Management (2008) led to a secondary career in health communications and health information.
Gibson is recognized as one of the pioneers of Canadian e-learning, e-health, and health informatics education; this includes co-editing and authoring the first Canadian textbook on health information management. Gibson co-authored critical reports on Canadian e-health, the role of healthcare information technology, and HI/HIM human resources. She also authored over 130 peer-reviewed publications in experimental neuroscience, health informatics and health information management.
Gibson served as a member, chair, and past chair on the Canadian Health Information Management Association (CHIMA) board from 2010 to 2014. A distinguished faculty member in the Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, she served as a senator at Western. Gibson held many senior administrative appointments, including acting as Vice Dean, Basic Medical Sciences, at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry. She also acted as Senior Peer Leader for the AFMC-Infoway Physician in Training: e-Health Curriculum and e-Learning Project.
Gibson has received numerous provincial and national research grants and several awards recognizing her outstanding achievement as a university educator in the undergraduate and graduate medical science, medicine, and nursing degree programs. In 2013, Gibson received the AFMC-Infoway eHealth Award, recognizing her dedication to improving clinical practice and medical education through digital tools and health solutions. In May 2016, Gibson received CHIMA’s Tribute to Excellence Award, given to an individual whose professional practice exemplifies excellence in health information management.