Class Notes
News from your classmates
Summer 2025
Class of 5T5
Dr. May COHEN — 1991-1996 Associate Dean, Health Services, McMaster Health Sciences; 2016 inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame; 2017 appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada; 2025 biography Trailblazer for Women's Health published — now lives in a retirement home in north Toronto.
Class of 6T1
Dr. Ted TULCHINSKY is a faculty member with the Hebrew University–Hadassah Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine in Jerusalem. He is the first author of a recently published article in the American Journal of Public Health entitled "Israel and Gaza: Keeping Room for Hope Based on Past Cooperation in Public Health". Read the article.
Class of 6T6
Dr. Vladimir HACHINSKI along with Guy Rouleau, Director of the Montreal Neurological Institute and John Kirton, Head of the G7 and G20 Research Groups at the University of Toronto, organized a hybrid workshop on January 28, 2025, of all the global, regional and national brain health plans leaders to make recommendations to the G7. Dean John Yoo, Schulich Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, sponsored it. The G7 meeting took place in Canada from June 15-17, 2025. Read the full article.
Class of 6T9
Members of the MD Class of 1969 held a casual, belated reunion breakfast in May 2025 to celebrate the 55th anniversary of their graduation. Clockwise from bottom left: Dr. Mel GOLDBERG (GP), Dr. Eddie MEDNICK (ophthalmologist ), Dr. Marv WAXMAN (GP), Dr. Alvin PETTLE (OB-GYN), Dr. Sheldon BERGER (GP), Dr. Ronald ZUCKER (plastic surgeon) — three still practicing and three retired.
Dr. Harold P. DRUTZ was invited to give a keynote Historical Lecture at the 50th AGM of the International Urogynecological Association (IUGA) in Barcelona, Spain on June 19, 2025. The title of his talk was "IUGA at 50: What have we learned from the past? Where do we need to go in the future?"
Dr. Jerry FRIEDMAN is now fully retired from his clinical practice and teaching at Michael Garron Hospital. He will continue with his studies at U of T and his artistic work in driftwood sculpture at his cottage and gallery/workshop 25 minutes northeast of Huntsville on Bella Lake. Jerry will be part of the Muskoka North Studio Tour August 15-17 2025. For details on the artists and studio locations visit the website. Individual studio visits can also be arranged by email to jerryfriedman@rogers.com.
Class of 7T0
Dr. Jack NEWMAN published his latest book on breastfeeding last year. The title is What Doctors Don't Know About Breastfeeding, written together with Andrea Polokova MA, IBCLC. The publisher is Praeclarus Press (2022).
Class of 7T5
Dr. Marshall KORENBLUM retired from clinical practice as of July 1, 2024, after 44 years as a child/adolescent psychiatrist in Toronto. However, he continues to teach, supervise and consult as an Associate Professor in U of T's Department of Psychiatry. He is a group facilitator for the OMA's pilot project on peer support for physicians, and is an expert panelist with the Division of Child/Youth Mental Health's Advocacy Forum. He is a faculty member for the Psychoanalysis and Film Course, 2025-2026, and gives webinars targeted to mental health clinicians through the Sick Kids Centre for Community Mental Health Learning Institute. He is the proud grandfather of six grandchildren, and is enjoying his semi-retirement with increased travel time.
Class of 8T0
MD Class of 1980 45-Year Reunion — On May 30, the MD Class of 1980 came together to celebrate the 45th anniversary of their graduation from medical school. Organized by Drs. Roger BUCKLEY, Nancy DOWN, Ginny GRIFFIN, and Cheryl ROSEN, the gathering took place at the Toronto Badminton and Racquet club.
Class of 8T3
Dr. Davy CHENG has been consistently recognized for his global academic impact, ranking among the World's Top 2% Scientists (2022–2024, Elsevier) and as a Highly Ranked Scholar in Tracheal Intubation – Lifetime (Top 17 globally, ScholarGPS 2025). In 2025, he was appointed to the International Advisory Committee for Artificial Intelligence (IACAI), a prestigious global body supported by AAMC, AMEE, APMEN, and IAMSE, offering strategic guidance on integrating AI into health professions education. He also joined the Steering Committee of the Alliance of Academic Health Centers International (AAHCI) in 2024, promoting global collaboration in research, education, and health. Connect on LinkedIn.
Dr. Nicholas LEYLAND, at this stage in his career, is honoured and humbled to be elected President of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, effective June 2026. He hopes to be a strong advocate for equitable health care access for Canadian women and equitable conditions for their providers during his two-year term.
Class of 8T6
Dr. Keith MARTIN has had a varied practice providing primary care and emergency medicine in British Columbia. He also provided care in South Africa in a black hospital during apartheid. He was elected to the House of Commons and was honoured to serve his community on Vancouver Island as a Member of Parliament between 1993-2011. Much of his work involved addressing the social determinants of health in Canada, and international humanitarian, security, environmental and development challenges. Since 2012, Keith has served as the founding executive director of the Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH) in Washington, DC. With 36,000 scientists and 180 academic institutions around the world, it is the world's largest academic-based global health organization devoted to improving the well being of people and the health of the planet. Keith is an avid off road cyclist, tennis player and conservationist and loves spending time trekking in BC and in Africa.
Class of 8T7
Dr. Peter BZONEK, at 64 years old, is still enjoying family medicine at the Carlisle Medical Centre, where he has been since 1990, but he no longer does obstetrics or hospital care. His wife Suzanne is still doing psychiatry at Hamilton Health Sciences. It has been a great summer for swimming, boating and water-skiing. Their next goal is to teach their 6- and 8-year-old grandsons to waterski and love the outdoors as much as they do.
Class of 8T8
Dr. Marilyn CRABTREE left full time clinical practice in December 2020 and since then has been involved with her local Ontario Health Team as well as with the Ontario eConsult Program and other provincial and regional initiatives. She is currently the Clinical Lead at the Great River OHT and its Primary Care Network. She is Past Chair of the Ontario Primary Care Council and recently co-facilitated a workshop at the annual Canadian Conference on Physician Leadership, held in Vancouver, B.C. She was awarded her Canadian Certified Physician Executive credential during the conference and was recently acknowledged by OntarioMD with an OMD Luminary Award for her advocacy for improved digital health interoperability and end user experience to reduce the administrative burdens of technology on the profession.
Class of 8T9
Dr. Anna BANERJI was featured in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, highlighting her work advocating for Canada's Indigenous communities. Read the article.
Dr. Erik ERYAVEC is currently working full-time as a cardiac surgical assistant at the Hamilton General Hospital. He's enjoying music and travel, and looking forward to connecting with his classmates at their upcoming class reunion in Toronto this October.
Class of 9T0
MD Class of 1990 35-Year Reunion — On June 21st, the MD Class of 1990 came together to celebrate the 35th anniversary of their graduation from medical school. Organized by Drs. Andy SMITH, Jane LIDDLE, Rajiv SINGAL, and Susan MEHTA, the gathering took place at the Faculty Club. The event featured a cocktail reception and seated dinner, offering classmates the opportunity to reconnect, reflect on their journeys, and celebrate decades of friendship and shared experiences. A total of 85 classmates and guests attended, making the reunion a memorable and heartfelt occasion.
Class of 9T1
Dr. John YOO has been reappointed as Dean of the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University. A proud alumnus of the University of Toronto, Dr. Yoo is a head and neck surgeon in Western's Departments of Otolaryngology and Oncology. He has served as dean since May 2020, is currently co-chair of the Council of Ontario Faculties and Medicine and chair-elect of the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada.
Class of 9T2
Dr. Marianna SWITCHUK is happy to be celebrating her 35th wedding anniversary to Ron Switchuk. "Best decision of my life. Many of my medical school colleagues attended the event way back when, it was so memorable and fun. Neale Ginsburg and Min Kang Yang were the photographers, Dae Chung was the DJ, Sasha Bernatski sang at the church ceremony. Life has been an adventure together. We have raised two beautiful daughters, made a comfortable home in Burlington and run successful businesses. Off to Europe to celebrate. Ciao!"
Class of 9T4
Dr. Lisa TANNOCK started as Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences, Queen's University on July 1, 2025. After 27 years in the US, Lisa is delighted to be back home in Ontario, and looking forward to catching up with classmates and colleagues. Read about her appointment.
Class of 9T7
Dr. Fernando TEIXEIRA became Chief Medical Officer and Chief Academic Officer for Good Samaritan Hospital Health System in August 2025. The GHS health system supports care for California residents across four counties and comprises 1200 health care workers who provide critical access care and resources for the underserved population of Central California. GSH is expanding into the academic sphere by becoming a supporting institution for its first residency programme in Family Practice and will welcome its first cohort of residents in July 2026. Dr. Teixeira will support clinical service line expansion across its nine clinics while growing the surgical capacity of GSH. Academically, Dr. Teixeira will bridge the ACGME curricula with the recruitment of academically focused clinicians while advancing the CanMEDS based concepts of milestone development and Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs).
Class of 0T0
MD Class of 2000 25-Year Reunion — On May 23rd, the MD Class of 2000 gathered to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their graduation from medical school. Organized by Dr. Marcus LAW and hosted by Dr. Allan GRILL, the event was held at the Great Hall in Hart House. The gathering included a cocktail reception and buffet dinner, giving classmates the chance to reconnect, reflect on their journeys, and celebrate decades of friendship and shared experiences. A total of 105 classmates and guests attended, making the reunion a memorable and heartfelt occasion.
Class of 0T4
Dr. Gregory SILVERMAN, an anesthesiologist at Mount Sinai Hospital, Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto, and Lieutenant Commander in the Canadian Armed Forces, is leading the first use of the Canadian-designed MOVES-SLC portable life support system and MADM anesthesia module in a civilian hospital. This 40-lb, self-contained device — conceived by faculty at the University Health Network and built by Thornhill Medical in Canada — the MOVES-SLC system can operate for hours without power or the need for external oxygen. At Mount Sinai, it is being used in elective surgeries to train Canadian military medical specialists in advanced respiratory care for austere environments, disasters and future pandemics, with funding from the Canadian Armed Forces and equipment donated by Thornhill Medical.