Dr. Melissa Lem

Melissa Lem, MSM, MD, CCFP, FCFP, is a family physician, Co-Founder of PaRx, Canada’s national nature prescription program, Past President of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment and Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia.

Previously a senior writer for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), and widely published in other media outlets, one of her major priorities is knowledge translation and mobilization. Dr. Lem was the resident medical expert on CBC TV’s lifestyle show Steven and Chris for four seasons, and is currently CBC Vancouver News at 6’s in-house medical columnist and a climate change panellist on CBC Radio’s Early Edition. Dr. Lem is also a co-investigator and advisor on two international nature prescription research projects (PANDA and RESONATE) with total grant funding of $10M+. She holds multiple advisory and editorial board positions, including with the Nature Conservancy of Canada, Journal of Mental Health and Climate Change, and IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas Health and Well-being Specialist Group.

Dr. Lem is the recipient of several national and international awards, including the King Charles III Coronation Medal and Meritorious Service Medal from the Governor General of Canada, one of the country’s highest civilian honours, for her dedicated work to advance planetary health and nature prescribing.