Turning Classrooms into Real-World Labs

As students across Scarborough return to classrooms this fall, another kind of learning environment is taking shape at SHN, one where textbooks meet real-world problem-solving.

At the heart of this initiative is SHN’s Research Institute Student Experience (RISE) program, a year-round initiative giving local students the tools to innovate in healthcare. Its first test run? Summer of Vibes, SHN’s inaugural summer research program.

Summer of Vibes: Students Solve Real Healthcare Problems

“The Summer of Vibes was built on a simple premise: if you give motivated learners real problems, real mentors, and permission to ship, they’ll create products that matter,” says Dr. Joshua Landy, Physician Education Lead for Education & Innovation. Over several weeks, students from medicine, engineering, business, and design worked within the hospital on real healthcare challenges using cutting-edge AI tools, iterating weekly and collaborating directly with clinicians.

The program’s momentum peaked at Grand Demo Day on August 11, a capstone event where student teams presented their AI-driven projects to clinicians, patients, and community partners. “The energy was electric—equal parts science fair and Silicon Valley,” recalls Dr. Landy.

Innovations that Matter: From AI to Patient-Centered Solutions

Highlights from the program included:

• Digital Twin: a predictive model for emergency departments
• ContextCare: a multilingual-friendly discharge summary
• Virtual Standardized Patient: scriptable cases for practicing clinical interviews

For Dr. Landy, the “back-to-school” spirit of RISE is about more than learning facts; it’s about applying them:
“Skill sticks when it’s used. Summer of Vibes collapses the gap between ‘I learned this’ and ‘I used this on a real problem,’ which accelerates competence and confidence.”

Building Scarborough’s Future Healthcare Leaders

Scarborough itself is integral to the program. “Scarborough isn’t a test site—it’s the use case,” says Dr. Landy. “If solutions work here, they’ll generalize anywhere. Building in Scarborough means students co-design with the community, target real inequities, and keep value local.”

Summer of Vibes is just the beginning. With a full launch planned for Summer 2026, RISE will expand into a year-round program supporting 50 students annually, with mentorship, training, and access to SHN’s research infrastructure. Community and donor support are critical. “It’s the difference between a good pilot and a durable program,” Dr. Landy emphasizes. “Donors convert momentum into infrastructure—and infrastructure into outcomes.”

SHN is thrilled to announce the launch of the Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health (SAMIH) in 2026. The success of Summer of Vibes marks the beginning of a bold new chapter, where student passion, clinical mentorship, and emerging technologies come together to fuel innovation at SAMIH.

Support the Future of Healthcare Innovation

If you’re interested in helping SHN nurture the next generation of healthcare leaders through programs like Summer of Vibes, please contact Arlene Boyce at aboyce@shn.ca or 416-505-3200 to learn how your gift can make a lasting impact.