Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto

Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
Name	Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
Established	1843
Type	Medical school
Parent	University of Toronto
City	Toronto
Province	Ontario
Country	Canada

Contents

Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto is a medical faculty within the University of Toronto located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is one of the oldest and largest medical schools in North America and has been associated with numerous breakthroughs and institutions such as the Toronto General Hospital, the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, and the MaRS Discovery District. The faculty's network spans multiple hospitals, research institutes, and international collaborations including ties to Harvard Medical School, Stanford University School of Medicine, and the University of Oxford.

History

The faculty traces its origins to medical instruction at the Kingston Medical School era and formal establishment in 1843 under the aegis of the University of Toronto and the Collegiate Institute. Early clinical training occurred at the Toronto General Hospital and the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), aligning with the growth of Toronto Western Hospital and the St. Michael's Hospital (Toronto). In the 20th century the faculty expanded during periods marked by collaborations with the Discovery of insulin era involving University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine scientists and clinicians linked to the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, partnerships with the Ontario Cancer Institute, and infrastructure growth near the University of Toronto Scarborough and Mississauga campuses. Postwar expansion connected the faculty to institutes such as the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute and the Donkin Research Centre, influencing clinical advances later recognized through awards like the Gairdner Foundation International Award and collaborations with entities including the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

The faculty operates under the governance of the University of Toronto Governing Council and the office of the Dean, historically occupied by leaders with appointments overlapping with the University Health Network and the Sinai Health System. Administrative divisions include departments associated with the Temerty Faculty of Medicine naming initiatives, chair positions connected to the Canada Research Chairs Program, and cross-appointments with faculties such as the Faculty of Arts and Science, University of Toronto and the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. Oversight includes committees liaising with regulatory bodies like the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario and accreditation partners including the Liaison Committee on Medical Education. Budgetary and philanthropic relations engage donors and foundations such as the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Gairdner Foundation, and the Trillium Gift of Life Network.

Programs include the MD program offering core curricula developed with input from the Association of American Medical Colleges, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada residency pathways, and graduate programs administered through the Institute of Medical Science and the School of Graduate Studies. Interprofessional education involves partnerships with the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, and the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. Continuing professional development engages with organizations such as the Canadian Medical Association and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Specialized streams encompass programs linked to the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, the Rehabilitation Institute of Toronto, and collaborative degrees with the Rotman School of Management and the Joint Centre for Bioethics.

Research activities are concentrated within affiliated institutes including the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, the Toronto General Research Institute, the Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, and the Vector Institute collaborations. Investigator-led labs have contributed to milestones associated with the insulin discovery team, the bone marrow transplantation programs tied to the Princess Margaret Hospital, and advances reflected by awards from the Canada Gairdner Awards, the Royal Society of Canada, and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Major research themes span collaborations with the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, the Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, and translational partnerships with the MaRS Discovery District and industry partners such as Sanofi and Bristol Myers Squibb. Infrastructure for clinical trials and informatics interfaces with the Clinical Trials Ontario network and the ICES data platforms.

Clinical education is delivered at a network of teaching hospitals including the University Health Network, which comprises Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, and Princess Margaret Cancer Centre; alongside Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), St. Michael's Hospital (Toronto), Mount Sinai Hospital (Toronto), Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, and Trillium Health Partners. Affiliations extend to community hospitals like North York General Hospital, Scarborough Health Network, Mississauga Hospital, and specialized centres such as the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and the Rehabilitation Institute of Ontario. International partnerships and exchange programs have links with institutions like Johns Hopkins Hospital, Mayo Clinic, and the Karolinska Institutet.

Alumni and faculty include Nobel laureates and leading clinicians and researchers associated with milestones involving Frederick Banting, Charles Best, and collaborators recognized by the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine; transplant pioneers such as John Briggs-affiliated teams, cancer researchers linked to the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, and public health leaders who have served in roles within the Public Health Agency of Canada and the World Health Organization. Other prominent figures include surgeons and clinicians with appointments at Harvard Medical School, leaders in genomics connected to the Broad Institute, and ethicists involved with the Joint Centre for Bioethics. The faculty's community of scholars has produced recipients of the Gairdner Foundation International Award, fellows of the Royal Society, and holders of Canada Research Chairs and honours from provincial and national medical associations including the Canadian Medical Association.