Humans of DFCM — Dr. Eleanor Colledge
Dr. Eleanor Colledge, an assistant professor at DFCM and a family physician at the South East Toronto Family Health Team (SETFHT), has dedicated her career to comprehensive primary care, education and continuing professional development
For nearly 26 years, Dr. Colledge’s work has crossed clinical care, teaching and leadership. From comprehensive family medicine and obstetrics to international health and faculty development, her robust experience has made a significant impact on primary care.
Her journey began at Temerty Medicine. “As the first member of my family to become a physician, I entered medical school with very little pre-existing knowledge of the different branches of medicine,” she reflects. “As I moved through clerkship, it became clear to me that family medicine was the right choice.”
Supporting patients over time and seeing them through all stages of life has been particularly rewarding for Dr. Colledge. “I love that family doctors not only treat patients with acute and chronic diseases, but we get to work upstream where we can support patients in making healthy choices that help prevent them developing medical issues down the road.”
After medical school, she completed her residency at Michael Garron Hospital where her training expanded both clinically and geographically. “I completed a PGY3 in Family Practice OB in Toronto and a PGY3 in International Health, which involved working for six months in Zimbabwe,” she says.
Following the completion of multiple locum placements across Northern Ontario and the GTA, Dr. Colledge received a pivotal invitation from her mentor, Dr. Jamie Meuser. “He recruited me to help start up a new family practice teaching unit at Michael Garron Hospital and lead the reinvigoration of the family practice obstetrical group,” she recalls.
Years later, that decision still resonates. “I’ve now been working at SETFHT for almost 24 years, practicing comprehensive family medicine,” she says. “Many patients have been with me since day one.” One of her most memorable moments in practice was treating four generations of women. From the great-grandmother, grandmother and mother to a newborn baby whom she delivered.
Her work has also extended beyond the clinic, shaped by a strong commitment to justice. “I worked for six years as a medical examiner once a month for clients of the Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture, documenting the impact of their experiences on their physical, emotional and mental wellbeing for the purposes of their refugee claims,” she says.
In her two-year term as CPD program director, she has led and contributed to several key initiatives, including developing offerings that meet the needs of physicians and the communities they serve. “It is important to ensure that our CPD offerings are informed by data and include the tools necessary for physicians to implement practice changes that improve patient outcomes,” she says.
Another milestone for Dr. Colledge was launching the CPD website. It provides a space to promote DFCM offerings and by providing practice resources, such as guidance on accreditation, is a step towards building and supporting the community of faculty who develop CPD.
She also reflects on the continued evolution of Changing the Way We Work (CTWWW) CPD. “It was started during the COVID-19 pandemic as a place for Ontario physicians to learn from each other, share their own approaches and resources and support each other during a very challenging time.”
Recently, CTWWW marked its 100th session, a significant milestone for Dr. Colledge and Dr. Tara Kiran, vice chair of quality and innovation at DFCM. It has become a trusted resource for family physicians as they continue to foster their professional development. “While the content has shifted, our overall aim of CTWWW is to support family physicians in providing the best possible care for our patients and the communities in which we work,” she adds.
Another highlight for Dr. Colledge has been co-leading the First Five Years Community of Practice with Dr. Ryan Banach, family medicine early career supports lead, Office of Health System Partnership, DFCM. “We developed this offering to address an identified need for more support for early-career physicians as they enter comprehensive family medicine,” she says. “Combining the creation of a warm and welcoming environment with highly practical talks has been a key priority for us.”
Reflecting on her journey, Dr. Colledge shares candidly, “If I’m being honest, I never set out to be an academic family physician. However, I am now so thankful that this became my career path. It has brought additional breadth and meaning to the work I do, and it is such a privilege to learn from the many inspiring people within our department.”
In her commitment to educating the next generation of family doctors, she shares the following advice: “Embrace the unique flexibility of a career as a family doctor to provide impactful and rewarding care to patients over their lifespans while also being able to lean into all areas of personal interest within the realm of family medicine.”
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.
