2025 DFCM Program Award Winners

Continuing Education and Graduate Studies Instructor Award

Dr. Sheryl Spithoff | Women's College Hospital

I am pleased to nominate Dr. Spithoff for an Instructor Award in Graduate Studies for her contributions and leadership in the Research Issues in Family Medicine course over the last 2 years. Dr. Spithoff consistently demonstrates a deep commitment to student success. She fosters a supportive and inclusive learning environment grounded in fairness, flexibility, and academic integrity. She is highly responsive to student needs and goes above and beyond to help learners with their research questions during the course and often remains a mentor following the completion of the course.

Continuing Education and Graduate Studies Field Practicum Preceptor Award

Dr. Katherine Rouleau | St. Michael's Hospital

I had the privilege of being supervised by Dr. Katherine Rouleau during my practicum on a project for the World Health Organization. Her guidance and support were instrumental to my learning and professional development throughout the experience. Dr. Rouleau consistently demonstrated thoughtfulness, clarity, and generosity in her mentorship. She created a respectful and intellectually engaging environment that encouraged critical thinking, collaboration, and growth. Her leadership was particularly impactful in helping me navigate the complexities of global health work with confidence and curiosity. It was truly an honour to learn from her, and I remain deeply grateful for her mentorship.

Continuing Education Student Award for Overall Excellence

Dr. Sonali Roy | International

Dr. Sonali Roy recently completed her Clinical Research Certificate at DFCM. Her practicum work was done under the supervision of Dr. Monica Aggarwal and her work on Primary Care Teams. Sonali offered significant contributions to a research project entitled, "Evaluating Interprofessional Primary Teams - A Scoping Review of Team Functioning, Effectiveness, Performance, and Collaboration".  In this work Sonali was praised for her consistent excellence - skills with data extraction, critical thinking, and team work.

DFCM 50th Anniversary Dr. Lynn Wilson Award

Dr. Anneliese Mills | Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Dr. Anneliese Mills is a current candidate in the Master of Public Health in Family and Community Medicine (Advanced Standing) program. She started this degree in the Fall of 2023 after completing her clinical training in Family Medicine, as well as Enhanced Skills training in Low-Risk Obstetrics. Her clinical work includes comprehensive family medicine, low-risk obstetrics (including both antepartum and intrapartum care), and clinical associate work in gynaecology oncology. Her research is focused on women’s health and end-of-life care. Anneliese is also a dedicated teacher who supervises both undergraduate and postgraduate medical learners at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto.As a current MPH-AS(FCM) student, Dr. Mills was selected for this award for her demonstration of excellence in the study and scholarship of Family Medicine, reflected by her academic excellence and outstanding performance throughout the coursework of her degree to date.

Excellence in Teaching in Emergency Medicine (Early Career)

Dr. Brittany Cameron | Michael Garron Hospital

Dr. Cameron is recognized for her compassionate, innovative teaching and her ability to inspire and support learners from the bedside to simulation

Excellence in Teaching and Education in Emergency Medicine

Dr. Adam Kaufman | Michael Garron Hospital

Dr. Kaufman is celebrated for his outstanding mentorship, engaging teaching style, and global contributions to emergency medicine education

Eric Letovsky Award for Excellence in EM

Dr. Maria Ivankovic | Unity Health Toronto - St. Joseph's Health Centre

Dr. Ivankovic has spent nearly 20 years inspiring learners and colleagues through her exceptional teaching, mentorship, sponsorship and leadership. Her dedication to faculty development, wellness, EDIIA and her transformative leadership has left a profound and lasting impact on the Emergency Medicine community in Toronto and beyond.

Mentorship

Dr. Nasreen Ramji and Dr. Marybeth DeRocher | Unity Health Toronto - St. Michael's Hospital

Leadership in Faculty Development

Dr. Rahul Jain | Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Continuing Education Impact Award

Dr. Alena Hung | Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Elana Fric Family Medicine Award for Leadership and Advocacy

Dr. Meeta Patel | NYGH

Leadership in Faculty Development-Staff Award

Ms. Chia Chia Chen |

Jaimie Meuser Faculty Development Impact Award

Dr. Maria Ivankovic | Unity Health Toronto - St. Joseph's Health Centre

Yves Talbot Award for Excellence in Global Health Leadership

Dr. Jennifer Wilson | Oak Valley Health - Markham Stouffville Hospital

Dr. Jennifer Wilson is an exceptional physician, colleague, leader, and global health champion whose work is driven by a deep commitment to equity and justice. At a time when many nations turn inward and global collaboration faces unprecedented challenges, her leadership serves as both an inspiration and a powerful reminder of what is possible when global health efforts are guided by compassion, integrity, and a steadfast belief in the shared humanity that underpins true collaboration.

Faculty Award for Excellence in Global Health

Dr. Inderjeet Sahota | Toronto East Health Network – Michael Garron Hospital

Dr. Sahota's work in global health education, research, and direct service—from Ethiopia to rural Canada and the Himalayas—demonstrates a consistent commitment to improving access to quality healthcare for underserved populations and advancing global health equity. Their contributions to developing and disseminating impactful educational programs and scholarship has consistently prioritized underserved populations and addressed critical gaps in access and equity.

Award of Excellence in Palliative Care

Dr. Abby Maybee | Toronto General Hospital

This award recognizes an exceptional individual in Palliative Care who embodies compassion, mentorship, and dedication. This award honors a well-rounded clinician who consistently makes a profound impact, is a mentor to many, and is deeply respected by both learners and patients for their unwavering commitment to quality care.

Larry Librach Award for Excellence in Palliative Care Scholarship

Dr. Ming Chan Zhang | Sinai Health System - Mount Sinai Hospital

PA Program Academic Achievement Award

Anita Tia
Joshua McGrath
Meghan Heer
Savana Sarkisian

To recognize the Academic Achievement of a graduating Physician Assistant student

PA Student of the Year Award

Frank Sito

To recognize a Year 2 PA student for demonstrating exemplary qualities of a Physician Assistant

PA Student Scholarly Excellence Award

Emily Lam

To recognize a Year 2 student who has shown excellence in their Year 2 Quality Improvement (QI) project

PA Ethical Decision Making Award

Joshua Clayton

To recognize a Year 2 student who has shown excellence in their Year Ethical Decision-Making Final paper

PA Student Leadership Award

Zeal Desai

To recognize a Year 2 student who has demonstrated strong leadership skills throughout the BScPA Program

PA Student Mentorship Award

Celine Yoo

To recognize excellence in student mentorship by a Year 2 student. 

PA Student Clinical Excellence Award

Juliana Puopolo

To recognize a Year 2 PA student for demonstrating clinical excellence in his/her clinical rotations

PA Rising Star Award

Patricia D'Silva

To recognize an alumna/alumnus of the BScPA Program for their outstanding contributions to the PA Profession

PA Role Model Award

Gabrielle Cook

To recognize an outstanding Physician Assistant involved in the BScPA Program

PA Excellence in Teaching Award

Jimmy Misurka

To recognize outstanding teaching in the BScPA Program

PA Preceptor Excellence Award

Dr. Jennifer Li

To recognize an Ontario MD or PA preceptor for the BScPA program who has shown excellence in the clinical environment

PA Faculty Scholar Award

Katrina Dekirmendjian

To recognize a BScPA Faculty member, teacher/facilitator or teaching assistant who has demonstrated excellent scholarly work

Resident Awards

Clinical Excellence

Dr. Clara Sawires | Humber River Health

Dr. Clara Sawires is an outstanding clinician whose exceptional diagnostic skills, compassionate patient care, and tireless commitment to advancing medical knowledge set her apart. She consistently demonstrates clinical mastery, leadership, and a genuine dedication to improving patient outcomes, making her highly deserving of the Residency Award for Clinical Excellence.

Dr. Anna Jiang | North York General Hospital

Dr. Anna Jiang has demonstrated outstanding dedication, skill, and compassion in Family Medicine throughout her residency. Her commitment to patient care, continuous learning, and effective collaboration with healthcare teams exemplify clinical excellence. Anna’s exceptional ability to balance empathy with evidence-based practice makes her a truly deserving recipient of this award.

Dr. Jalen Manett | Unity Health Toronto – St. Michael's

Since the beginning of her residency Jalen has consistently performed thorough clinical assessments and displayed sound judgement in coming up with management plans for her patients. Her excellent communication skills and active involvement of her patients in decision making around their health has been valued by her patients.

Dr. Connie Li | Scarborough Health Network

Connie has exceptional bedside manner well beyond her clinical years and experience. Her strength lies in the ability to not only apply guidelines, but see the individual as a whole and apply them in a constructive and empathetic manner. She has a great knowledge base and a mature approach to practice.

Dr. Jaskaran Gill | The University Health Network – Toronto Western Hospital

Blending exceptional clinical acumen with genuine compassion, Dr. Jaskaran Gill consistently delivers outstanding patient care. He is the resident who is trusted with challenging cases and makes every patient feel heard. His diagnostic precision, empathy, and teamwork set a gold standard for patient-centred care, epitomizing resident clinical excellence.

Dr. Nicholas Chrobok | Women's College Hospital

Nicholas has demonstrated sustained clinical excellence for the duration of his training and is an exemplary family physician.

Dr. Daniel Yacoub | Integrated Communities Program

I am pleased to nominate Daniel for his outstanding clinical excellence. His exceptional diagnostic skills, compassionate patient care, and dedication to advancing medical practices have significantly impacted our team and patients. Daniel, consistently demonstrates unparalleled expertise, making him a true asset to the healthcare community.

Advocacy for Patients

Dr. Rebecca Bourdon | Sinai Health – Mount Sinai Hospital

Dr. Rebecca Bourdon is recognized for her outstanding initiative in creating the Toronto Community Resources package for the MSH Family Health Team. Collaborating with the complex care coordinator, she developed this tool to improve patient access to community services, demonstrating leadership and a commitment to enhancing education and patient care.

Dr. Nikki Rousta | Trillium Health Partners – Credit Valley Hospital

Nikki Rousta excels in patient-centered care, building trust and partnerships to improve outcomes. She empowers patients with informed decisions, supports them through challenges, and advocates for socioeconomic needs. Her extracurriculars include a Master's in Systems Leadership and community initiatives like vision screening clinics.

Dr. Juweiriya Ahmed | Michael Garron Hospital – Toronto East Health Network

Dr. Ahmed demonstrated exceptional advocacy by proactively connecting the ER team with language line services to ensure effective communication for a non-English speaking patient cared for by another staff. Her initiative went above and beyond, ensuring the patient received timely, quality care. The attending physician commended Juweiriya's dedication and initiative.

Teaching Excellence

Dr. Margaret MacDonald | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

Dr. MacDonald is a role model to her fellow residents as well as medical students. Her excellent clinical skills ensure comprehensive and evidence based care to her patients. Her thought process is evident in her patient counselling, documentation and while teaching students.

Dr. Ehsan Yavari | Southlake Regional Health Centre

Ehsan actively seeks out teaching moments, always ready to help learners grasp complex topics with clarity and enthusiasm. His passion for education, patience, and ability to break down challenging concepts make him an outstanding mentor. He fosters a supportive learning environment, inspiring others to grow.

Dr. Rahul Kapur | Unity Health Toronto – St. Joseph's Health Centre

His bi-weekly presentations are conducted with a humanities perspective, including talks about racial bias in medicine and the history of HIV/AIDS.  He included multi-media on his smart phone and demonstrated the connection with political and social agendas that impact these issues today.  Staff and peers routinely applaud following his presentations.

Dr. Alexander Levesque | Enhanced Skills Program

I received unsolicited praise for Alex’s teaching from a medical student: "I started my elective with a lot of anxiety, but Alex was an excellent teacher who was always patient and approachable with my numerous questions." He went "above and beyond” for junior trainees, a consistent theme in Alex’s evaluations.

Leadership

Dr. Raeesabanu Patel | Oak Valley Health – Markham Stouffville Hospital

Dr. Patel has been an exceptional leader through her role as co-chief resident, fostering collegiality and wellness among residents with her empathy and approachability. As a strong advocate for the residents, her leadership has created a positive environment, benefiting both the residents and the program as a whole.

Dr. Jade Sullivan | Unity Health Toronto – St. Michael's

I nominate Dr. Sullivan for her exceptional contributions as Co-Lead Resident. She has demonstrated outstanding leadership, advocacy, and mentorship among her peers. She played a pivotal role in orienting residents to our new longitudinal program and organized a well-received electives planning session for pgy1s. Always reliable, accessible, and responsive, she consistently supports residents and faculty with dedication.

Dr. Anson Cheung | Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

I nominate Dr. Anson Cheung for his outstanding leadership. He excels in organizing complex call schedules with precision, ensuring fairness and efficiency. His dedication to supporting colleagues is evident through his advocacy and mentorship. His ability to navigate challenges with professionalism and poise makes him an excellent role model for this peers. Congratulations!

Dr. Parmeet Kahlon | Trillium Health Partners – Mississauga Hospital

Worked with team of resident leaders to identify resident needs and areas for improvement to drive meaningful change within the program. Also showed leadership and interest in medical education and teaching. Was also involved in leadership at the national level as CMA Ambassador.

Dr. Ishan Aditya | Enhanced Skills Program

The resident has demonstrated exceptional leadership in health care policy, education and research. Their advocacy for reducing administrative burdens, mentorship in AI-driven research, and innovative contributions to medical technology exemplify their commitment to advancing family medicine and enhancing leadership skills within organized medicine. Their leadership has driven significant innovations and improvements in the postgrad program.

Dr. Samuel Leitenberg Memorial Scholarship for the Humanitarian Practice of Family and Community Medicine Award

Dr. Lauren Wintraub | The University Health Network – Toronto Western Hospital

Dr. Lauren Wintraub exemplifies compassionate, patient-centred care. Her dedication to marginalized patients, clinical excellence, and unwavering presence in complex situations reflects the highest ideals of Family Medicine. She has walked beside patients through trauma, illness, and recovery, offering not just treatment but humanity, humility, and trust in every encounter.

Resilient and Leadership

Dr. Sauliha Alli | North York General Hospital

The resident has been a dedicated and highly engaged member of the Family Medicine Residents' Association of Toronto (FRAT). They played a pivotal leadership role among residents at their site, serving as a crucial liaison between their peers and FRAT. At their site, they provided invaluable support to the Lead Residents by coordinating academic half days, ensuring seamless technical operations for presenters, and distributing teaching materials. The resident grew up in a lower income neighbourhood in Scarborough and was the first physician in their family, so there were financial constraints and fewer opportunities for mentorship early on. They received grant funding during medical school based on financial need. The resident took proactive steps to enhance resident well-being at their site by sending weekly reminders about program deadlines and wellness events, conducted call-room audits, and established a shared locker stocked with complimentary treats—fostering camaraderie and support among their colleagues. They also served as a resident representative on the Quality Program and Joint Curriculum and Evaluation Committee. They actively gathered feedback from their peers and advocated for their interests in discussions on resident QI projects, teaching modules, and evaluation processes, ensuring that resident voices were central to program decision-making.

Family Medicine Resident Scholarship

Dr. Ishan Aditya | Enhanced Skills Program

Teaching Practices

Dr. Fathima Hifza Buhari Mohamed

Dr. Mohamed was a dedicated and skilled clinician passionate about community family medicine and patient-centered care. She worked both independently and collaboratively, making timely and critical diagnoses in two notable cases. Her strong medical knowledge, sound decision-making, and excellent teamwork made her an invaluable member of our team.

Faculty Awards

Innovation in Education

Mr. Jonathan Hunchuck | Unity Health Toronto – St. Michael's

Jon is a clinical pharmacist and has perfected the point of care teaching moment for family medicine residents. He seamlessly provides case-based teaching on pharmaceutical and immunization therapies to residents by virtual consultation in the moment. These emphasize evidence, efficacy, affordability and patient centredness. Residents routinely highlight their educational value.

New Teacher

Dr. Akshay Verma | Sinai Health – Mount Sinai Hospital

Dr. Verma is an engaged and effective teacher always willing to help residents. Whether in clinic or on-call, he always takes time to answer questions and distill concepts down to basic principles. Even when busy, he is willing to teach and allow learners clinical independence.

Dr. Margaret Kazanczuk | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

Dr. Kazanczuk is a teacher who always puts the residents' learning needs at the forefront. She tailors her teaching and goes out of her way to provide relevant resources to her learners. She conscientiously arranges learning experiences while ensuring understanding and relevance to clinical practice.

Dr. Qin Yuan (Alis) Xu | Southlake Regional Health Centre

Alis has been an amazing teacher since joining the FMTU. She is always available for extra support, runs practice SOOs with her resident, and provides very valuable feedback during supervision shifts. She can always be counted on to go above and beyond.

Dr. Arianne Cohen | Michael Garron Hospital – Toronto East Health Network

Dr. Cohen consistently demonstrates exceptional dedication, compassion, and expertise in teaching. Her approachable demeanor, thoughtful guidance, and commitment to residents’ growth foster an inclusive learning environment. She is a true mentor, inspiring confidence and professionalism, making her an invaluable asset to our MGH Family Medicine program.

Dr. Margaret Hess | Unity Health Toronto – St. Michael's

Dr. Margaret Hess is an outstanding candidate for the DFCM Postgraduate New Teacher Award. As a HDB supervisor during transition to longitudinal residency and a QI site lead, her mentorship/teaching in hands on skills, didactic sessions, innovative QI work on disability accommodation and resident practice building has been exceptional.

Dr. Annie Wang | Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

She’s incredibly supportive, going beyond to know the resident as an individual and understand their specific needs, strengths, and practice goals. She provides diverse type of learning materials, immediate constructive feedback with every shift. Staying after hours, either in person or via Zoom, to help resident with board exam preparation. Her mentorship has greatly impacted resident growth and confidence.

Role Modeling Clinical Excellence

Dr. Jordana Sacks | North York General Hospital

Dr. Sacks is a superb role model, embodying clinical excellence through compassionate care and outstanding teaching. She challenges learners to excel, consistently demonstrates evidence-based medicine, and goes above and beyond for patients and colleagues. Her dedication and leadership make her an ideal candidate for this nomination.

Dr. Erum Raheel | Scarborough Health Network

Dr. Raheel's dedication to excellence inspires those around her, making her a true role model as a clinic physician, teacher, and leader. Her positive impact on me and fellow residents is evident in our enthusiasm for working with her and the significant growth we've experienced under her tutelage.

Dr. Carol Kitai | Women's College Hospital

Carol Kitai is the gold standard to which trainees and colleagues aspire, with respect to her clinical and teaching excellence in primary care. She is a mentor, friend, colleague, supremely smart, humble, and caring. For these reasons and more, she is exceedingly deserving of this recognition.

Dr. Kelly Forse | Oak Valley Health – Markham Stouffville Hospital

Dr. Forse is an exceptional role model who demonstrates consistently all the qualities that residents strive for, including a vast knowledge base, an efficient approach to clinical encounters, and an attention to details. Her strong clinical acumen compliments her empathy and advocacy for patients, which she likewise encourages in residents.

Excellence in Teaching

Dr. Melissa Yu | Unity Health Toronto – St. Joseph's Health Centre

Dr. Melissa Yu is an outstanding mentor, educator, and clinician, highly regarded by residents for her dedication to both medical education and patient care. As an addictions specialist, she provides exceptional teaching, fostering a deep understanding of addiction medicine while ensuring residents feel supported in their learning. Her mentorship is consistently described as invaluable.

Dr. Sarah Griffiths | Enhanced Skills Program

Through both scheduled teaching sessions and bedside clinical pearls, Dr. Sarah Griffiths consistently provides high quality education. Her teaching is nuanced, relevant, and engaging. There is so much to learn from her: evidence-based medicine, practical-changing tips, and person-centered care. It is a privilege to be taught by Dr. Griffiths!

Program Leadership

Dr. Sahra Gedleh | Trillium Health Partners – Credit Valley Hospital

Sahra Gedleh excels a teacher and educator. Listens carefully to learners creating a safe learning environment. Probes to enhance learning and reinforce concepts. Provides meaningful feedback. Trusted by learners. Encourages residents to get involved in undergraduate medical education fostering a love for learning

Dr. Bachir Tazkarji | Trillium Health Partners – Mississauga Hospital

Dr. Tazkarji gives residents autonomy and flexibility in their education, while ensuring his team is there to address resident needs. Always attends to concerns we bring up. Dedicated to improving resident wellbeing and enhancing their learning experience.

Dr. Francesco Leanza | The University Health Network – Toronto Western Hospital

Dr. Leanza exemplifies outstanding leadership as Program Director of the Residency at Toronto Western Hospital. His dedication to fostering a supportive learning environment, commitment to resident development, and innovative approaches to program improvement have significantly enhanced the residency experience, making him a very deserving candidate for the Program Leadership Award.

Dr. Amita Dayal | Integrated Communities Program

Dr. Dayal exemplifies integrity, commitment and resilience. She leads by example, setting high standards for others to follow. Her leadership is not about making herself shine, but about empowering others to shine. She mentors, guides, and inspires those around her to become the best version of themselves.

Dr. Erin Lurie | Enhanced Skills Program

Dr. Erin Lurie is the ideal program director. She tirelessly advocates for trainee learning and well-being all while ensuring we gain exposure to critical experiences necessary to be competent addictions physicians. She goes above and beyond to support our individual career goals.

Dr. Priya Sood | Humber River Health

Dr. Sood has been an exceptional leader in starting the Humber River FM residency program. She has worked tirelessly as the inaugural lead to develop curriculum, organize and orient rotations, advocate for the discipline of family medicine in the hospital and beyond. She has been a transparent leader with skill and integrity.

Teaching Practices

Dr. Jonathan Thomas

Dr. Thomas is an exceptional clinician, teacher, and mentor who creates a supportive learning environment that encourages independent thinking. He explains clinical reasoning clearly, fosters confidence, and models patient-centered care across Family, Emergency, and Hospital Medicine. His teaching extends beyond clinical skills, highlighting interdisciplinary collaboration and rural challenges. His guidance strengthened my clinical confidence and inspired me to pursue rural medicine. Dr. Thomas is a remarkable role model and is truly deserving of this award.

PGY1 Impact Award

Improving Hypertension Control Among Diabetic Patients by Increasing Awareness of Non-Pharmacological Strategies

Team:
Dr. Carleigh Clarke | Trillium Health Partners - Credit Valley
Dr. Sosan Nasir | Trillium Health Partners - Credit Valley
Dr. Ainny Qurrat-ul-Ain | Trillium Health Partners - Credit Valley
Dr. Gihane Zarifa | Trillium Health Partners - Credit Valley

A study demonstrated a decline in optimal blood pressure control in Diabetic Patients at CVH FMTU. We collected survey data from 10 diabetic patients at CVH FMTU to identify the cause. We identified three issues: lack of awareness of blood pressure measurement technique, deficient knowledge of non-pharmacological strategies and difficulty staying accountable. We curated/distributed a brochure highlighting target blood pressure, blood pressure measurement technique with visual aid, lifestyle modifications, a weekly checklist to facilitate accountability and several resources. We were successful in achieving our objective of improving diabetic patients’ comprehension of non-pharmacological strategies by 1 category on a likert scale.

Preventing ED Presentations: Diabetic Sick Day Plans

Team:
Dr. Ashley Wang | St. Joseph's Health Centre
Dr. Engy Iskandar | St. Joseph's Health Centre
Dr. Sofia Khan | St. Joseph's Health Centre
Mr. Jonathan Fowler | St. Joseph's Health Centre
Mr. Vinay Phokeo | St. Joseph's Health Centre

Only a fraction of diabetic patients are aware that some of their medications should be stopped when sick to avoid nephrotoxicity and subsequent ED visits. This team worked to raise awareness of Diabetic Sick Day Plans. After revisions, they concluded that using Ocean reminders is an effective and sustainable way to disseminate information and evaluate awareness of Diabetic Sick Day plans. Their project increased awareness among patients from 1% to 41% during the project period.

Increasing Shingrix Vaccination Rates in WCH FP pts aged 65-70 years old

Team:
Dr. Rabia Azhar | Women's College Hospital
Dr. Danya Sanderson | Women's College Hospital
Dr. Jessica Chow | Women's College Hospital
Dr. Laura Stratton | Women's College Hospital
Ms. Sameera Toenjes | Women's College Hospital
Mr. Ameet Mathrani | Women's College Hospital

In 2021, only 27% of Canadians over 50 reported having their shingles vaccine. The aim of this QI project was to increase the rate of 1st dose Shingrix vaccination by 10% (from 49%) in WCH FP Yellow Team patients aged 65-70 during a 6 week period. This project showed physician intervention over passive measures improves Shingrix vaccination rates, and suggests that efforts to automate EMR patient reminders could further increase vaccine uptake.

Metabolic Screening in patients on atypical antipsychotics

Team:
Dr. Maria Sharif | Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Dr. Karyna Liubchenko | Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

These residents built on a previous QI project that had used good methodology but did not meet its AIM. This project expanded the parameters for the project, reviewed the literature in defining the problem, used strong QI methodology to develop more tests of change and regularly engaged with members of our PFAC with lived experience. This ensured that the patient voice was an important part of the project. The patient feedback was an essential component of choosing the tests of change.

Increasing Exercise Therapy for Low Back Pain

Team:
Dr. Devon Aitken | North York General Hospital
Dr. Deena Herman | North York General Hospital
Dr. Joanne Sung | North York General Hospital

We would like to nominate Drs. Devon Aitken, Deena Herman, and Joanne Sung for the PGY1 QI Impact Award for their project “Increasing Exercise Therapy for Low Back Pain”. Their project met all the criteria for this award as further described below. For their project they demonstrated proficiency with the use of QI tools. Their AIM statement was clear and they used system diagnostic tools to focus their improvement initiative. They identified appropriate measures and used different PDSA cycles to improve upon their outcomes. They attempted a true systems change by the creation of handouts that summarized exercise therapy, as well as expectations surrounding pain. This demonstrated ease of spread and sustainability as it can be generalized across practices. This also demonstrated equity as could be provided to patients without coverage, or access to, physiotherapy. They clearly showed that they were thinking of methods to make their project easier to implement and more sustainable.

Addressing Resident Competency in Intraarticular Joint Infections at Health for All

Team:
Dr. Anil Bala | Markham Stouffville Hospital
Dr. Max Stone | Markham Stouffville Hospital

Drs. Bala and Stone completed their PGY1 project entitled “Addressing Resident Competency in Intraarticular Joint Infections at Health for All” with the aim to improve resident self- reported confidence in performing joint injection by 25%. They nearly achieved their aim (24%) with the introduction of two simulation sessions to teach joint injection. Particular strengths of the project included engagement of key stakeholders and execution of true PDSA cycles. They were the winning presentation at our annual QI celebration which is adjudicated by two external QI experts.

Resident education on common physiotherapy maneuvers

Team:
Dr. Ehsan Yavari | Southlake Hospital
Dr. Spencer Horemans | Southlake Hospital
Dr. Kaveh Madani | Southlake Hospital
Dr. Marcos Ibrahim | Southlake Hospital

Drs. Ehsan Yavari, Spencer Horeman, Kaveh Madani and Marcos Ibrahim did a wonderful job with their PGY-1 QI project in the academic year 2023-2024. They identified a practical gap on the lack of resident education on common physiotherapy maneuvers. Utilizing QI tools including fishbone diagram, aim statement, and PDSA cycles, they improved resident education on this topic and in turn had a positive impact on patient care at the local level. We hope they will continue to pursue quality improvement initiatives after graduation.

Improving rates of lipoprotein(a) screening

Team:
Dr. Faye Yu | Scarborough Health Network
Dr. Kevin Liu | Scarborough Health Network

Lipoprotein(a) screening is inexpensive, can support the decision to start statins in certain moderate risk patients, and aid in convincing patients of their elevated cardiovascular risk. This team improved their screening rate by 3.4%, and several patients with low/medium Framingham risk who had high lipoprotein(a) were started on a statin. Most patients were not aware of this screening but were interested once discussed, suggesting future directions for this project.

Improving Standardized Utilization of the Clinically Organized Relevant Exam (CORE) Back tool to Inform the Assessment and Management of Lower Back pain in Family Medicine Residents

Team:
Dr. Parmeet Kahlon | Trillium Health Partners - Summerville
Dr. Mohammad Ali khan | Trillium Health Partners - Summerville
Dr. Silvio Lioniello | Trillium Health Partners - Summerville
Dr. Jeff Park | Trillium Health Partners - Summerville

The topic of this QI project is very relevant to family medicine. A well thought out AIM statement followed by an organized methodology has been utilized in this project. The ethical issues were considered to maintain confidentially of the participants. A though discussion about the positives and negatives of the intervention was incorporated.

Enhancing Satisfaction Among Family Medicine Residents and Attending Physician with Sending referral using the "OCEAN" e-referral system

Team:
Dr. Marjan Entezami | Trillium Health Partners - Summerville
Dr. Mohammad Alketbi | Trillium Health Partners - Summerville
Dr. Shady Bishay | Trillium Health Partners - Summerville

The topic addresses an important area pertaining to a family physician's practice. On site training of Ocean platform for physicians was provided as an intervention for PDSA cycle. Well designed methodology utilized.  The poster and presentation were appreciated by all those in attendance on QI celebration day. 

Personalized Emails to Increase Cervical Screening Completion at Toronto Western Family Health Team

Team:
Dr. Gina Jiang | Toronto Western Hospital
Dr. Bethany Chrystoja | Toronto Western Hospital

I am pleased to nominate Dr. Jodi Hong and Dr. Bethany Chrystoja for the PGY1 Impact Award for their outstanding work on the project "Personalized Emails to Increase Cervical Screening Completion at Toronto Western Family Health Team." Their innovative approach significantly increased cervical cancer screening rates by implementing a simple yet highly effective intervention: sending personalized emails to patients to encourage them to book appointments at the nurse-led pap clinic. Prior to their PDSA (Plan-Do-Study-Act) cycle, the pap clinic had a 10% completion rate for pap smears. Recognizing the opportunity for improvement, Dr. Hong and Dr. Chrystoja targeted patient engagement through personalized communication, emphasizing the importance of cervical cancer screening. This patient-centered intervention resulted in a significant increase in the completion rate, in which they received a 26% completion rate. They successfully addressed a healthcare gap, but they also showed how simple, cost-effective interventions can lead to meaningful improvements in clinical outcomes.

Increasing Discussions about the Benefits of Plant-Rich Nutrition and its role in the Management of Type 2 Diabetes

Team:
Dr. Chinwe Nwebube | St. Michael's Hospital
Dr. Claire Rollans | St. Michael's Hospital
Ms. Liza Luu | St. Michael's Hospital
Ms. Lisa Miller | St. Michael's Hospital
Ms. Sarah Nestico | St. Michael's Hospital

Evidence shows a plant-rich diet helps with both prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2DM), and in improving planetary health. This team aimed to increase the number of conversations about benefits of plant-rich eating between health care providers (HCPs) and patients during diabetes visits. The intervention involved (1) several education sessions for HCPs and (2) a new section added to the EMR diabetes flowsheet that included conversation prompts, and links to relevant handouts for patients. These simple interventions showed great success- conversations about plant-rich nutrition in diabetes visits increased by 800% and a majority of HCPs at the FHT indicated they counselled patients on the benefits of plant-rich nutrition.

Improving Lung Cancer Screening Through the Use of Secure Electronic Messaging

Team:
Dr. Jacqueline Lai | St. Michael's Hospital
Dr. Tanvi Vakil | St. Michael's Hospital
Dr. Bruce Kwok | St. Michael's Hospital
Dr. Carly Ruderman | St. Michael's Hospital

This project very effectively increased the rate of CT requisitions sent for lung cancer screening in high-risk patients. Interventions included direct emails to eligible patients encouraging them to discuss screening with their providers, and directly notifying providers about eligible patients in their charts. The overall rate of lung cancer screening in 2023 within the patient rosters of the 4 chosen staff physician practices was 7%. Across both PDSA cycles, this increased to 29% within a short 3-month period. Data also demonstrated that notifying providers rather than patients led to higher screening.

Baby steps to better health: Improving delivery of anticipatory guidance at the Well Baby Visit

Team:
Dr. Rebecca Bourdon | Mount Sinai Hospital
Dr. Alesia DiCicco | Mount Sinai Hospital
Dr. Iris Kim | Mount Sinai Hospital
Dr. Mayura Loganathan | Mount Sinai Hospital

I proudly nominate our resident doctors for their outstanding quality improvement project, Baby Steps to Better Health: Improving Delivery of Anticipatory Guidance at the Well Baby Visit. Through collaboration with patients and staff, they developed educational materials and pre-visit surveys to engage parents proactively. Their thoughtful intervention enhanced communication, empowered families with knowledge, and led to measurable improvements in well-baby care. Their dedication to patient-centered innovation exemplifies excellence in medical education and pediatric care.

PGY2 Impact Award

Measles Vaccine Flowchart to Aid Decision-Making

Dr. Paige Homme | Michael Garron Hospital

Dr. Homme's project, "Measles Vaccine Flowchart to Aid Decision-Making" was an excellent example of a relevant and timely QI project originating from the evolving concern around measles risk in Canada in 2024, and the need to identify patients eligible to receive a second dose of MMR. A flowsheet was created and disseminated to patients and providers to aid in the increased uptake of MMR vaccines in eligible patients according to public health guidelines. The project involved multi-disciplinary collaboration and had a substantial impact on clinical practice.

Developing an online "Glycemic Index Toolbox"

Dr. Phuong (Bea) Nguyen | North York General Hospital

Dr. Nguyen has been utilizing the QI framework for her PGY2 project that aims to improve the experience for patients with diabetes by developing an online “Glycemic Index Toolbox”. This serves as a clinical adjunct tool to help guide dietary changes for patients with Type 2 Diabetes. It features a glycemic index database with hundreds of different foods, a glycemic load calculator and a FAQ page. Dr. Nguyen demonstrates a strong knowledge of QI and is employing the model for improvement in her project. Thus, we are nominating her for the PGY2 Quality Improvement Impact Award.

Silently Snoring - Increasing Screening for Obstructive Sleep Apnea through STOP-BANG Email Surveys

Team:
Dr. Jaskaran Gill | Toronto Western Hospital
Dr. Kyle Chan | Toronto Western Hospital
Dr. Edward Lin | Toronto Western Hospital

I am pleased to nominate Dr. Jaskaran Gill, Dr. Kyle Chan, and Dr. Edward Lin for the PGY2 Impact Award for their outstanding project, "Silently Snoring - Increasing Screening for Obstructive Sleep Apnea through STOP-BANG Email Surveys." The project's primary goal was to improve screening for OSA within our Family Health Team, particularly through the use of the STOP-BANG questionnaire administered via email surveys. By leveraging a convenient and accessible method, the team successfully reached out to a wide range of patients and effectively identified individuals who were at high risk for OSA. The results were truly impactful—of the individuals who responded to the surveys, 36% met the criteria for a firsttime sleep study. Due to the project's success and its potential for broader impact, it has transitioned into an PGY2 Academic Research Project. This transition underscores the scalability and relevance of their work, and we believe it has the potential to effect meaningful health outcomes for our patient population. Dr. Gill, Dr. Chan, and Dr. Lin have exemplified excellence in both their clinical and research endeavors. I strongly them for the PGY2 Impact Award for their use of an evidence-based screening tool and commitment to follow-up care which has had a direct positive effect on patient outcomes.

Experiences of women with induction of labour; improving the experience

Team:
Dr. Onella Charles | Mount Sinai Hospital
Dr. Christy Bou Fadel | Mount Sinai Hospital
Dr. Anne Biringer | Mount Sinai Hospital
Dr. Kristina Powles | Mount Sinai Hospital
Dr. Sakina Walji | Mount Sinai Hospital
Tutsirai Makuwaza | Mount Sinai Hospital

This group used qualitative data and completed analysis to capture the experiences of women who received an induction of labour. They identified areas for improvement which included information and education for patients including dispelling myths and preconceived notions around induction of labour. Using this data, they developed a professional, informative and captivating video to better inform patients. They also developed an evaluation tool to assess the effectiveness of the video.

An Exploration of an Initiative to Improve Women’s College Hospital Family Medicine Residents’ Confidence in Assessing and Managing Common Primary Care Knee Complaints

Team:
Dr. Cindy Kang | Women's College Hospital
Dr. Mithila Somasundaram | Women's College Hospital
Dr. Lauren Beck | Women's College Hospital
Dr. Sumeet Gill | Women's College Hospital

Musculoskeletal (MSK) complaints are frequently initially diagnosed and managed by primary care physicians (PCPs), yet anecdotal reports amongst WCH residents suggest a perceived lack of confidence in performing physical examinations and managing common MSK complaints. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of educational interventions in enhancing residents' proficiency in diagnosing, examining, and managing primary care knee complaints. Through two PDSA cycles, significant improvements were observed in residents' confidence levels and skill application.

Knowledge Translation of the 2023 Osteoporosis Canada Guidelines

Team:
Dr. Shailee Siddhpuria | St. Joseph's Health Centre
Dr. Brintha Sivajohan | St. Joseph's Health Centre
Dr. Casimir Soare | St. Joseph's Health Centre
Ms. Holly VanDorn | St. Joseph's Health Centre
Mr. Jonathan Fowler | St. Joseph's Health Centre

Drs. Siddhpuria and Sivajohan led their team to develop a tool to help translate the 2023 Osteoporosis screening guidelines into practice. In the two months after implementation 100% of BMD’s were ordered according to Osteoporosis Canada guidelines. Impressively the use of the tool has been sustained with 52 uses by 18 different providers over the last year. Their well designed embedded tool has put the Osteoporosis Canada guidelines at the fingertips of providers when needed.

Faculty and Staff Impact Award

Pain Management for IUD insertions: Improving the Quality of Our Counselling

Ms. Jessica Bawden | Women's College Hospital

This QI project aimed to increase comprehensive counselling on pain management during IUD insertions in Family Practice by 50% between February and May 2024. Interventions included standardized documentation prompts, a patient handout, and a stocked comfort kit to support equitable access to pain relief. Following implementation, counselling rates rose by 62% and use of local analgesia tripled, reflecting a meaningful shift in provider behavior. Key lessons include the power of workflow-integrated tools and the need for broader access to effective analgesia options like Penthrox.

Improving family history collection of patients to optimize screening and management of increased risk individuals

Team:
Dr. June Carroll | Mount Sinai Hospital
Dr. Sakina Walji | Mount Sinai Hospital
Ms. Sahana Kukan | Mount Sinai Hospital
Ms. Nelia DeOliveira | Mount Sinai Hospital

I nominate this quality improvement project for its innovative approach to capturing family history through an EMR-integrated patient survey. By streamlining data collection, this initiative enhances early identification of patients needing additional screening or management. Measuring survey completion rates and gathering provider and staff feedback, the project ensures both effectiveness and usability. This forward-thinking effort improves preventive care, empowers patients, and strengthens clinical decision-making, demonstrating a commitment to excellence in patient-centered healthcare.

Increasing Access to Dietitian Education for Families with Children under 5

Team:
Ms. Sherri Storm | St. Michael's Hospital
Ms. Liza Luu | St. Michael's Hospital

Registered Dietitians at the Academic Family Health Team frequently receive referrals for pediatric feeding concerns, which, if not addressed early, can become more difficult to resolve. To tackle this issue, Liza Luu, Sherri Storm, and volunteers Wesley Mai and Jyoti Bala created a series of educational videos aimed at addressing common feeding challenges in children. Targeted at children aged 1-5 years, the videos cover key topics such as iron deficiency, constipation, picky eating, growth, hydration, and factors affecting appetite. Since their launch in July 2023, the videos have garnered over 2,000 views. Available on Unity Health Toronto’s YouTube channel and the St. Michael’s Hospital Family Health Team website, the videos can also be accessed through a link in the Registered Dietitian referral form and PSS handouts. Additionally, QR code posters in clinic waiting rooms make it easy for caregivers to access the resources. The goal is for these videos to continue providing essential nutrition education and support to the pediatric community, offering valuable guidance at the earliest signs of feeding issues.

Dr. Nitai Gelber | Toronto Western Hospital

I am pleased to nominate Dr. Nitai Gelber for the Faculty & Staff Impact Award. As the QI Lead at Toronto Western Hospital, Dr. Gelber has demonstrated exceptional leadership, innovation, and a commitment to positive change that aligns with the core values of this prestigious award. Under Dr. Gelber’s guidance, the QI program at Toronto Western Hospital has seen remarkable transformation. His methodical approach to QI initiatives, coupled with his strategic administrative changes, has enabled the successful implementation of multiple projects. His ability to effectively collaborate with diverse teams and stakeholders has fostered an environment of continuous improvement, ensuring that these initiatives not only achieve incremental improvements but also set the foundation for long-term sustainability. Dr. Gelber is highly organized and professional, inspiring those around him to embrace QI principles. His work exemplifies the spirit of the award in driving positive change and achieving sustainable, meaningful results.

Understanding barriers and facilitators to using an AI scribe to reduce documentation burden among community family physicians in Scarborough

Team:
Dr. Preeni Rathuge | Scarborough Health Network
Dr. James Carson | Scarborough Health Network
Dr. Susanna Fung | Scarborough Health Network
Dr. Randy Lee | Scarborough Health Network
Dr. Jennifer McDonald | Scarborough Health Network
Dr. Roubiya Mohamed | Scarborough Health Network
Dr. Deva Nicholas | Scarborough Health Network
Dr. Erum Raheel | Scarborough Health Network
Dr. Mruna Shah | Scarborough Health Network
Dr. Janice Weiss | Scarborough Health Network
Dr. David Wheler | Scarborough Health Network

Artificial Intelligence (AI) medical scribes are a new tool to alleviate the burden of administrative tasks. This team implemented an AI scribe trial amongst community family physicians and found no change to the amount of time spent on charting. Facilitators of AI scribe use included improved efficiency, note quality, and rapport with patients. Barriers included poorer quality notes for non-English speaking patients, privacy and data security concerns, and time needed to edit notes after encounters.

Mr. Peter Nguyen | Southlake Hospital

Peter is our Quality Improvement Decision Support Specialist at the Southlake Academic Family Health Team. He is instrumental in all local QI initiatives including timely patient access to care, provider experience in FHT services, cancer screening initiatives, patient safety projects and equitable care. He also supports residents in their QI initiatives in collaboration with the FHT. He is an absolutely essential part of the QI team for the FHT and the residency program.

Use of AI Scribes to decrease administrative burden and burnout in Family Physicians

Ms. Mala Shastri | North York General Hospital

Mala Shastri has been instrumental to the development and roll out of our large-scale QI project on the use of AI Scribes. She has applied a QI framework in the development and ongoing deliverance of using AI Scribes to decrease administrative burden and burnout in Family Physicians. She collaborates with colleagues locally at NYGH, within the North York community, and the OHT partners. She has been able to help secure a $60,000 grant to help with the costs associated with this project and has recruited over 60 physicians to participate. She continues to expand this project and work with vendors to further the benefits from our initial study.

Penicillin Allergy De-labeling

Team:
Ms. Jessica Visentin | Michael Garron Hospital
Dr. Sam Tirkos | Michael Garron Hospital

I would like to nominate Jessica Visentin  and Dr. Sam Tirkos for their work on Penicillin Allergy De-labeling at SETFHT. This has been an incredibly valuable anti-microbial stewardship and patient safety initiative at our site involving a multi-disciplinary approach to the identification of and de-labeling of patients with prior listing of penicillin allergy. This project has involved multiple PDSA cycles to refine and adjust the patient identification and notification process. It has resulted in a significant and practice-changing pharmacy-led program that continues to evolve and reach out to patients who might be appropriate for penicillin-allergy de-labeling. 

Safety and Incident Reporting and Review

Team:
Ms. Lauren Cripps | Michael Garron Hospital
Dr. Sam Tirkos | Michael Garron Hospital

RN Lauren Cripps and Dr Sam Tirkos have worked tirelessly on improving the safety and incident reporting structure and policies for our site. From the ongoing updates to the incident reporting form, to the team-wide updates around reporting in order to improve patient safety and clinical operations, and finally the process and flow for incident review, they have improved the culture of quality and safety in the team in a meaningful way.

New Patient Access Working Group, SJHC UFHT

Team:
Dr. Daphne Williams | St. Joseph's Health Centre
Mr. Jevon Manchester | St. Joseph's Health Centre
Dr. Nikhil Shah | St. Joseph's Health Centre
Dr. Yael Feinberg | St. Joseph's Health Centre
Ms. Roxanne Gopie | St. Joseph's Health Centre
Ms. Alejandra Priego | St. Joseph's Health Centre
Ms. Vera Neto | St. Joseph's Health Centre

In 2024 the SJHC New Patient Access Working Group had an aim to insure that at least 35% of accepted patients were from populations experiencing disadvantage. They achieved 55%. In 2025 they now aim to increase net new patients to 200+ while maintaining a focus on this vulnerable group. They have developed relationships with community partners and streamlined intake processes. Through practice data they are working to engage providers. With effective teamwork they expect to increase total capacity.

Outstanding Peer-Reviewed Publication

First place: Tara Kiran, Maryam Daneshvarfard, Ri Wang, Alexander Beyer, Jasmin Kay, Mylaine Breton, Danielle Brown-Shreves, Amanda Condon, Michael E. Green, Lindsay Hedden, Alan Katz, Maggie Keresteci, Neb Kovacina, M. Ruth Lavergne, Aisha Lofters, Danielle Martin, Goldis Mitra, Sarah Newbery, Katherine Stringer, Peter MacLeod and Clifton van der Linden

Public experiences and perspectives of primary care in Canada: results from a cross-sectional survey, published in CMAJ (https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.231372)

First place: Bjug Borgundvaag, Fernanda Bellolio, Isabelle Miles, Evan S. Schwarz, Sameer Sharif, Mark K. Su, Kevin Baumgartner, David B. Liss, Hasan Sheikh, Jody Vogel, Emily B. Austin, Suneel Upadhye, Michelle Klaiman, Robert Vellend, Anna Munkley, Christopher R. Carpenter

Guidelines for Reasonable and Appropriate Care in the Emergency Department (GRACE-4): Alcohol use disorder and cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome management in the emergency department., published in Acad Emerg Med (https://doi.org/10.1111/acem.14911)

Second place: Kevin L Schwartz, Jennifer Shuldiner, Bradley J Langford, Kevin A Brown, Susan E Schultz, Valerie Leung, Nick Daneman, Mina Tadrous, Holly O Witteman,Gary Garber, Jeremy M Grimshaw, Jerome A Leis, Justin Presseau, Michael S Silverman, Monica Taljaard, Tara Gomes, Meagan Lacroix, Jamie Brehaut, Kednapa Thavorn, Sharon Gushue, Lindsay Friedman, Merrick Zwarenstein, Noah Ivers

Mailed feedback to primary care physicians on antibiotic prescribing for patients aged 65 years and older: pragmatic, factorial randomised controlled trial published in BMJ (https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2024-079329)

Second place: Abhimanyu Sud, Chloe Campbell, Arani Sivakumar, Ross Upshur, Rahim Moineddin & Kellia Chiu

Federal opioid agonist therapy policy: interrupted time series analysis of the impact of the methadone exemption removal across eight provinces in Canada.” published in BMC Health Services Research (https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-11281-9)

Third place: Anne Biringer, Natalie Morson, Sakina Walji, Natalie Tregaskiss, Susannah Merritt, Tutsirai Makuwaza & Milena Forte

Recreating the village: the patient’s experience with a hybrid model of Group Prenatal Care (GPPC) in an academic family health team.” published in BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth (https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-024-06405-2)

Third place: Sakina Walji, Patricia O’Brien, Anna Loi, Linda Rozmovits, Onil Bhattacharyya

Implementing virtual care: experiences, perspectives and identification of improvement opportunities in an academic primary care setting. published in BMJ Open Quality (https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjoq-2024-002898))

Excellence in Advocacy

Dr. Pralhad Bide | Humber River Health

Dr. Bide exemplifies community-based teaching excellence, eagerly supervising undergraduate medical students at Humber River Health, DFCM’s newest expansion site. His commitment offers students hands-on experiences in clinics and outreach programs, fostering empathy, cultural competence, and social responsibility. By integrating theory with real-world practice, Dr. Bide prepares students to serve diverse populations with compassion and skill, making him a true leader in community medical education.

Excellence in Mentorship

Dr. Ahmed Sherief | Office-Based Physician

Dr. Ahmed is an excellent teacher who made my FMLE experience highly educational. He tailored a plan based on my learning goals, gradually increasing my responsibilities to develop communication, advocacy, and clinical skills. He regularly checked in on my progress and provided diverse patient encounters to broaden my understanding of family medicine. His dedication and the exceptional care he provides to his patients deeply inspired me.

Dr. Fok-Han Leung | Unity Health Toronto - St. Michael's

Dr. Leung is extremely dedicated to student's learning. He is a supportive research supervisor and involves me and other students in multiple research projects. As a clinical preceptor, he gives students interesting cases, helps students reflect on their learning, and creates a positive learning environment.

Dr. Karthika Sithamparanathan | Scarborough Health Network

Dr. Sitham went above and beyond to support my learning goals, especially in seeing patients independently and providing continuity of care. She arranged for follow-up appointments with my patients to be booked on my schedule, allowing me to track their progress over time. In addition, she provided valuable mentorship, including insights into the financial aspects of running a clinic.

Dr. Ann Li | North York General Hospital

Dr. Li is passionate about mentoring future physicians. Before each FMLE session, she provides patient cases for independent review to help us prepare. She is patient and enthusiastic, gradually increasing student independence while thoroughly explaining each case, including pathophysiology and relevant guidelines.

Excellence in Program Development

Dr. Neal Belluzzo | Humber River Health

In 2023, Dr. Belluzzo became the inaugural Undergraduate Program Director at HRH, quickly building a strong clerkship program. He recruited excellent preceptors, balanced curriculum requirements with learner interests, and developed faculty workshops to prepare new preceptors. Despite being a new site, his attention to detail, humility, and dedication led to highly positive feedback from students. His leadership and educational scholarship on preceptor recruitment make him a highly deserving candidate for this award.

Excellence in Program Coordination

Mr. Mark Jankie | Humber River Health

At our new teaching site, Mark has excelled in coordinating the undergraduate family medicine program. His attention to detail and strong relationships with local healthcare providers have created diverse, hands-on learning experiences. Through innovative program development and tailored curriculum enhancements, he ensures students receive comprehensive training. Mark’s dedication has been instrumental in successfully establishing Humber River Health’s undergraduate family medicine teaching program.

Role Modelling Clinical Excellence

Dr. Olivia Sankat | Humber River Health

Dr. Sankat is an outstanding mentor who created a supportive, safe learning environment during my Core Family Medicine rotation. She tailored my learning to my career goals, offering additional clinics and telemedicine opportunities. Her exemplary patient care inspired me to take greater ownership of my patients and actively engage in their care. Her leadership fostered teamwork and camaraderie, making her one of the best teachers I’ve had and a deserving candidate for a teaching award.

Dr. Claire Murphy | Women's College Hospital

Dr. Murphy is an outstanding supervisor who made me feel welcome and valued from day one. She balanced giving me independence with guidance, and organized diverse learning experiences, including time with the SCOPE team, clinic nurse, pharmacist, and dietician. She shared excellent resources to support my learning and future practice. It’s clear her patients deeply value her care. Dr. Murphy exemplifies clinical excellence and is truly deserving of recognition.

Dr. Bachir Tazkarji | Trillium - Mississauga Hospital

Dr. Tazkarji exemplifies the power of patient rapport, modeling how to build strong therapeutic relationships from the first encounter. His commitment to reviewing cases and encouraging me to take on greater responsibility in a supportive environment greatly advanced my clinical growth. His mentorship has had a lasting positive impact on my development as a future physician and deserves recognition.

Dr. Alison Culbert | Sunnybrook Hospital

Dr. Culbert exemplifies patient-centered care, advocating tirelessly for her patients—whether expediting post-op follow-ups, coordinating closer IV iron infusions, or ensuring patients fully understand their conditions. Her clinical teaching is equally outstanding; thanks to her, I’ll never forget O'Brien's test or "inverted champagne bottle" legs. As a role model and educator, Dr. Culbert has been an incredible inspiration, and I wholeheartedly recommend her for this award.

Dr. Abdullahi Berih | Office-Based Physician

Dr. Berih is an outstanding role model who deeply cares for his community, speaking English, Eritrean, Arabic, and Somali—learning Somali as an adult to better serve his patients. He takes time to ensure each patient’s needs are fully addressed. Shadowing him as my first family physician experience inspired me to strongly consider family medicine for residency. His dedication and compassion truly deserve recognition.

Dr. Ruhe Khan | Office-Based Physician

Dr. Khan is an exceptional physician who radiates warmth, compassion, and kindness. Patients feel truly heard and cared for, as she listens attentively, thoroughly investigates concerns, and fosters continuity of care. Her advice to learn from patients and value their stories deeply resonated with me. The trust and gratitude her patients show reflect her strong relationships and clinical excellence. As a future family physician, I am inspired to model my practice after hers.

Dr. David Silver | North York General Hospital

Dr. Silver exemplifies every quality we’re taught to strive for: compassion, professionalism, leadership, advocacy, and expert patient care. At every session, patients told me how fortunate I was to learn from him — and I wholeheartedly agree. He ensured each patient felt heard, reassured, and left with a clear plan, while actively involving me in their care. His mentorship has profoundly inspired my desire to become a compassionate, competent physician like him.

Teaching Excellence

Dr. Aleem Hussain | Scarborough Health Network

Dr. Hussain is an outstanding teacher, dedicated to his students’ growth. From the start, he prioritized my learning goals, provided autonomy in patient care, and offered valuable feedback after each encounter. His supportive teaching, clinical pearls, and helpful resources boosted my confidence in history taking, exams, and management. Beyond clinical skills, Dr. Hussain modeled empathy and compassion, showing how meaningful patient rapport can be. I aspire to emulate his approach throughout my career.

Dr. Carlo Cifelli | Trillium - Mississauga Hospital

Dr. Cifelli, a dedicated community family physician, has been a key preceptor in the core family medicine clerkship for over five years. His involvement now spans nearly every rotation. This year, he was recognized as a top performer based on LACT scores. Students consistently praise his exceptional bedside manner, clinical expertise, and mentorship, often identifying him as a valued role model in family medicine.

Dr. Debra Small | North York General Hospital

Since day one, Dr. Debra Small has been dedicated to helping me grow as a physician-in-training. She provided consistent feedback on my notes, physical exams, and differential diagnoses. At mid-rotation, she identified note-writing as an area for improvement and helped me strengthen that skill. She regularly observed my exams and offered guidance when I lacked confidence. Dr. Small also took extra time to review differential diagnoses, ensuring I fully understood the concepts.

Dr. David Zeldin | Humber River Health

Dr. Zeldin is an outstanding educator who leads sports medicine teaching and joint injection sessions for all clinical clerks at Humber River Health. He combines clinical excellence with a passion for teaching, making complex concepts in primary care and sports medicine accessible and engaging. His approachable style and commitment to mentorship create a supportive learning environment. Through hands-on experiences and clear communication, Dr. Zeldin inspires students and serves as a valued role model in clinical education.

Dr. Melissa Loh | North York General Hospital

Dr. Melissa Loh is a dedicated and organized educator who ensures her students have a meaningful and personalized learning experience. She tailors her teaching to individual goals and consistently provides time for clarifying questions after each case and clinical day. Her thoughtful approach fosters a supportive learning environment, and she serves as an excellent role model through her compassionate, patient-centered care.

Dr. Adam Dwosh | North York General Hospital

My experience with Dr. Dwosh was outstanding. His clear, encouraging feedback and dedication to teaching greatly enhanced my learning. He consistently checked in to ensure I felt comfortable before patient encounters, creating a supportive environment. Dr. Dwosh has a unique ability to simplify complex disease presentations, making challenging concepts easier to understand. His commitment to fostering a safe, engaging, and educational space made each session both valuable and enjoyable.

Dr. Hayley Hoffman | Office-Based Physician

Dr. Hoffman is highly deserving of this award for her outstanding commitment to medical education. Her thoughtful debriefs connect course material to real-life cases, creating a rich learning environment. She encourages questions, offers hands-on experiences, and provides constructive feedback that has strengthened my clinical skills and deepened my appreciation for family medicine.

Dr. Elizabeth Tham | Office-Based Physician

Dr. Tham is highly deserving of the FMLE Excellence in Teaching award for her impactful role in my medical education. As my first preceptor, she provided immersive patient experiences and set a high standard for professionalism. Her approachable nature, thoughtful feedback, and encouragement of independent decision-making and hands-on learning made her an exceptional mentor. Dr. Tham’s guidance prepared me extremely well for clerkship and inspired my growth as a future physician.

Dr. Dan Cojocaru | Office-Based Physician

Dr. Cojocaru is an exceptional and supportive teacher who fosters a welcoming learning environment. He balances independence with guidance, offers constructive feedback, and teaches both clinical and practical aspects of family medicine. Students value his mentorship, use of clinical tools, and commitment to their learning goals. His strong patient relationships and career advice further enrich the experience. Consistently praised by students, Dr. Cojocaru is highly recommended as a preceptor and educator.

Dr. Andrea Weiss | UHN - Toronto General Hospital

Dr. Weiss is consistently praised as an excellent, welcoming, and supportive teacher. Students appreciated her clear, case-based teaching, helpful feedback, and inclusive learning environment. She took time to explain concepts thoroughly and fostered open communication. Dr. Weiss also served as a strong role model, demonstrating outstanding bedside manner and the ability to build meaningful connections with patients and families.

Dr. Ben Kaasa | UHN - Toronto Western Hospital

Dr. Kaasa is widely praised as an exceptional teacher and role model who creates a safe, supportive, and engaging learning environment. Students value his commitment to their growth, his balance of autonomy with guidance, and his respectful, open approach.

Dr. Kevin Workentin | Michael Garron Hospital

Dr. Workentin is highly praised as a dedicated and exceptional educator who prioritizes student learning. He tailors rotations to individual goals, delivers well-organized teaching through daily sessions and case-based discussions, and simplifies complex topics with practical approaches. Students appreciate the broad clinical exposure and focus on interprofessional collaboration.

Dr. Yasemin Ikizler | Unity Health Toronto - St. Joseph's

Dr. Ikizler is praised as an exceptional, compassionate teacher and mentor who creates a safe, supportive learning environment. She balances educational rigor with emotional support, checks in regularly on student goals, and gradually increases responsibility to build confidence. Her thoughtful teaching includes adjunct cases and models holistic, high-quality care. Students are inspired by her passion and often consider incorporating home visits into their future practice because of her guidance.

Teaching Excellence - New Teacher (<5 years)

Dr. Jeremy Chad | North York General Hospital

Dr. Chad is one of the most passionate preceptors I’ve worked with. He consistently reviewed key takeaways after each case, shared clinical pearls, and highlighted evidence-based practices. He was highly supportive of my learning goals and took the time to introduce me to each of his patients, creating a welcoming and engaging learning experience.

Dr. Yalda Mirmesdagh | North York General Hospital

Dr. Mirmesdagh is a skilled, supportive teacher who created a safe and encouraging environment for learning during my first clerkship. She fostered confidence in clinical skills and served as a strong role model through her patient relationships and collaboration with interdisciplinary staff. She went above and beyond by setting aside time at the end of each clinic for one-on-one teaching and case review, making the experience both enriching and memorable.

Dr. Afaf Alsebai | Trillium - Credit Valley Hospital

Dr. Alsebai is a transformative mentor who turns every patient interaction into a valuable learning experience. She guided me through complex cases with patience and insight, helping build my clinical judgment. Her support extended beyond clinical skills—regularly checking in, setting personal learning goals, and encouraging reflection. Her dedication fostered my interest in family medicine and made a lasting impact on my growth as a learner.

Dr. Jason Klemensberg | Mount Sinai Hospital

Dr. Klemensberg is a dedicated and engaging teacher who brings energy and enthusiasm to the Family Medicine Clerkship. He creates a supportive, welcoming environment and tailors his teaching to each student’s level and interests. His detailed coaching and ability to spark a genuine interest in Family Medicine consistently earn high praise from students, making him highly deserving of this award.

The Cynthia Whitehead Award for Best Educational Scholarship Publication

Simple tool for teaching patient safety through incident analysis

Dr. Margarita Lam-Antoniades, Nick Petten, Dr. Joyce Nyhof-Young | Unity Health Toronto - St. Michael's & Women's College Hospital

From Two Dimensions to Multidimensions: A Mechanistic Model to Support Deliberate CPD Development, Coordination, and Evaluation

Grahanya Sachidanandan, Dr. Abhimanyu Sud | Trillium Health Partners (Mississauga Hospital)