Rehab for the Future
Yesterday, we celebrated the graduation of students from several programs, including our rehabilitation sector. Students in physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology and the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute crossed the stage of Convocation Hall with proud family, friends and faculty cheering them on.
These new graduates join our network of more than 58,000 U of T Medicine alumni around the world, and we look forward to their continued participation in our community.
A sterling example of alumni impact is Heather McPherson, President and CEO of Women’s College Hospital and the speaker at yesterday’s convocation ceremony. Heather received her undergraduate degree in occupational therapy and a master’s from U of T Medicine. She is a health-care executive with extensive experience in clinical, academic and health-system leadership, and she has been at the forefront of shaping and executing hospital strategy and operations throughout her career.
Heather also maintains an adjunct lecturer role in our Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy.
We need this kind of leadership more than ever, as we face an aging population with more complex health needs. That leadership will further position our rehabilitation sciences to respond to these burgeoning demographic and health challenges, and to help people of all ages achieve a better quality of life. To those ends, we recently identified expanding rehabilitation research and clinical capacity as one of the first key goals in our academic strategic plan.
The rehabilitation sciences are forward-looking, by their very nature. They recognize that challenges arise but can be overcome through research, preventative measures and effective rehabilitation strategies. This disposition and the expertise it engenders are essential to our ability to meet the future health needs of our region and beyond. I am confident that yesterday’s graduates — and those that follow — are ready to be tomorrow’s leaders.
Trevor Young
Dean, Faculty of Medicine
Vice Provost, Relations with Health Care Institutions
