Humans of DFCM – Brenda Chow

For Brenda Chow, Director of Planning and Operations at the Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM), a career that began in the laboratory has led her to the intersection of academia, healthcare and the people who make both possible.

Brenda grew up in Scarborough, Ontario to first generation Chinese immigrants. She is the eldest of her three sisters. She describes her childhood as a “blur of reading lots of books and fighting with her sisters.”

Her curiosity and love of learning continued into her academic life, eventually leading her to pursue a career in science.  After completing her BSc at McGill University, she pursued graduate studies, earning her MSc and PhD. While her early career was rooted in research, she was eager to support different way of contributing to healthcare.

“I wanted to stay connected to the community that I had been immersed in for so long,” she explains.

That interest led her to the SickKids Research Institute, where she began exploring the operational side of research.

“Now that I was away from the lab, I saw a different side – the nuts and bolts of the operational machinery that kept researchers moving,” she says.

Brenda eventually found her way to the University of Toronto, where she steadily advanced through a series of senior administrative roles. Her first position, Department Manager in Psychology, was what she describes as an “eye-opening experience.”

“I quickly had to be hands-on with different aspects of running a department and be ready to jump in and provide coverage for a wide variety of jobs,” she says. “It was stressful at the time, but looking back, it was a valuable experience that helped me understand everyone’s roles and appreciate the resources needed to make that department run smoothly.”

She later joined the Department of Computer Science as Director of Administration. Each role provided her with a unique perspective on academia, ultimately leading her to DFCM.

“Working at DFCM feels a little like coming home – I loved my time at SickKids and working at DFCM combines my interest in academia and healthcare,” says Brenda.

It didn’t take long for Brenda to see what made DFCM different.

“The best part about working at DFCM is knowing that I’m contributing to something really making a difference to society right now,” she says. “Primary care is an important field that I’m proud to be supporting through my work here.”

For Brenda, that sense of purpose became particularly clear at DFCM’s Resident Celebration this past June. As she watched the department’s newest family physicians celebrate the completion of their training, she found herself reflecting on the role she had played in supporting their journeys.

“That was my ‘a-ha’ moment,” she says. “I felt proud to have helped support the learning journey for the newly minted family doctors in some small way.”

As she celebrates her one-year anniversary at DFCM, Brenda describes the past year as one of growth and learning. The department’s clinical environment and complex structure have introduced her to new perspectives on academic healthcare. She continues to discover the many ways DFCM works across education, research and patient care.

She has also been struck by the people who make the department what it is.

“The people in the department are what gives the department its identity,” she says. “The culture and how people interact and collaborate are so important to the department’s success.”

She points to DFCM’s Wellness Committee as one example of the department’s commitment to building connections beyond people’s formal roles. For Brenda, the feeling that “we’re in it together” creates a support network that can make challenging days a little easier.

Looking ahead, Brenda is excited about what DFCM’s future could hold. With primary care increasingly at the forefront of Ontario’s healthcare agenda, she sees opportunities for DFCM to contribute to the future of medical education and primary care.

“I’m thrilled to be a part of the expansion and to see how DFCM can work with the new medical schools to shape policy in the future.”

Humans of DFCM is a monthly news series profiling the department’s faculty, staff, and learners. If you know someone who you think should be part of this series, please email dfcm.commsasst@utoronto.ca.