SHN is strengthening a longstanding legacy of healthcare education in Scarborough through a strategic partnership with the new Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health (SAMIH) at the University of Toronto (U of T).
With a commitment to equipping medical and interprofessional students to meet the diverse healthcare needs of the Scarborough community through hands-on training, SHN is evolving its education programming, driven by our new Strategic Plan 2024- 2029. At the helm is Dr. Samir Grover, who became SHN’s inaugural Executive Vice President, Education, as well as SHN Research Institute’s inaugural Research Chair in Education, in December 2023. Renowned in gastroenterology education, Dr. Grover’s reputation is underscored by his development of U of T’s endoscopic simulation course, and his lab, which conducts innovative education research and technology-enhanced learning in medicine, including virtual reality.
Dr. Grover has led the formation of a new multidisciplinary SHN Education Committee and an administrative team, which both provide oversight for education operations, including initiatives for SAMIH. An essential component of these operations includes the construction of a state-of-the-art Education and Research Centre right next to Centenary Hospital, complementing the November 2023 ground-breaking of the new SAMIH building at U of T’s Scarborough campus. This Centre will be part of the Scarborough Health Centre of Excellence, which will also house an innovative interprofessional primary care team.
“We are seeing tremendous interest from donors who want to help ignite the innovation, education, and research at the new Education and Research Centre,” said David Graham, President and CEO, SHN. “Donors will play a vital role in enabling SHN to realize this new building and inspire every student and teacher who uses it. Our new training centre will be critical in supporting students to make the most of their education with spaces for collaboration, socialization, and well-being.”
In spring 2024, Dr. Grover and Dr. Marcus Law, Associate Dean of the Temerty Faculty of Medicine MD Program, together appointed Dr. Caroline Chan to Director, MD Program, Scarborough Academy of Medicine, deepening a decades-long partnership. Dr. Chan is SHN’s simulation co-lead for faculty development of emergency physicians, and a member of SHN’s Emergency Services MD Council.
Starting with a visioning session including architects, project managers, and SHN staff, physicians, educators, and researchers, planning for the Education and Research Centre is well underway. Dr. Grover, Dr. Chan, and the dedicated Education Committee are eagerly awaiting its opening in a few short years, marking the beginning of a transformative era for tailor-made medical education. This momentous occasion will not only celebrate a world-class facility, but also the fruition of a shared goal to advance healthcare excellence in Scarborough.
“Thanks to the generosity of donors and our partnership with SAMIH, we will deliver made-in-Scarborough education to our community’s future doctors and health professionals,” said Dr. Grover. “This is how we will ensure Scarborough has the same access to healthcare, research, and clinical trials as the rest of Toronto.”