Dr. Christina Atkinson remembers it like yesterday. She was six years old, growing up in Shelburne County and watching the 1976 Montreal Olympics on TV. Along with the rest of the world, she was mesmerized by Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci, and decided then and there that she would be a gymnast too! “But then I grew,” she laughs. The Canadian sporting landscape is thankful she did! Dr. Christina Atkinson comes from a family of athletes and played every sport she could growing up. She says she was pretty  good at most, but not really good at any. Where she did excel, however, was in the classroom. She was also skilled at foreseeing the future. In grade 11, she wrote an essay for health class and declared that she wanted to be a sport medicine doctor. That pursuit became her focus and eventually her calling and profession.

She assisted with medical coverage for the2005 Canada Games in Regina and the 2009 Canada Games in Charlottetown/Summerside. But her national reputation began to really grow in 2011, when the Canada Games came to Halifax. She was asked to help coordinate the medical team and her leadership did not go unnoticed. After that, as she says, “things really began to open up.” “I guess people see you and are hopefully happy with the work you do,” reflects Atkinson modestly. “I’m from Nova Scotia, so by nature I’m easy to get along with and play well with others.” Fittingly, the Halifax Mooseheads were among the first teams to come calling, and Dr. Tina was a key part of that organization for more than a decade. “She’s the best in the business,” says Mooseheads GM Cam Russell. “She dealt with players whether it was illness or injury. She traveled with the team, and she was always available. You’d call her up and give her a couple days’ notice, and the next thing you know she’d be on the bus heading to Baie Comeau with you! She loved the game, she loved being around the players. But it’s still such a big sacrifice – time away from your family, time away from your practice. And never once did she ask for anything in return.”

Today, Dr. Christina Atkinson is one of the national leaders in her field. She has lent her talents to many programs, including the Canadian National Women’s Hockey Team. Team member and Stellarton native, Blayre Turnbull, says that “Dr.Tina” is an integral part of the Hockey Canada family. “She’s so personable and so relatable, she’s not a doctor that’s scary or intimidating or that won’t listen to you, and I think that’s especially important when it comes to a doctor that deals with athletes,” says Turnbull. “She always has our best interests in mind and she’s willing to go above and beyond to make sure that we get the care that we need all the time.”As her national profile has expanded, Dr. Atkinson has never forgotten her roots. She has been lead physician for numerous events in the province and in 2020, was named the Chief Medical Officer for the Canadian Sport Institute Atlantic. She is, according to one very well-known gymnast, a “vital pillar in our Nova Scotia Sporting Community.”

“She’s played an instrumental role in helping support me,” says four-time Olympian Ellie Black. “She’s been incredible in helping me come back from injury and to be at my peak when I need to. And that’s whether she’s in the province or outside of the province, even when she’s working with other teams. She’s always at the other end of the phone or the email making sure that you’re getting everything you need.” 

In recent years, concussions have become a particular area of interest for Dr. Atkinson. She says it’s a passion that has arisen out of need. “I remember playing club rugby, helping a teammate off the field, and thinking, ‘This girl is not ok,’” says Atkinson. “I was also a hockey mom, so I saw plenty of head injuries. And I can remember thinking to myself that we’re doing a terrible job in this regard.” These concerns led Dr. Atkinson to help found “Concussions Nova Scotia.” “We want people to know the basic signs of concussion, and if you suspect a concussion, to know what to do and be able to self-manage before you see a physician or nurse practitioner,” Dr. Atkinson says. Now at the forefront of this area of research, it’s little wonder Dr. Atkinson remains in such high demand. 

In 2023,she was named Chief Medical Officer of the groundbreaking Professional Women’s Hockey League, acting as medical liaison will all six league teams. In addition to this and her numerous other hockey roles, she recently traveled to Paris as Team Physician for Canoe Kayak Canada. She says she has no plans to slow down anytime soon, which is music to the ears of athletes everywhere. “She’s been such an instrumental and key part to the growth of sport in Nova Scotia and Canada, “says Ellie Black. “She’s helped so many people reach their dreams. When you think of people who have built sport in this country, her name has to be near the top of the list.”

***Dr. Tina Atkinson lives in HRM with her husband, Dr. Mike McLaughlin. They are the proud parents of three boys – Braden, Liam, and Duncan***