York University's forthcoming School of Medicine celebrates a new milestone as it prepares to train primary care physicians starting Fall 2028.
York University has taken an important step forward in advancing its long-standing commitment to health education and community well-being. Both University Senate and the Board of Governors approved establishing the School of Medicine within the Faculty of Health at their June meetings. The decision to establish the school follows extensive planning and consultation and marks the culmination of an important phase in the procedural and governance processes.
David Peters
Housing the School within the Faculty of Health ensures strong interdisciplinary foundations from the outset, notes the returning Dean of the Faculty of Health and Dean of Record for the School of Medicine, David Peters. "We will be building on our existing strengths in collaborative teaching and research and fostering meaningful exchanges across disciplines - from nursing and psychology to kinesiology, health policy & management and global health."
Opening in Fall 2028, the new School of Medicine will be the first medical school in Canada to focus on community-based primary health care education. York will train physicians who are equipped to work in interprofessional teams and to leverage digital health technologies in diverse clinical settings. Graduates will support underserved communities with growing health care needs, including northern Toronto, York Region, Simcoe County and surrounding rural areas.
The school will ultimately be located in the Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct adjacent to Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital. In the interim, the inaugural cohort will begin their medical education at the University's Keele Campus.
"While Keele will be our first home, the community will be our campus," says Peters. "The School of Medicine will apply a person-centred, community-based approach that reflects modern health care realities. Our students will learn in communities, so they are equipped to lead in an ever-changing health care landscape."
The school's curriculum will emphasize clinical experiences that allow students to follow patients across different care settings while also developing sustained relationships with mentors and communities. Students will gain experience in diverse learning environments preparing them to meet the evolving needs of Ontario's health care system.
Rhonda Lenton
President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton remarked on the importance of this milestone. "Establishing a medical school has been a long-standing goal of York University. The focus on family medicine and other primary health care practitioners speaks to our on-going commitment to respond to the needs of the communities we serve," she said. "Along with this vote of assent from Senate and Board to establish the school within the Faculty of Health, provincial, federal and municipal governments and our health care partners continue to lend their strong support for York's vision of a patient-centred, community-based approach to health care education."
"In addition to educating the next generation of primary health care physicians, the York University School of Medicine will serve as a catalyst for cognate academic programs and expanded research partnerships across Faculties and in collaboration with our partners," added Lenton. Plans are underway to establish a pan-University Health Education and Research Committee to support collaboration and innovation in health-related fields.
Colleagues in the Faculty of Health will work closely with the School of Medicine's program development committees in developing the Doctor of Medicine program. The committees comprised of faculty from various programs, staff, health professionals and community members have been tasked with shaping a program that reflects York's commitment to equity, innovation and community-based medical education. Their insights, along with guidance from faculty council and Senate, will ensure the program aligns with national accreditation standards set by the Committee on the Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS). This inclusive and rigorous process is a critical step toward building a high-quality medical school that prepares future physicians to meet the evolving needs of Ontario and Canada's health care systems.
Learn more about the York University School of Medicine through its website, as well as the video below.
This story was originally featured in YFile, York University's community newsletter
