Eva Waddell Mader Macdonald (7 October 1902 – 27 April 1997) was a Canadian medical professional at the Women's College Hospital. She began as a medical professor in hygiene before becoming the Director of Laboratories at WCH from 1945 to 1952.[1] Outside of medicine, Macdonald was the chancellor of the University of Toronto from 1974 to 1977.
In 1927, Macdonald began her medical career as an intern at Nova Scotia Sanatorium.[2][4] After a brief stint at Nova Scotia Sanatorium, Macdonald began working at the Women's College Hospital in 1929. At the Women's College Hospital, Macdonald was a medical professor in hygiene for the University of Toronto until 1933.[2] During her career, she held multiple positions for the Women's College Hospital, including Hospital Bacteriologist (1939–1945), Director of Laboratories (1945 to 1952), and Director of Hospital Health (1953–1968).[1][5] During her time at Women's College Hospital, Macdonald co-developed, with Marion Hilliard, a simplified Pap test in partnership with W. L. Robinson of the Banting Institute.[1][6] Alternatively, Macdonald began working as a private practitioner in 1952 and continued until 1962.[7]
In 1963, Macdonald created an initiative called Operation Recall to convince former women doctors to return to their careers.[8] Outside of her health career, Macdonald replaced Pauline McGibbon as the chancellor of the University of Toronto in 1974.[9] Macdonald held the position of chancellor until 1977 and retired in 1978.[2]