EDI Action Fund
ISACH was a one-day conference held on March 1, 2025. It included a keynote by Dr. Stephen Hwang on the opportunities for healthcare professionals as advocates, a panel discussion on universal basic income, interactive workshops, and poster and oral research presentations.
The interdisciplinary approach allowed students from across various disciplines to share their work and become more familiar with equity, diversity and inclusion in a variety of healthcare topics.
The initiative identified emerging topics in health equity such as leveraging digital health to bridge care gaps, recognizing the complex health needs associated with experiences of homelessness, and highlighting the unique needs within urban health settings, like Toronto.
The READII (Rehabilitation Sciences Advancing Equity, Accessibility, Diversity, Indigeneity, and Inclusion) Committee created a series of talks and workshops aimed at equipping students and faculty with the knowledge and tools necessary to incorporate EDIA considerations throughout their work, from conceptualization to dissemination. Topics included: How to Incorporate Sex and Gender Considerations in Research; Championing Diversity: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Rehabilitation; Promoting EDIA in and through the design and evaluation of interactive technologies for pediatric rehabilitation; Embedding Lived Experience in Research: Practical EDIA Considerations for Grant Applications and Project Design; and ShiftEDIng Gears: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity (EDI) in Healthcare Self-driving Labs (SDLs)
Each workshop allowed for time for interactive discussion, promoting ongoing reflection and commitment to EDI principles. Additionally, through this workshop series, READII accumulated more resources to integrate into the RSI EDI Toolkit.
Sexual Health Education (SHE) hosted a panel discussion on March 5, 2025 on trauma-informed care in sexual health. The panel included physicians in family medicine, pediatrics and public health. The event provided perspectives on trauma-informed care for marginalized populations such as 2SLGBTQ+ individuals, refugees, Indigenous peoples, and unhoused communities. A networking session followed to encourage mentorship.
The initiative created an inclusive educational space where students learned how trauma-informed care can be adapted across specialties and identities. By centering voices of practitioners who work with underserved populations, the initiative offered real-world insights grounded in anti-oppressive, intersectional practice, addressing curriculum gaps in sexual health and inclusive care.
On Thursday, April 27, 2025, medical students, trainees, staff and community members at Temerty Medicine gathered at Hart House for the second annual Threads: A Cultural Mosaic, with keynote address by Dr. Leila Makhani and performances by medical students at Temerty. A digital brochure included student narratives. Approximately 25 cultures were represented through food, fashion, music and storytelling.
This event fostered a sense of community and made space for cultural expression and exchange.
Food, Culture and Medicine
Inspired by the Miichim Traditional Foods Program at Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre, on Tuesday, April 25th, 2025, fifty medical students participated in a special evening about Food, Medicine, and Culture at Women’s College Hospital. Led by several faith and culture-based groups affiliated with the MD Program — Black Medical Student Association, Canadian Association of Latin Medical Students, Chinese Medical Student Association, Jewish Medical Student Association, Medical Christian Fellowship, South Asian Medical Student Association — the evening focused on building connections between the student groups while tasting and engaging in meaningful discussions about traditional foods. Considering the strong relationship between food and health, and how it is heavily influenced by culture and religion, this evening encouraged students to develop an understanding of how food plays an important role in providing culturally competent care.
The evening began with a presentation by Lindy Kinoshameg, Indigenous Outreach and Program Coordinator, Office of Indigenous Health, who discussed Indigenous food misconceptions and how food is integrated with Indigenous lifestyles. Then, attendees rotated through stations to learn about the historical and cultural significance of their prepared dish, before eating the delicious food.