Celebrating 155 new family doctors, DFCM’s Class of 2021

Graduation is always a significant achievement. But for the Class of 2021, who completed their family medicine residency during a global pandemic, it is especially momentous.

Joined by family and friends through Zoom,155 residents celebrated their graduation virtually on June 9, 2021. Over 300 attendees gathered from across Canada and internationally from Dominica, Ethiopia, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States to celebrate the University of Toronto Department of Family and Community Medicine’s newly minted family doctors.

“It’s difficult to capture the energy and excitement of such a huge milestone virtually, but I’ve heard from co-residents, family and friends that they enjoyed the ceremony,” says Dr. Gray Moonen, co-president of the Family Medicine Residents Association (FRAT).

During the ceremony, Dr. Glen Bandiera, Associate Dean of the Postgraduate Medical Education Office at the University of Toronto, acknowledged the great contributions that residents have made during COVID-19.

“We owe a huge debt of thanks on behalf of the faculty and our patients for all that you've done and all that you will do,” says Dr. Bandiera. “There will be more challenges to come and hopefully the skills that you’ve learned will be put to good use going forward.”

Dr. Christine Stewart, Chief of Family Medicine at Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre, echoed these sentiments in her speech and added: “This pandemic does not define the graduates of 2021, but it did allow them to test the strength and expertise they have gained.”

The recording of the ceremony is available here. Congratulations once again to the Class of 2021!