Towards a New Academic Plan

Management gurus make all kinds of pronouncements about strategy: strategy without vision is worthless; even great strategies don’t implement themselves; working hard is the best strategy of all.  The list goes on.

One idea that resonates for me is that strategy is not only a way to create a shared vision but also a framework through which we make informed choices. This term, as part of the University’s ongoing planning process, the Faculty of Medicine will develop a new strategic academic plan to guide our work through to 2021. Consultations begin next week.

We kicked off the process with an engaging steering committee meeting before the holiday break and now, under the academic leadership of Vice Dean Partnerships Lynn Wilson, work begins in earnest gathering insights — including reflections on future trends in education, in research and in contemporary society — from our fantastic learners, faculty and staff, as well as a wide range of partners. 

Our outreach goals are purposefully ambitious: connecting with students and residents, faculty and staff in varying roles and ranks, and partners across the university, TAHSN and beyond. With free time in short supply for all, we will be tapping into existing meetings for many of these consultations, including with the Dean’s Advisory Group, the Group on Business Affairs, the Diversity Advisory Council, MD Program Executive, and Basic Science/Clinical/Rehab Sciences Chairs Committees, among others.

While it’s true we have accomplished much as a Faculty in recent years — from curriculum reform and space modernization to deepening commitments to equity, inclusion and wellness — we know there is much more we need to do. Listening to our community and articulating a vision for our common future is an important step in creating workable implementation plans to help us achieve that vision.

We’ve got a powerful foundation and a thoughtful, engaged community to listen to and learn from. We want to hear from you around ways we can draw on the Faculty of Medicine’s unique potential — our diversity and breadth, our locations and networks — to achieve even more for our students, our faculty and our stakeholders. So keep an eye on future MedEmail issues, and if “Strategic Planning” arises on a meeting agenda in the weeks ahead, I encourage you to speak up and be heard.

Your engagement is essential.

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