Dr. Christopher Yarnell

As part of the intensive care unit (ICU) team, I look after some of the sickest patients in the hospital — people on ventilators and other forms of life-support. As a Critical Care Physician and Researcher at SHN, my focus is on improving care for ICU patients and ensuring that the people of Scarborough are represented in the data shaping national and global medical practices.

I never expected to end up in Scarborough. During my third year of medical school, I was assigned to do my emergency medicine rotation at Scarborough General Hospital and it turned out to be one of the best strokes of luck in my career.

From day one, I was amazed by the diversity, resilience, and warmth of the people here. Later, during my internal medicine rotation, I saw that same dedication across every department, and when I began my critical care training, I already knew I wanted to come back.

For a long time, I never thought becoming a researcher in Scarborough was even possible — that kind of work just didn’t exist here. But that changed when the SHN Research Institute was established. When I first started, most large research trials didn’t include our community hospitals, and I've been working hard to give patients from Scarborough the chance to take part in studies that are enrolling all over the country and the world.

Today, we’re building SHN’s ICU Research Program, making sure Scarborough patients have access to the same cutting-edge studies as patients downtown, and providing a pathway to develop our own studies to improve care at SHN and globally. Our SHN-led research looks at everything from how to best support patients with respiratory failure to understanding how electrolytes affect recovery. We’ve faced challenges, but there’s so much potential here, and so much opportunity for growth.

Most Canadians receive their care in community hospitals like SHN, not in academic ones. Community hospitals are the entryway to our healthcare system and the foundation of care for local neighbourhoods. In Scarborough, we serve one of the country’s most diverse and fastest-growing populations, and I believe the future of healthcare, education, and research lies right here.

At SHN, we’re not only caring for patients; we’re training the next generation of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other clinicians. We’re building a model where care, learning, and research all work hand in hand and where the experiences of real people in Scarborough directly shape how medicine is practiced across Canada.

When you support SHN, you’re not just helping fund new buildings or equipment — you’re helping us build capacity, attract researchers and educators, and bring world-class care closer to home. You’re investing in innovation that directly impacts the people who live and work in this community — and ensuring that Scarborough continues to be a place where exceptional care and groundbreaking research can thrive.