Inclusive, compassionate health care for the eastern GTA

We have an urgent need to address the under-met health needs of the eastern Greater Toronto Area (GTA), including Scarborough and Durham Region, coupled with a need to grow the health professional workforce to support an aging population and address the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health (SAMIH) at the University of Toronto Scarborough will provide an inclusive hub for education and strengthen connections among healthcare providers in the region.

SAMIH will extend the impact of U of T’s health education programs including the Temerty Faculty of Medicine – ranked 5th in the world in 2022 for clinical medicine and health education – and quickly advance the region’s clinical capacity across a range of disciplines.

With Scarborough-based programs for Nurse Practitioners, Physical Therapists and Physicians among others, SAMIH is ready to prepare the next generation of compassionate health professionals. And we know that Physicians trained in a region are more likely to practise there, increasing the number of professionals in the area and strengthening the health and wellbeing of local residents.

The University of Toronto is uniquely positioned due to its ideal geographic location, well established role in the community and its excellent health professional education programs. This project will make a significant impact in these regions, reflecting both the campus’s strategic theme of Inspiring Inclusive Excellence and the province’s commitment to community-based, patient centered care.

Announcing the Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health (SAMIH) at the University of Toronto Scarborough.

March, 2022

MARCH 22, 2022
New academy of medicine will look to fill a need for health care professionals in Eastern GTA.
Read more

Support from the Community

Dr. Andy Smith

President & CEO, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre Chair, Toronto Academic Health Science Network

Liben Gebremikael

Executive Director, TAIBU Community Health Centre

The new Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health will serve the local community, in partnership with neighbour hospitals and community organizations. It will train the next generation of health professionals, foster innovative scholarly activity, and provide much-needed health and economic benefits to the Eastern GTA.

Meric Gertler - President, University of Toronto

The Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health (SAMIH) at the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) will provide a hub for training and strengthen connections among healthcare providers in the region. SAMIH will be an important academic and physical anchor for UTSC. Through partnerships involving U of T’s faculties of medicine and nursing, the Scarborough Health Network, Lakeridge Health, Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Michael Garron Hospital, SAMIH can prepare the next generation of healthcare professionals, increase the number of professionals practicing in the area, and strengthen the health and wellbeing of residents in the area.

Andrew Arifuzzaman- Chief Administrative Officer, University of Toronto Scarborough

Nurse practitioners (NP’s) are vital to the health of communities. As part of the Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health, our NP students will graduate prepared to provide direct care for the community, supporting the greater needs of the health care system in the Scarborough and Durham region.

Linda Johnston - Dean, Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing

There has never been a more crucial time to address the unmet health care needs in Scarborough than right now. Establishing the Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health (SAMIH) at UTSC will create a hub for training and strengthening connections between students and the communities they inhabit. Scarborough Health Network (SHN) is in full support of this proposal which will have a long lasting, positive impact on meeting the future health of our residents.

Elizabeth Buller - Scarborough Health Network (SHN) - President CEO

Ontario Shores is one of the nation’s leading mental health hospitals and appreciates the value of access to high-quality mental health and addiction care that is integrated with primary care. This hub would result in improved health outcomes for our communities and through expanded clinical research in population health, lead to the development and implementation of innovative models of care.

Karim Mamdani - Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences- President CEO

Training future healthcare professionals at University of Toronto Scarborough Campus (UTSC) with a focus on local community based care will provide a comprehensive healthcare team for the residents of Scarborough. UTSC’s proposal for the establishment of the Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health (SAMIH) is key to meeting the healthcare needs in Scarborough,” said Vijay Thanigasalam, Member of Provincial Parliament for the riding of Scarborough – Rouge Park. “This will be a hub for training and networking among healthcare providers in the region.

Vijay Thanigasalam - Scarborough-Rouge Park MPP

As an anchor institution, and one of the largest employers in Eastern Scarborough, UTSC is well situated to address the need for the shortage of health care professionals across Scarborough and the Durham region.

Jennifer McKelvie - Toronto City Councillor, Ward 25 Scarborough – Rouge Park

By supporting this project, the Ontario Government will be making a lasting investment that will serve this region for generations to come by graduating health professionals who are skilled in team-based care. SAMIH will support the Government’s goal of creating a more connected healthcare system centred around patients, families and caregivers, in their communities.

Dave Ryan - City of Pickering - Mayor

Benefits to the Eastern GTA

U of T Scarborough’s investment in its Master Plan will provide the foundation for an urban environment that will attract new private sector partnerships and investments. The full build out of the Campus Master Plan is estimated to result in:

full-time (equivalent) jobs created for the construction period.
in salaries distributed throughout construction.
in provincial and federal tax revenue contributions.
full-time (equivalent) jobs directly created at U of T Scarborough and in the private sector.
generated in wages and salaries annually.
additional jobs created from businesses indirectly associated with development.
injected into the regional economy.

SAMIH and the Campus Master Plan

The Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health is part of a broader investment of the University of Toronto Scarborough's Master Plan which will provide the foundation for an urban environment that will attract new private sector partnerships and investments.

The full build out of the Campus Master Plan is estimated to result in the creation of almost 5,000 jobs (FTE) directly and indirectly and millions of dollars in regional economy stimulus.