Message from the Dean

As I look back on the past year in the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, I see so much to be proud of and thankful for. Our faculty community is strong and resilient, and together we are pursuing creative and collaborative solutions to the most pressing issues facing health care today — from advocating for a more equitable health system where every person receives the absolute best in care, to research contributions that impact health and health outcomes in a broad range of areas, to training programs that continue to advance our education of the next generation of health leaders. Every person in this community — faculty, staff and learners — has been invaluable in helping the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry rank as No. 5 among medical faculties across Canada in the 2023 Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings.

As we develop new relationships as part of the College of Health Sciences, we are finding exciting new opportunities for collaboration and interdisciplinary work across faculties, with the help of the world-class teams in our college research and education offices. At the same time, within the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, we are steadfast in our commitment to our vision and goals. With Vision 2025, our mission is clear — to serve the public with social accountability through partnerships, leadership and innovation in education, research and health care. How do we make this vision a reality?

We focus our education and training on equipping our learners to lead with purpose where it is most needed — in underserved neighbourhoods in inner cities, in rural and remote parts of Alberta and beyond (through the Office of Rural and Regional Health) and in Indigenous communities (through the Wâpanachakos Indigenous Health Program).

We engage with communities on the health questions and issues that most impact them, working together in areas involving population health. We are on the forefront of innovative Canadian research focused on pandemic preparedness, the significance of which has been laid bare by COVID-19’s far-reaching impacts. We invest in collaborative research that seeks to harness the boundless resources of artificial intelligence and big data for precision health targeted to individual needs.

Wherever our work takes us — in the classroom or the lab, at our desks or at the bedside — we are supported by the partners with whom we work so closely. Our alumni family, our community of donors and the many health organizations are the network that keeps us moving forward, and we are grateful for every one of those relationships.

I hope you will enjoy learning more about our work over the past year, and I look forward to hearing any feedback you may have about this report. Thank you for being a part of our vision.

Brenda Hemmelgarn, Dean, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry