Dr. Alan Rosenberg

2018 Distinguished Rheumatologist Award

Dr. Alan Rosenberg, the CRA Distinguished Rheumatologist awardee for 2018  is an outstanding clinician, an inspiring and award-winning teacher, a truly innovative researcher, and a highly respected leader in Canadian Pediatric Rheumatology.

In 1982, Alan described a syndrome of “seronegative enthesopathy and arthropathy (SEA Syndrome). This publication was a “game changer” that defined the existence of spondyloarthropathies in the pediatric population and was the forerunner of the current enthesitis-related arthritis (ERA) category of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA).

As the only pediatric Rheumatologist in Saskatchewan, Alan provided outstanding care for patients across the province.  He has remained committed to his home province, advancing care both on an individual basis, as well as through his lobbying efforts.

Alan is thoughtful and innovative with his research questions. He helped established a Western Canadian JIA cohort which led to multiple important contributions, particularly around outcomes of JIA.  He played a key role in a study documenting malignancy risk in JIA. He has studied antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and their association with rheumatic disease for 3 decades. He has also had a long-standing interest in uveitis and has published multiple original clinical and laboratory observations and review papers.

Alan has been an outstanding teacher and mentor, and has received multiple teaching and personal awards.  Most notable among the many are the Masters Award from the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal from the Government of Canada and an Award for Exceptional Service from Saskatoon Regional Medical Association.

Alan is also an accomplished administrator. From 2001-2006, he served as the Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Saskatchewan and currently serves as Head of Research for the Department of Pediatrics. He was one of the founding members of the Canadian Pediatric Rheumatology Association, the forerunner of the Pediatric Committee of the CRA, and served as its initial president.

Alan has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of patients and families with pediatric rheumatic diseases in his province, his country, and around the world. There is no doubt that he is a Distinguished Rheumatologist and well-deserving of such recognition by the CRA.