A new medical academy at the University of Toronto in Scarborough will fill a critical need by training the next generation of healthcare professionals in the eastern GTA.
the Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health (SAMIH) will be a partnership with the University of Toronto’s Temerty School of Medicine and Lawrence S. Bloomberg School of Nursing, as well as local hospitals and health networks.
Once operational, SAMIH will train up to 30 physicians, 30 physician assistants, 30 nurse practitioners, 40 physical therapists, and 300 undergraduate life science students per year. It will also include an expanded life sciences program at the University of Scarborough.
“The new Scarborough Academy of Integrated Medicine and Health will serve the local community, in partnership with nearby hospitals and community organizations,” said the University of Toronto president. Meric Gertler.
“It will train the next generation of health care professionals, foster innovative scholarly pursuits, and provide much needed health and economic benefits to the Eastern GTA.”
SAMIH received funding as part of the Ontario government’s plan to increase the number of physicians in the province, which was announced last week.
“Our government is supporting the University of Toronto with 30 additional undergraduate places by 2025 and 45 additional graduate positions by 2027 at its new Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health,” said Jill Dunlop, Minister of Ontario Colleges and Universities.
“By planning these new medical school positions now, students can begin their medical education as soon as the campus opens, which means more doctors are able to join the workforce of health and support this vibrant and growing community.
SAMIH will graduate up to 30 physicians, 30 physician assistants, 30 nurse practitioners, 40 physical therapists, and 300 undergraduate life science students per year.
SAMIH, who will be the first medical academy in the eastern GTA, fill a shortage of healthcare professionals in the region. According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information, the Central East Local Health Integration Network (where Scarborough and Durham Region are located) has the second lowest number of family physicians and specialists in Ontario per 100,000 population.
Scarborough is also identified as a high physician need area by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. This includes the shortage of other specialists like child and adult psychiatrists, geriatricians, nurse practitioners and emergency physicians.
“As one of the top five schools in the world, Temerty Medical School is very well prepared and able to expand medical education in Scarborough,” said Patricia HoustonActing Dean of the Temerty School of Medicine at the University of Toronto.
“We have been successful in increasing physician capacity and access in Peel and are confident that investing in U of T’s plans for the GTA East will deliver the equitable, integrated and compassionate care that the region needs.
In addition to serving as a much-needed pipeline to educate students, special emphasis will be placed on recruiting from Indigenous and Black communities that are currently underserved.
“SAMIH will meet the acute health care needs of our underserved communities in the Greater Toronto Area by training a full range of high-quality professionals, many of whom will be talented individuals purposefully chosen from our neighborhoods and reflective of our diverse communities. », noted Wisdom TetteyVice President of U of T and Principal of U of T Scarborough.
Plans also include a new building at the intersection of Morningside Avenue and Military Trail, across from the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre. The new building, which would serve as the central hub for the academy, is scheduled to open in September 2025 and will accommodate students from a variety of disciplines.
Local partner hospitals and health networks will include Scarborough Health Network, Lakeridge Health, Ontario Shores Center for Mental Health Sciences, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center and Michael Garron Hospital. There will also be research and teaching partnerships with several local organizations including The East Scarborough Storefront, TAIBU Community Health Center and Malvern Family Resource Centre.
“There has never been a more critical time to address unmet health care needs in Scarborough than right now,” said Elizabeth Buller, President and CEO of the Scarborough Health Network.
“The establishment of the Scarborough Academy of Integrated Medicine and Health at UTSC will create a center for training and strengthen the connection between students and the communities they call home.”
Andrew Arifuzzamanadministrative director of U of T Scarborough, said the Scarborough campus is well placed to launch the academy because of its location, strong ties to the community and connection to life science programs. It will also help strengthen ties between health care providers in the region and bring additional economic development and professional jobs to Scarborough and the eastern GTA.
With the creation of SAMIH, the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing at the University of Toronto will be the only nursing school to have a nurse practitioner-led clinic as part of its training program, which means that students can provide direct care under supervision. U of T’s Nurse Practitioner (NP) program is also the only one in Canada to offer specializations in adult primary care, global health, and pediatrics.
“Nurse practitioners are essential to healthy communities,” said Linda JohnsonDean of the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing at the University of Toronto.
“As part of SAMIH, our graduate student practitioners will be ready to provide direct care to the community, meeting the increased needs of the healthcare system in the Scarborough and Durham region. »
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