Roger Pilon

Dr. Roger Pilon is an Associate Professor and currently serves as Vice-Dean (Health Sciences) and Director of the School of Nursing at Queen's University. He holds an additional affiliation as Assistant Professor at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) within the Undergraduate Medicine Theme 1 program. His academic journey includes a PhD in Rural and Northern Health (Laurentian University, 2015), an MScN (2008), and a BScN (1989), all from Laurentian University.

Dr. Pilon’s research focuses on decolonizing type 2 diabetes care for Indigenous communities, emphasizing qualitative methodologies such as ethnography, grounded theory, and community-based participatory research. He has collaborated extensively with First Nation communities along Lake Huron’s North Shore for over 25 years. His interests also span Indigenous health systems, cultural safety in healthcare, and curricular reforms to Indigenize nursing education. Future goals include advancing decolonized diabetes care models, addressing intimate partner violence in Indigenous communities, and mentoring health professionals through graduate supervision.

His teaching philosophy integrates multiple learning theories (behaviorism, constructivism, connectivism) to foster critical thinking and cultural competence. Key strategies include promoting interdisciplinary learning, fostering a safe educational environment, and emphasizing ethical values like respect and integrity.

Dr. Pilon collaborates with institutions such as Maamwesying-North Shore Community Health Services and NOSM’s interprofessional teams. He actively advocates for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action and the UN Declaration on Indigenous Peoples within healthcare education.