U of T to Honour Long Legacy of Military Medical Leadership
A new plaque in the Medical Sciences Building will honour the University of Toronto’s track record of leadership in Canadian military medicine.
Since 1885, 47 individuals have served the Canadian military as Surgeon General (or Director General of Medical Services, as the role was previously known). Nearly half of the holders of this prestigious position have been University of Toronto alumni.
“The Surgeon General is the professional head of the Canadian military who oversees all matters related to health,” says Professor Trevor Young, Dean of the Temerty Faculty of Medicine. “The fact that so many U of T alumni have served in this important role speaks both to the quality of our graduates, as well as to our alumni’s strong tradition of military service.”
As head of the Royal Canadian Medical Service, the Surgeon General also has traditionally served as Commander of the Canadian Forces Health Services Group. The Health Services Group is made up of the Royal Canadian Medical Service, the Royal Canadian Dental Corps, as well as personnel from other branches of the armed forces and civilians in 48 health professions and specialities in 43 units and 83 detachments across Canada and abroad. In addition, the Surgeon General also has traditionally served the Royal Household as Honorary Physician or Honorary Surgeon to Her Majesty the Queen.
The new plaque, honouring a century of U of T-affiliated Surgeons General stretching from 1917 to 2017, will be unveiled in a special ceremony following the end of restrictions on in-person gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Its creation was made possible thanks to the leadership of alumnus Dr. Michael Dan (MD ‘84).
“I’m thrilled to be able to help U of T honour its many alumni who have served Canada and Canadians and continue to serve in leadership roles within the Canadian Armed Forces,” says Dan. “The Surgeon General is an extremely prestigious medical appointment that carries with it tremendous responsibilities. The number of U of T alumni who have gone on to serve as Surgeons General in Canada is a truly remarkable legacy and relationship with medical leadership that no other Canadian university can match.”
