An Inclusive Hub For Healthcare Education

The Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health (SAMIH) will provide an inclusive hub for education and strengthen connections among healthcare providers in the region.

Watch our university’s stakeholders explain how SAMIH will make a difference in the Eastern GTA

Meric Gertler

President, University of Toronto

Wisdom J. Tettey

Vice-President & Principal, University of Toronto Scarborough

Andrew Arifuzzaman

Chief Administrative Officer, University of Toronto Scarborough

SAMIH will significantly help address the acute healthcare needs of our underserved communities in the Eastern GTA by training a comprehensive range of high quality professionals, many of whom will be talented individuals intentionally drawn from our neighbourhoods and reflecting our diverse communities. We firmly believe this initiative will transform healthcare in our region by facilitating access to care that is inclusive, equitable, and sustainable, thereby ensuring that we all enjoy the benefits of a healthy and thriving community for many years to come.

Wisdom Tettey - U of T Vice-President and UTSC Principal

As one of the Top 15 schools in the world, the Temerty Faculty of Medicine is very well-prepared and able to extend medical education into Scarborough. We’ve had great success in increasing physician capacity and access in Peel and we are confident that investing in U of T’s plans for the Eastern GTA will deliver the equitable, integrated and compassionate care the region needs.

Patricia Houston - Acting Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Vice-Dean Medical Education

SAMIH provides Bloomberg Nursing NP students with a unique opportunity to practice their clinical expertise among a diverse population and allows them to see the impact they will have as clinical experts and leaders in health care delivery. Nurse Practitioners are uniquely positioned to provide quality health care to a diverse population. With expertise in adult primary health, global health and pediatrics, our learners will be integral to enhancing the health and well-being of this community.

Linda Johnston - Dean, Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing

The COVID-19 pandemic has made it clear the important role doctors and nurses play to keep our communities safe and healthy. It has made it evident we need to grow the workforce of physician assistants to support the delivery of high-quality care in frontline and LTC settings, as well as physical therapists to support those recovering from illness. SAMIH will expand our capacity to meet these needs and innovate how we train the next generation of medical professionals.

Sarah Downey - Michael Garron Hospital (MGH)- President & CEO

Patricia Houston

Acting Dean, Temerty Faculty of Medicine / Vice Dean, Medical Education

Linda Johnston

Dean – Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing

Letters of Support

The Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health idea is a very exciting and timely initiative. The project will not only provide a much-needed training facility for physicians and healthcare professionals but will allow residents to be part of the bigger, future building initiative in health care. It will connect people directly to our local health care institutions to provide essential care to our diverse community in Scarborough.

This initiative will also enhance the collaborative work that local organizations and health care providers are putting together to address the service and resource gaps that exist in the Scarborough community. As a settlement agency, providing services for newcomers and immigrants in Scarborough for over 60 years, and lead organization for the Toronto East Quadrant Local Immigration Partnership, we are very familiar with the needs of our local community.

We fully endorse and support UTSC’s initiative and are excited about the opportunities this project will open up for our community and residents.

Agnes Thomas
Executive Director, Catholic Crosscultural Services (CCS)

I am writing this in support of the University of Toronto Scarborough’s (UTSC) proposal to establish the Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health (SAMIH).

The East Scarborough Storefront has been working on a local workforce development project, called East Scarborough Works, by facilitating cross-sector collaboration between employers, unions, anchor institutions, including UTSC, service providers, trainers and residents to nurture a healthy and connected local employment ecosystem.

UTSC has been an excellent community partner on this project for the past 4 years and together we have also worked on many other community projects over the last 10 years. A community ecosystem is characterized by the connections and interdependent relationships between and among people, local changemakers, organizations and institutions. These relationships and connections are strengthened when all players understand each other's roles and are brought together around shared goals.

The SAMIH will strengthen the local ecosystem by connecting learners from diverse and equity seeking groups in Scarborough with training and local professional clinical experience to support them in securing local healthcare jobs which will benefit local people by providing them ease of access to highly trained practicing health professionals.

We support UTSC's proposal to establish the Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health (SAMIH) and look forward to continuing to work with them to strengthen the East Scarborough community ecosystem.

Sahar Vermezyari
Director, The East Scarborough Storefront