Dr. Kelly Cobey is an outstanding researcher who sets the standard for meaningful patient engagement at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and beyond. Dr. Cobey includes patent patients as valued team members and recognizing the powerful impact of combining science with the lived experience.
Dr. Cobey sets the bar high in terms of patient engagement and understands that research is not just about generating evidence, it’s about creating knowledge that reflects real lives and real priorities. As principal investigator of the Patient Engagement Scoping Review project, Dr. Cobey didn’t just invite patient partners into her work, she made them full partners. From the very beginning, she put structures in place to ensure meaningful collaboration: clear terms of reference, regular updates, responsive communication, and compensation for patient partners. These weren’t token gestures; they were concrete actions that built a level playing field so that patients could work as equal members of the research team.
Dr. Cobey’s unwavering commitment to collaboration, inclusion, and impact is evident as patient partners were involved in every stage of the research project. Patient partners input shaped the study design, broadened the selection of journals to make the review more representative, informed interpretation of results, and guided recommendations for researchers, funders, and policymakers. Dr. Cobey empowered patient partners to co-author publications and present at conferences, ensuring their voices were heard not only in the research process but in its impact. By incorporating patient perspectives regarding the questions we should be asking, the scope of articles under review and how we interpret the results, Dr. Cobey has challenged assumptions, created new possibilities, and made research relevant and transformative.
Dr. Cobey’s approach demonstrates that when we believe in partnership, when we value every voice, we create research that truly matters.