From vision to reality
It is hard to believe that what was once a vision for the university's future is now a reality.
The TMU School of Medicine began, as many things do, as a series of questions and discussions: Can we pioneer a new type of medical school to provide excellent, inclusive care and lead real change in the health care system? What would a medical school, rooted in community and responsive to the needs of the people it serves, look like? Can we help address the health care challenges of the region, and the province, by shaping future-ready doctors dedicated to delivering primary care to those who need it most?
And today, after much hard work and dedication, we celebrate the opening of the TMU School of Medicine in Brampton to our inaugural class of MD learners.
A community effort
An immeasurable amount of effort from a countless number of supporters has gone into readying our School of Medicine over the last number of years, and the support of the TMU community has been evident from day one.
Our community has been there in so many ways: providing feedback during the many phases of consultations, participating in advisory councils and committees, offering expertise and leadership in the development of the school and our programs, spreading the word on the ongoing work and so much more.
I want to thank each and every one of you: Our students, faculty, staff, and alumni who supported this vision.
I also want to thank the Board of Governors and Senate for their guidance and support. We would not have been able to reach this milestone without their trust in this vision and their belief in the TMU team bringing it to fruition.
Beyond our campus, there are many, many more to thank. Our partners at the City of Brampton and the provincial government, for supporting our vision; our community partners, stakeholders and donors for their collaboration and contributions; and of course all of our clinical affiliates, particularly our primary clinical affiliate William Osler Health System, for sharing their expertise and providing critical learning environments for our students.
Historic achievements
There is so much to be proud of in reaching today's milestone. Not only is it the first medical school to open in the GTA in over 100 hundred years, we also met a number of criteria, such as achieving accreditation, in record time.
Ours is the first medical school in the history of our country to start both undergraduate and postgraduate programs at the same time, with a record number of 16 unique residency programs launched simultaneously.
While today is a day we have been striving for for many years, the exciting work of educating future physicians who will truly change healthcare in our province is just beginning. Thank you to everyone who has joined us on this journey to date, and will continue to be with us, as we work for healthy change for all.
Mohamed Lachemi
President and Vice-Chancellor, TMU
