Recognizing Excellence

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.”
These are the words of the Greek philosopher and scientist Aristotle. But they could just as easily describe the effort and passion that our Faculty puts into their work as educators and researchers — as people dedicated to improving human health.
Every day, our faculty strive for excellence. We’re proud to recognize their scholarly achievements, commitment to education and their endless pursuit of new knowledge. One of the ways we do this is through the Faculty’s teaching awards, which presented at our annual Education Achievement Celebration each spring. That event is an opportunity for us to honour faculty for their teaching, mentorship, advocacy, course development and leadership. The academic promotion process is another important way we acknowledge our clinical faculty’s teaching, scholarly activities and research. Once a year, some of our most outstanding faculty advance within the professorial ranks to become an Associate Professor or Professor. This year, 130 members of our community have reached this achievement.
The annual promotion process is extensive. It puts demands on candidates, their departments, colleagues and peers. Promotions Committees at both Departmental and Decanal levels also make great contributions to the rigorous process, which culminates in approval by the Provost.
The people being promoted work in a wide range of Departments and Divisions, a fact that speaks to the breadth and diversity offered by our Faculty. Our Faculty is preparing students to become clinical and research professionals; discovering answers to questions of societal relevance through research; sharing and expanding our knowledge through partnerships to improve health, equity and prosperity; and using knowledge and expertise to affect positive change locally and globally.
Let me give you just one example: Dr. Jane Philpott is among the clinical faculty being promoted to Associate Professor this year. Jane is the founder of the Give a Day to World AIDS, which challenges Canadians to give one day’s pay to agencies that help people with HIV/AIDS in Africa. She was also the first Family Medicine lead for the Toronto Addis Ababa Academic Collaboration, which is helping Addis Ababa University develop Ethiopia’s first program to train family doctors. Jane is also a celebrated educator, and was a co-winner of the 2014 Excellence in Community-Based Teaching Award (Clinic/Office/Practice).
What’s remarkable about Jane’s story is that it is shared by so many in our Faculty. Every day, our people are making a difference in this profession, in our community and around the world.
Please join me in congratulating all our newly promoted colleagues and in celebrating their outstanding achievements. I would also like to thank Libby Shirriff, Academic Human Resources Coordinator, and Professor Avrum Gotlieb, who led the Faculty of Medicine’s Decanal Promotions Committee. Your hard work and dedication to this important process is appreciated.
You can view a list of faculty members promoted to the rank of Associate Professor or Full Professor, effective July 1, 2015, here.

Trevor Young Dean, Faculty of Medicine Vice-Provost, Relations with Health Care Institutions