Albert Schumacher was born in Windsor, Ontario in 1958. He entered undergraduate studies at the University of Western Ontario in 1976 and graduated cum laude from Western’s medical school in 1982.
During his thirteen elected years at the Ontario Medical Association, he reactivated a dynamic Political Action Committee, chaired the Publications Committee, and helped negotiate the original template of many current doctor/ hospital on-call contracts.
As President of the Ontario Medical Association, he launched the associations’ Clean Air and Anti- Smog advocacy. He spotlighted and helped defeat draconian government privacy legislature which he labeled “The Big Brother Bill”. And, throughout this time he helped move the Ontario Tobacco Advocacy Strategy forward.
As President for the Canadian Medical Association, he was highly visible on the national stage keeping pressure on governments to address the dire shortage of doctors and long waiting lists for patients. He met with editors and health reporters of national and community newspapers, where he presented the realities and challenges facing the frontline delivery of health care as well as potential solutions. Furthermore, he called governments to expand medical schools into provinces and large communities that did not have sufficient training capacity.
Dr. Schumacher has been extremely active on issues affecting medical education and student debt and was Founding Chair of the Ontario Medical Student Bursary Fund. In addition, he has developed weekend student leadership training programs, now received by more than 400 medical students and residents. Schumacher Research and Leadership Group was founded in 2005 to enhance and expand on this base.
Dr. Schumacher’s activism extends even further in patient advocacy. He testified before the Walkerton inquiry, calling for an increased role for the provincial medical officer of health and increased laboratory proficiency testing. In addition, he has helped to defend the profession as a council member of the Canadian Medical Protective Association from 2002 – 2004. He currently serves as a member on the board of directors for the Canadian Patient Institute in Edmonton Alberta and as Vice Chair for the Windsor Essex Economic Development Council.
In his volunteer time, he serves as President of the Ontario Medical Foundation, which is responsible for the Ontario Medical Student Bursary Fund, as well philanthropic development and fundraising training for the physician community.
He enjoys travelling, fishing and cycling with his wife Jennifer, and he has 3 children — Kris, Adrian and Alison.
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