The Coat of Arms

This Coat of Arms for the Faculty of Medicine was designed by Dr. Robert Salter when he was head of Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Toronto and the Hospital for Sick Children. He presented it as a personal gift to celebrate the faculty's 15th anniversary.

The colours and some of the symbols of the coat of arms of Memorial University are incorporated in this coat of arms of the Faculty of Medicine, indicating the parental relationship of the university.

Across the top of the shield are included two closed white and gold books (symbolic of knowledge and education) and in the centre a gold moline cross (one form of Christian cross) on a red background.

Immediately below is a wavy white bar which is symbolic of the surface of the sea that surrounds Newfoundland.

In the lower part of the shield, which is blue to represent the depths of the sea, is a gold anchor, an appropriate marine symbol for Newfoundland.

Entwined around the shank of the anchor, which serves as a rod, is depicted the red serpent of Aesculapius, the attributes of the Greek God of Medicine and the accepted heraldic symbol of the profession of Medicine.

The motto:
Dr. Salter translated a quotation from Sir Wilfred Grenfell, who founded the Grenfell Medical Mission in northern Newfoundland. The quotation is "Life is a Field of Service" which is translated into Latin as VITA CAMPUS MINISTERII.

After Dr. Salter's initial art work he commissioned Mr. Stanley Arculus, a renowned Canadian heraldic artist, to prepare the final presentation.

View Dr. Salter's description of the Coat of Arms.