It’s time to build a medical school as diverse as the communities its doctors serve
Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) is embarking on a new chapter that will help shape the future of health care in Ontario. In March 2021, the university received a planning grant from the provincial government that supported the development of a proposal for a new kind of medical school in Brampton. Approved by TMU’s Senate in March 2023, the proposal details the university's innovative approach to health education and the manner in which it will address growing gaps in primary care across the province and the country at large.
Systemic cultural inequities within the healthcare system contribute significantly to unmet care needs in Ontario. Toronto Metropolitan University’s School of Medicine is being designed from the ground up to provide a new model for primary care — one that’s community-driven and intentionally inclusive, and that trains doctors whose cultural awareness and humility are as crucial as their medical skills.
Dr. Teresa Chan, founding dean of TMU's School of Medicine and vice-president, medical affairs discusses how we can equip the physicians of tomorrow to succeed, why Brampton is the perfect place for a new school of medicine, and why she’s glad she didn’t take a straightforward path to becoming a doctor.
A School of Medicine at Toronto Metropolitan University will be designed around five key pillars:
Community-centric primary care and the social determinants of health.
Providing culturally respectful care to diverse communities.
The use of innovation and technology to improve quality of care and patient outcomes.
Support for the health and wellbeing of seniors as our population becomes older.
Equipping physicians with the skills to develop interprofessional health care networks to achieve better outcomes for patients.