Message from Dr. Samir Grover

When I first arrived in Scarborough, the diversity struck me right away, and it has never stopped inspiring me. People from many races,cultures and lived experiences, people who do things in different ways, and people with unique needs, priorities and understandings. That diversity is not just a characteristic of our community – it’s an asset, and it lies at the heart of a transformation that will see Scarborough Health Network (SHN) become Canada’s leading community teaching health network.

SHN is revolutionizing medical and health professions education right now. This is great news for young learners eager to learn, and then practice, in a community like Scarborough, which in a very real sense mirrors the global community. It’s also great news for patients, as we embed education and innovation directly into the care we provide. And quite honestly, we believe it is a step forward for medical education in Ontario.

At the core of this transformation is SHN’s role as the clinical partner of the new Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health (SAMIH) opening at the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus. This means that we will provide new generations of health professions learners learners with rich in-hospital and community teaching and clinical experiences Our goal is not just to prepare learners but to re-image how education is delivered in healthcare serrings. We are committed to meeting known gaps in training, including how we mentor learners, teach clinical skills, foster critical thinking, and assess competency in meaningful ways.

So, how will SHN stand out? By embracing education that is deeply embedded in the community in Scarborough, and shaped by its unique identity. Our learners will actively engage with pateints and families, learning not only the technical skills required of healthcare providers, but also how to deliver care that is culturally and contextually attuned. These interactions are guided by one-on-one mentorship from experienced physicians, nurses, and allied health providers, who bring both clinical expertise and a deep understanding of the human side of medicine. We are uniquely positioned to offer that kind of personalized engagement.

In addition, we are creating a collaborative learning environment that replicates the multi-disciplinary model that is widely understood to be the future of healthcare. Learners will train as part of interdisciplinary teams, working alongside peers from other health disciplines. Together, they will navigate complex clinical scenarios, solving real-world problems for patients and their families under expert supervision. This approach not only improves patient care, but also equipes learners with a tangible understanding of the teamwork and collaborative skills essential to deliver high quality healthcare.

Technology, integrated seamlessly, supports these efforts, including solutions that are being built at the Scarborough Health Network Research Institute (SHNRI). By using innovative methods, we aim to provide learners with precise, personalized feedback, helping them grow into confident, capable clinicians. By developing education models that work in Scarborough, we are creating frameworks that can be adapted and applied globally, ensuring that the lessons learned here contribute to a broader transformation in how healthcare professionals are trained and how care is delivered.

What does all of this mean? It means that SHN will be modelling a new approach to medical education in a community setting that we believe other hospitals will follow. It means that SHN is creating a culture where education is at the heart of everything we do, and where health professional learners who want to be part of that will want to work. It means that clinicians who want to practice in a community that reflects the world like few others will have an opportunity to do so. And it means offering learners—especially those who grew up here—the chance to train in the community they call home, enhancing care through shared experiences and mutual understanding.

Finally, research tells us that doctors tend to stay and practice where they train. By investing in this bold vision for education, SHN is not just shaping the future of healthcare professionals—it’s ensuring better healthcare for Scarborough, the eastern GTA – and developing a new model for community education for the world. Imagine that. I certainly do.