Recognizing 2025 Rhapsody Physician Award nominee: Dr. Firdaus Mydeen
Community: Westlock
Dr. Firdaus Mydeen has a natural talent for building positive connections.
Whether the Westlock physician is meeting with a patient, collaborating with colleagues, or lobbying for rural healthcare, Dr. Mydeen is the real deal.
“Dr. Mydeen goes above and beyond for our community,” writes Meagan McCoy-McLevin, site manager at the Westlock Health Care Centre, who nominated him for a 2025 RhPAP Rhapsody Physician Award.
“He is kind, generous, smart, and is one of the most genuine people I have ever known.”
Jon Kramer, the mayor of Westlock, couldn’t agree more.
“I have had the privilege of working alongside Dr. Mydeen in multiple capacities, and I can confidently say that he embodies the spirit of this award. “He is not only a dedicated physician, but also a community builder, a strategic partner, and a trusted friend.”
Kramer points to a recent initiative in which Dr. Mydeen helped organize an event to encourage medical students to visit the area and consider launching their careers in the community.
“We hosted/toured a dozen medical students for the day and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive both from within the group of students, as well as from the community partners who banded together to make it happen,” he says.
“In just three months, he drummed up support within the town and transformed an idea into a successfully executed program.”
His determination to make things happen is also present in his everyday work.
“Many times I have witnessed Dr. Mydeen step forward to take on cases that others might avoid due to their difficulty,” writes Dr. Milton Chan, a colleague at the Pembina Medical Clinic.
“His compassionate and comprehensive approach ensures that patients receive the care they deserve, regardless of the challenges involved.”
Dr. Mydeen has worked in the community for over 15 years and has taken on many roles including community medical director for both Westlock and Barrhead, zone clinic department head for rural medicine, and Alberta Health Services North Zone associate medical director.
“Practising medicine in rural communities doesn’t come without its challenges,” continues McCoy-McLevin.
“Recently, we had a mass casual incident (MCI) and he was able to lead the team through this difficult event despite having decreased staff, lower diagnostic capacity and less equipment compared to urban centres,” she says.
“After this event, Dr. Mydeen developed an algorithm to increase communication during MCI’s which was implemented at a provincial level for the Emergency Disaster Management Team. He has amazing ability to shift the focus of challenging situations into opportunities for change and growth.”