On July 7, Brampton City Council voted in favour of a $1 million planning grant to help fund a future School of Medicine in the city. The funding decision followed a presentation by Ryerson University President Mohamed Lachemi, and will be utilized to support an official proposal to the Ontario Government.
The funding from the City of Brampton matches the $1 million in funding granted by the Province of Ontario earlier this year to support Ryerson's School of Medicine proposal. The proposal will detail Ryerson's approach to health education, with a focus on primary care, expanded use of technology to better meet patient needs, inter-professional practice and the provision of culturally sensitive care.
The funding also enables the university to collaborate with the City on identifying potential locations, including Brampton's Innovation District, as the future site for the medical school. The university remains on track to deliver its proposal to the Province of Ontario within the 18 to 24 month timeline previously announced.
"We are proud to have Brampton as our partner in expanding healthcare education in Ontario and we are grateful for this show of support," said Ryerson University President and Vice-Chancellor Mohamed Lachemi. "The new medical school will not only dramatically enhance the healthcare system in Brampton, it will also build a foundation for a diverse pool of talent to thrive in healthcare and healthcare-related sectors across our province."
A School of Medicine in Brampton will offer a new approach to medical education in Ontario - one that draws on the university's commitment to community, diversity and inclusion, and innovation to address the changing needs for health care delivery and practice. This new approach will meet the current pain points in the healthcare system in Brampton and across the province, both of which have been exacerbated by the global pandemic. A shared vision for a School of Medicine in Brampton builds on existing partnerships between the university and the City of Brampton, including the Cybersecure Catalyst and the Brampton Ventures Zone.
"We welcome the expansion of more postsecondary opportunities to meet the needs of Brampton's young, diverse and rapidly-growing community. This opportunity to invest in the Ryerson School of Medicine has come at a significant time for the City, as COVID-19 has intensified our need for equitable health care services," said Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown. "The Ryerson School of Medicine in Brampton will ensure that the next generation of health care practitioners can train locally in our city, in programs like disease prevention and health promotion; home care; and, acute care hospital services. Historically, Brampton has not received its fair share of funding in health care services resulting in hospital overcrowding and hallway medicine. An investment in the Ryerson School of Medicine gives the City of Brampton an opportunity to change that."
A School of Medicine at Ryerson University will be designed around five pillars:
- Focusing on community centric primary care and the social determinants of health
- Providing culturally respectful care to communities
- Leveraging innovation and technology in practices to improve quality of care and patient outcomes
- Providing future physicians with the skills to develop inter-professional networks of health care to achieve better outcomes for patients
- Focusing on the aging and supporting seniors as a growing portion of our society gets older
Ryerson's School of Medicine planning committee has completed the first phase of community consultations with the Ryerson community and will now turn its attention to a robust plan to engage community stakeholders in Brampton, Peel and other regions. These consultations will engage leaders of community organizations, health care businesses, clinicians and clinical groups as well as connect with community groups, to understand their hopes and expectations for the school, and incorporate that feedback into planning.
For more information about Ryerson University's School of Medicine proposal, visit: https://www.ryerson.ca/brampton/school-of-medicine/
