New leadership appointments for DFCM faculty within the Department and beyond
Faculty from the University of Toronto Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM) are continuing to make an impact on the medical community in Ontario, taking on leadership roles within DFCM and at our hospital sites.
Read about the new appointments below, and join us in congratulating our faculty members as they take on these important roles.
Dr. Shirley Lee, Vice-Chair Education, DFCM
Dr. Lee is a physician leader and academic family physician with a robust background in family and emergency medicine, a passion for advancing education and supporting family physicians, and a commitment to fostering inclusive and innovative learning environments. She has been an associate professor with DFCM since 2008.
During the course of her career, Dr. Lee has received prestigious teaching awards recognizing her contributions to medical education, including the Canadian Association of Medical Education’s Certificate of Merit. Currently, her roles include chair of the Coalition for Physician Learning and Practice Improvement and emergency physician at The Ottawa Hospital.
Dr. Lee is deeply committed to our vision of outstanding primary care for all and our mission of delivering the world’s best education for family doctors. In her role as Vice-Chair, Education, she will ensure the effective delivery of DFCM’s world-class education programs, advance the broader strategy of the Department, and help to champion our future practitioners.
Dr. Hedieh Molla Ghanbari, Division Head of Hospital Medicine, DFCM
Dr. Hedieh Molla Ghanbari is an academic hospitalist and clinician educator at Sinai Health since 2015 and is currently the Division Head of the Division of Hospital Medicine at the Department of Family and Community Medicine, as well as an assistant professor. She completed her Family Medicine Residency and Hospital Medicine Fellowship at U of T and later went on to complete a Master of Science in Community Health in Health Practitioner Teacher Education from the Dalla Lana Public Health as well as a Certificate in Quality and Patient Safety. She has led many quality improvement projects in collaboration with multiple departments at Sinai Health System.
Dr. Molla Ghanbari has an interest in leadership and more specifically women in leadership, and she holds a Physician Leadership Institute Certificate. Dr. Molla Ghanbari has also led several successful programs at Sinai Health including expansion of the Mount Sinai hospitalist service and orthopedics co-management, which won an innovation award. Currently, she is the Program Director for the UHN/SHS Hospitalist Fellowship and enjoys educating the next generation of hospitalists. Her research interests include transitions of care and patient safety.
Dr. Catherine Yu, Chief and Program Medical Director of Family and Community Medicine, Michael Garron Hospital (MGH)
Dr. Yu is a physician leader and academic with expertise in integrated care models and health systems design. She is the founding chair of the East Toronto Family Practice Network and is an assistant professor and engagement lead for DFCM.
With extensive clinical experience in comprehensive care and family and emergency medicine, Dr. Yu has led numerous initiatives, including school-based clinics in high-priority neighbourhoods and community health integration efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her leadership has earned her prestigious honours such as the Faculty Impact Award from U of T and the Ontario College of Family Physicians Award of Excellence.
As Chief and Program Medical Director of Family and Community Medicine, Dr. Yu will serve as a strategic leader and role model in supporting MGH’s strategic direction while also being an agent of change for the DFCM.
Dr. Danielle Manis, Chief and Program Medical Director of Family & Community Medicine, North York General Hospital (NYGH)
Dr. Manis is an assistant professor with DFCM and an active clinical teacher for our undergraduate and postgraduate programs. She has been a comprehensive family medicine physician in North York for over two decades, is an active member of the North York Family Health Team, and is part of the primary care leadership team with the North York Toronto Health Partners OHT.
Dr. Manis has been committed to the NYGH team since her residency, taking on roles including undergraduate program director for family medicine and deputy chief of family medicine. She is looking forward to taking the next step in her physician leadership career with NYGH.
Dr. Milena Forte, Sydney G. Frankfort Chair in Family Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital
Dr. Forte has been a family physician at Mount Sinai Hospital since 2001 and an associate professor with DFCM since 2022. She has been DFCM’s Maternity Care Lead since 2015 and is recognized as a leader in Family Medicine Obstetrics nationally. She has also served as the Education Scholarship Lead for DFCM in postgraduate education since 2016. She has led and supported many research team, taught and mentored learners and faculty for over two decades. She is the lead editor of Full Circle: a collection of Family Medicine Birth Stories.
