VISITING HOURS

Tues – Fri 6am – 11pm
Sat – Mon 7am – 9pm

CONTACT

Richmond Olympic Oval
1st Floor Lobby
6111 River Road
Richmond, BC V7C 0A2
604-244-1274

Dr Jack Taunton

2018 |
Sports Medicine

PROFILE

He is a Professor Emeritus in the UBC Faculty of Medicine, Division of Sports Medicine. Was the director and co-founder of the Allan McGavin Sports Medicine Centre. Has been a mentor and educator in sport and exercise medicine and was one of the first to receive recognition by the Canadian College of Family Physicians.

Richmond Roots Jack’s two daughters were born and raised in Richmond where the family resided for 31 years. Jack ran and coached for Kajaks and was actively involved in the community. In 1977, Dr. Taunton and Dr. Doug Clement, co-founded the Terra Nova Sports Medicine Centre.

Did You Know Went to SFU in 1965 as a math and history major and switched with no prior thought to medicine in 1972 at UBC.

Barriers Overcome Jack had polio at the age of 6 and didn’t start his athletic career until age 15. He struggled in school with dyslexia but his tenacious will to succeed allowed him to reach the top of his profession as a sport and exercise physician.

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS

Recognition Has received many accolades including: Commemorative Medal - Government of Canada for community service, Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, Doctors of BC Silver Medal of Service, Canadian Academy of Sport & Exercise Medicine Medal of Service for exceptional & outstanding contribution to the advancement of sport & exercise medicine in Canada.

All Awards

YearAwardDetals
1980 Fred Dietrich Special Athletic Award - Simon Fraser University For service to the Athletics Department  
1983 Outstanding Alumnus Award Professional Achievement, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC  
1993 Canadian Commemorative Medal Government of Canada For the 125th Anniversary of the confederation of Canada in recognition of significant contribution to compatriots, community and to Canada  
2000 Sport Medicine and Science Council of Canada Sport medicine – working for Canadian athletes to have excellent sport medicine coverage at all levels  
2006 Honorary Lifetime membership Honorary Lifetime membership for long term contribution to SportMed BC  
2010 BC College of Family Physicians – Exceptional Contribution to Family Medicine Awarded for making a contribution above the norm to Family Medicine in BC  
2010 UBC Alumni – Outstanding Faculty Community Service Award Service to the University and community  
2012 Inducted into the BC Athletic Sports Hall of Fame BC Athletics Hall of Fame  
2014 Inducted into the Simon Fraser University Sports Hall of Fame Simon Fraser University Hall of Fame  
2014 Inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame BC Sports Hall of Fame  
2015 Lifetime Achievement Award from Canadian Academy of Sport & Exercise Medicine For achievement in sport and exercise medicine, academic, research, clinical and on field coverage for sport at all levels  
2016 Wallace Wilson Leadership Award from UBC Medical Alumni Association For Leadership in the field of medicine  
2017 Doctors of BC Silver Medal of Service Association’s highest honour – outstanding contributions to medicine  
2018 Canadian Academy of Sport & Exercise Medicine Medal of Service for exceptional and outstanding contribution to the advancement of sport and exercise medicine in Canada  

Championship Jack served at eight Olympics with two as a Chief Medical Officer (CMO), four Pan American games with two as a CMO, and five University Games with two as a CMO.

Championships

YearAchievementDetails
1971 Co-founded the James Cunningham Seawall Race Race commemorating the completion of the seawall in Stanley Park  
1972 Co-founded the Vancouver Marathon  
1979 Co-founded Allan McGavin Sports Medicine Centre Started as BC Sports Medicine Centre – the first integrated sport medicine centre in Canada with Primary Care, Orthopaedics, Physiotherapy and Research under one roof  
1985 Co-founded the Vancouver Sun Run  
2006-2010 Chief Medical Officer Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games  
2012 Awarded Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal Honoured by the Lieutenant Governor for significant contributions and achievements by Canadians  
2012-2015 Co-founded UBC Grand Prix of Cycling Pro-Am cycling event on the campus at UBC  
2016 Chair POCO Grand Prix Pro-Am cycling event in Port Coquitlam  
2016 Chief Medical Officer IOC affiliated 1st Regional Masters Games, Vancouver American’s Masters Games was a multi-sport games  

SPORTING HISTORY

Career Stats

YearTeam / OrganizationHighlight
1979-2006 Women’s Team Physician and Association Coordinating Physician for Field Hockey Canada  
1979-2018 Worked at Allan McGavin Sports Medicine Centre/ University of BC  
1983-2000 CMO for Canada at the Sydney Olympics, two Pan American and two World Student Games. Working with the Canadian athletes & coaches and with the excellent sport medicine practitioners of Canada  
1988-1990 President of the Sports Medicine Council of Canada  
1995-2001 Team Physician for the Vancouver Grizzlies NBA Team during its time in Vancouver  
2006-2010 Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games  

Contribution to Richmond Sport Has published over 150 peer reviewed articles. Was the Chief Medical Officer for the 2010 Olympic & Paralympic Games. Team doctor for Canadian field hockey and attended numerous tours, championships, tournaments, Pan Am and Olympics.

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