A remarkable life in medicine was given a high honour on Tuesday when the trauma centre at the Montreal General Hospital was renamed after Dr. David Mulder, the man who had contributed to many advances in trauma care.
“It’s remarkable, when you look back at his career and what he’s accomplished, what he means to all of us,” said Tarek Razek, the adult trauma program director at the MUHC.
Mulder is perhaps best known for having served as the chief surgeon for the Canadiens for 50 years and has treated most of the team’s stars over those years, including current captain Max Pacioretty after he suffered a horrific neck injury in 2011. He recalled a recent medical student who helped him sum up his feelings about his job.
“It was in May, during the Stanley Cup playoffs and she said ‘Dr. Mulder, you have the dream job. You have the most exciting operations on the chest and then you go look after the Montreal Canadiens.’”
His legacy goes far beyond working with the Habs. In the 80s and 90s, he worked to establish a province-wide trauma system.
“We were totally shocked that the mortality rate at that time was 50 per cent,” he said, noting that it now stands at around 5 per cent.
His efforts to save lives have left an enormous impression on Montreal, said his son Scott, also a physician.
“I can’t tell you how many times someone has come up to me and said ‘Holy smokes, you look like Dr. Mulder. Do you know who that is?’” he said. “(I answer) he’s my dad.”
Journalist Isabelle Richer wasn’t treated by Mulder when she suffered numerous injuries that left her in a coma after a bicycle accident in August. She was, however, treated at the General’s trauma centre.
“It’s such a great occasion for me to say thank you and for the population of Montreal to realize what we have here at MGH,” she said.
