Director General Health Professionals, Chief Medical Officer, Veterans Affairs Canada
Dr. Cyd Courchesne retired from the Canadian Armed Forces after 30 years of service before joining the Department of Veterans Affairs as Chief Medical Officer in 2014. Dr. Courchesne is a General Practitioner who obtained her Doctor of Medicine from Université de Montréal in 1987. She also holds a Diploma in Aviation Medicine from Kings College University, London, England, and a Master Certificate in Healthcare Management from the Sprott School of Business. She has been a surveyor for Accreditation Canada for 21 years and is a Canadian College of Health Leaders’ Certified Health Executive.
Throughout her career, Dr. Courchesne held a number of senior medical positions responsible for leading multidisciplinary Primary Care clinics at Canadian Forces Bases to being responsible for Medical Policy and the delivery of Primary Care for the Canadian Forces across the country. She is currently responsible for the management of all Health Professionals at the Department of Veterans Affairs, for the management of Mental Health Support and Services for Veterans, and for overseeing the management of the two Centres of Excellence funded by Veterans Affairs Canada: the Atlas Institute ( a Centre of Excellence on PTSD and related mental health conditions) and the Chronic Pain Centre of Excellence for Veterans. In 2023 Dr Courchesne was named VAC’s Champion of 2SLGBTQI+ and of Women’s Health.