The Diversity Mentorship Program (DMP) is a program created by the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine with the goal of connecting 1st and 2nd year medical students from equity seeking groups to faculty physician mentors who are able to support and assist them in their educational and professional growth and development. The program is administered by the faculty’s  Diversity Office.

For the purposes of the DMP, equity seeking groups are identified as those who have been historically marginalized and/or underrepresented in Medicine in Canada. The Faculty of Medicine’s Diversity Statement also highlights specific groups in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) who are underrepresented in Medicine based on their level of representation in the general GTA population. Equity seeking groups who will be considered for this program include students who identify as Indigenous, racialized, LGBTQ2S, first in family to attend university, differently abled, economically disadvantaged, and/or from a minoritized faith group, amongst other groups and communities.

The main purpose of this program is to ensure that all students entering the Faculty of Medicine are able to explore their full potential as learners and as potential members of the medical profession. The Faculty of Medicine is responsible for organizing the mentorship match between student/mentee and faculty member/mentor. Student mentees who are matched with a mentor are then encouraged to take leadership in the relationship to ensure that they are able to get the most value from their experience.

As the coordinator of the DMP, the Diversity Office at the Faculty of Medicine will provide both mentors and mentees with:

• online tools and resources to assist, encourage and support the mentoring relationship
• the opportunity to attend two networking social events
• opportunities to provide feedback about the program (mid-way and at the end of the match)
• official recognition for participation in the program

For Medical Student Mentees

If you are a 1st or 2nd year medical student and are interested in this program, please complete the application form via Survey Monkey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LW8YCCT by July 27, 2018.  By mid-August, you will receive a response regarding your eligibility for the program along with information about your mentor and next steps for the program.  Although we will do our best to match you with a mentor that meets your specifications and preferences, we cannot guarantee matching you with a physician with the same social identity as yours.  However, we do our utmost to ensure that the match is most suitable for both mentor and mentee.

Further Information

Should you have any further questions about the Diversity Mentorship Program, please contact Anita Balakrishna, Diversity Strategist, at 416-978-8867 or anita.balakrishna@utoronto.ca.