Canada’s competitive advantage

Last week, I had the privilege of attending the International Congress on Academic Medicine (ICAM), hosted by the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC) in Ottawa. Spending time with leaders from medical schools across the country — and from around the world — was a reminder of just how much talent, commitment and shared purpose exists within our community.

Prior to the conference, I joined fellow deans on a panel at a breakfast for medical school leaders, senators and parliamentarians at the Senate of Canada. Our conversation, co-hosted by Senator Stan Kutcher and AFMC, focused on strengthening the physician training pipeline, the future of medical education and the role of our faculties in Canada’s innovation and economic landscape.

It’s a compelling case — medical schools are engines of discovery, talent and economic vitality, and at a moment when global competition for research leadership has never been fiercer, that role has never mattered more.

Another theme that emerged clearly: strengthening Canada's research sector, in partnership with provincial and federal partners, is how we improve health outcomes for all Canadians and ensure this country remains a destination of choice for the world's best researchers, clinicians and innovators.

At Temerty Medicine, we continue to do this work. We are growing our MD/PhD and clinician investigator programs to train the next generation of researchers who move fluidly between the lab and the clinic. We are expanding our research commercialization ecosystem — anchored by our new Commercialization & Partnerships unit — to help ensure our discoveries reach the patients who need them. And we are working across the Toronto Academic Health Science Network to break down the inter-institutional barriers that have too often slowed the pace of collaboration.

We have a strong research and education foundation to build on and are consistently ranked among the top three in the world for health sciences research output. We have a responsibility to make the most of both our achievements and potential.

I returned to Toronto with a great deal to reflect on, and with a deep appreciation for the colleagues across this country who are grappling with the same opportunities and challenges we face here at Temerty Medicine. There is much more we can accomplish together. I look forward to continuing that work with all of you.

Lisa Robinson, MD, FRCPC, FASN, FCAHS
Dean, Temerty Faculty of Medicine 
Vice Provost, Relations with Health-Care Institutions