[2][3] The first head of the Canadian military medical service was Colonel Darby Bergin, a prominent physician and surgeon who was also Member of Parliament for Cornwall, president of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, founder of the 1st Volunteer Militia Rifle Company of Cornwall, and first commanding officer of the 59th Stormont and Glengarry Battalion of Infantry (now the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders).

Selected by the Minister of Militia and Defence, the Honourable Sir Adolphe Caron, to organize the North-West Field Force medical services during the North-West Rebellion of 1885, Colonel Bergin's own proposed appointment as Director General Medical Services, was overruled by the Minister in favour of Surgeon General.

[4][5][6][7] Major-General the Honourable Sir Eugène Fiset KT, CMG, DSO, ED, GGHS, BA, MB, MD, MS was the first Surgeon General after the establishment of the Canadian Army Medical Corps in 1904 (renamed the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps in 1919), the creation of which was the second step in bringing all military health personnel under unified administration.

[8][9][10][11][12] Major-General GB Chisholm CC, MC & Bar, CBE, ED, MD was Surgeon General during the Second World War when the Canadian military health services reached their largest size in history.

Colonel Sir MJC Eugène Fiset KCMG July 1903, promoted to Surgeon General (Major-General) December 1914 while Deputy Minister of Militia 4.

Colonel GC Jones KStJ, CMG, MD December 1906, promoted to Surgeon General (Major-General) September 1915 (Note 1) 5.

Major-General GB Chisholm CC, MC & Bar, CBE, ED, MD September 1942 (Note 1) 14.

Major-General JWB Barr CMM, KStJ, CD, QHP, MD, CM, DHA July 1970 25.

Major-General WA Clay CMM, OStJ, CD, QHP, MD, MHSc, DSc(hon) October 1994[27][28] 34.

Brigadier-General HF Jaeger OMM, SSStJ, MSM, CD, QHP, MD, LLD(hon), plsc, pcsc June 2004[29] 37.

[30][31][32] On transfer to the Primary Reserve component he was promoted Major-General[33] and served as the chair of the Chiefs of Medical Services (COMEDS) of NATO 2015–2018[34] 39.

Brigadier-General HC MacKay OMM, CD, QHP, MD, MHSc, FRCPC(hon) June 2015[35][36] 40.

Major-General (Acting While So Employed) Marc Bilodeau, CD, MD, CCFP(EM), FCFP July 2020.