Career week introduces high school students in Toronto’s east end to health professions
When Diamond* signed up for a program on health professional careers hosted at the University of Toronto Scarborough and local hospitals over March break, she wanted to explore what a career in health might look like for her. But the experience opened her eyes to much more.
“I came in hoping to get a clearer sense of my options,” says Diamond.
The grade 12 student was one of 48 who took part in the program, called Health Professionals Career Week, which enables high-school students from underserved communities to explore health-care settings, roles and careers.
The students visited U of T Scarborough for two days, and spent a day at Scarborough Health Network’s Birchmount Hospital and Michael Garron Hospital. They explored health-care roles and services available in Toronto’s east end through a case study model, connected with professionals across the spectrum of health care and saw hospital operations firsthand.
The program was co-developed by the Dalla Lana School of Public Health (DLSPH), the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and U of T Scarborough in 2023. The goal was to expose students in the Scarborough area to learning and career paths in the health professions, many of which will be available through the Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health (SAMIH), set to open this fall.
“The initiative gives students from underserved communities direct exposure to health professions careers,” says Dionne Banton, program coordinator at Temerty Medicine’s office of access and outreach. “This is important to the overall goal of ensuring there is greater diversity among health-care professionals, via pathways at U of T Scarborough, SAMIH and across Scarborough.”
SAMIH will train physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and physical therapists. Its inaugural classes in the nurse practitioner, physician assistant and physical therapy programs will start in 2026, with undergraduate medical education to begin in 2027.
“At its core, this work is about expanding access, strengthening cultural competence, and ensuring future health-care providers are trained in the same communities they will go on to serve. Together, we're strengthening the region’s capacity to deliver a model of care shaped by collective action, trust and community stewardship." says Kimberley Tull, director, community & learning partnerships and access pathways, office of community partnerships & engagement, U of T Scarborough.
The week kicked off with an interactive roundtable discussion on health-care systems, and learning about the Certificate in Pathways to Healthcare Professions. Students then attended an academic fair and participated in workshops on suturing, led by medical students from Temerty Medicine, and CPR, run by a registered nurse and U of T alumna along with the Emergency Medical Response Group (EMRG) at U of T Scarborough.
On the Tuesday and Wednesday of March break, students visited the hospitals, where they were treated to behind-the-scenes tours and engaged with clinicians in case-study discussions.
“It is rewarding to witness students actively engaging with health-care professionals, particularly during visits to health-care sites,” says Sekou Gregg, outreach and program coordinator at DLSPH. “Seeing their curiosity come to life through real world experiences, whether observing a medical procedure or working through a youth mental health care plan as part of a case study activity, is incredibly meaningful.”
The week concluded at U of T Scarborough with a focus on Indigenous health, led by Temerty Medicine’s office of Indigenous health (OIH) and Dalla Lana’s Waakbiness Institute for Indigenous Health. Students learned about Indigenous approaches to medicine and health, public health — Indigenous public health in particular — and drew connections between their lives and experience and Indigenous health and how they relate to health-care systems.
“The week exceeded my expectations in every way,” says Diamond. “I learned about careers I hadn't even thought to consider before, and I got to meet people who genuinely inspired me. I came in with curiosity and left feeling more certain about the direction I want to go in.”
Health Professionals Career Week runs annually over the March break.
*Diamond is the student’s first name.
