Photos from the 2025 Starfield Summit in Toronto
Photos from the 2025 Starfield Summit in Toronto
Photos from the 2025 Starfield Summit in Toronto
Photos from the 2025 Starfield Summit in Toronto
In May 2025, the Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM) hosted the Starfield Summit—the first time it was held outside the United States. The Summit brought together global primary care leaders committed to strengthening Primary Health Care (PHC) and advancing health equity.
Over four days, we shared ideas, built partnerships, and explored bold strategies for universal health coverage. But the work isn’t done.
We invite you to read and sign the Starfield Summit Outcome Statement, which emerged from the Summit. By adding your name, you affirm your support for stronger PHC systems, the vital role of family medicine and bold action toward the Sustainable Development Goals.
Spotlight on Barbara Starfield
"In its most highly developed form, primary care is the point of entry into the health services system and the locus of responsibility for organizing care for patients and populations over time. There is a universally held belief that the substance of primary care is essentially simple. Nothing could be further from the truth." Barbara Starfield, MD, MPH
Professor Barbara Starfield (1932–2011) was a globally renowned physician, health services researcher, and advocate for equitable, high-quality primary care. Her research consistently demonstrated that health systems rooted in strong primary care deliver better outcomes, reduce costs, and promote equity. As co-founder and first president of the International Society for Equity in Health, she championed the role of primary care in achieving social justice through health.
To honor and advance Dr. Starfield’s legacy, family medicine organizations launched the Starfield Summit—a series of international gatherings to create space for critical dialogue, shared learning, and agenda-setting to integrate research into policy and practice. Grounded in implementation science, they carry forward Dr. Starfield’s mission of positioning primary care—and family medicine in particular—as a cornerstone of health system transformation.