TMU plans to launch Brampton medical school next year

In a prelude to Brampton’s future as host of the country’s newest medical school, William Osler Health System launched the new Osler Research Institute for Health Innovation during “Celebrate Research Week,” which just ended. 

The event showcased advancements in healthcare, technological innovation, system transformation, education and community health. As the primary clinical teaching partner for TMU’s School of Medicine, set to launch next year, Osler Health System will provide comprehensive clinical training and expanded healthcare access for residents.

Set to be the 18th accredited medical school in Canada,  TMU has reached a major milestone by receiving preliminary accreditation for its undergraduate medical program from the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS). The four-year undergraduate medical program will prepare students to become a new type of physician, equipped with the abilities and knowledge necessary to not only deliver high-quality, comprehensive treatment but also to transform the healthcare system.

Brampton’s school will set aside 75 percent of its spots for Indigenous, Black and other candidates from equity-seeking groups, to help ensure medicine meets the demands of a patient population with a wide range of complex needs and unique lived experiences. It will also improve a healthcare system criticized for sometimes using a one-size-fits-all approach, when the medical needs of individuals can vary dramatically from person to person depending on historical, cultural, ethnic and hereditary factors.

(TMU)

During their four years of medical school, students typically finish the majority of their scientific coursework during their undergraduate studies, but they also get a variety of classroom and clinical experience.

The first two years are frequently referred to as the "foundation," and the final two are known as the "clerkship," during which students spend most of their time learning clinical skills—some of which are taught initially in the first two foundational years—in a teaching hospital that has partnered with a medical school.

The undergraduate MD program of TMU’s medical school is moving through its accreditation steps and opened its admissions process from October 9 to December 2 for its inaugural cohort, set to begin in September of next year. The MD program is offering 94 seats for its undergraduate lot of students.

The school has established three intentional admission pathways for applicants representing equity-deserving groups, including the Indigenous Admissions Pathway, Black Admissions Pathway, and Equity-Deserving Admissions Pathway, to welcome a diverse pool of applicants and remove systemic barriers from the admissions process. As these pathways are intended to offer an inclusive and supportive process for applicants from underrepresented communities in medical education, the School of Medicine encourages prospective students who belong to these communities to apply in any of the three specific pathways.

With William Osler Health System as its key clinical teaching partner, TMU’s School of Medicine has secured affiliation agreements with Trillium Health Partners, Headwaters Health Care Centre, Halton Healthcare, and the Region of Peel. It was also recently announced that TMU’s School of Medicine has secured accreditation for 16 new residency programs through the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and the College of Family Physicians of Canada. These include specialist training in: Anesthesiology, Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, General Internal Medicine, General Surgery, Geriatric Medicine, Surgical Foundations, Pediatrics and Psychiatry.

Family doctors can also receive enhanced training through the school in addictions, elderly care and other areas of medicine.

"This is the first time a Canadian medical school has received simultaneous accreditation of so many new programs," TMU announced. 

The new TMU medical school is expected to open in September 2025.

(TMU)

The School of Medicine is welcoming the first cohort of 105 residents for July 2025 for its postgraduate medical education.

When TMU originally revealed its intentions for a medical school in 2021, Brampton city council approved a $1 million planning grant to support feasibility studies into the possibility of opening and housing a future medical school in the city. This funding matched the province's earlier commitment that year. In March 2022, the medical school obtained provincial approval, which included the addition of 80 undergraduate seats and 95 postgraduate spots for the planned 2025 opening.

The former Bramalea Civic Centre was chosen for the Medical School site due to its strategic location and proximity to Brampton Civic Hospital and Peel Memorial, a preventative facility. GO transit, municipal transportation and highway systems are also nearby. 

The Pointer previously reported that the facility that was transferred by the City to attract TMU had an appraised value of $48 million. 

Tania Ulrich, a TMU spokesperson, confirmed that Phase 1 of construction for the university’s Medical School is on track and expected to be operational by September of next year, with Phase 2 set for completion by September 2026. 

“The Bramalea Civic Centre retrofit project for the School of Medicine has been underway for the past year, and TMU is currently focusing on building systems, interiors, and external window and cladding upgrades.” 

She said TMU is voluntarily pursuing LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, which will be determined upon the project’s completion.

Ulrich explained that TMU’s School of Medicine has taken proactive measures to ensure the program will launch smoothly in 2025, even if facility construction faces delays, by developing contingency plans for delivering academic content.

The Ontario Universities Council on Quality Assurance (OUCQA) approved the MD program proposal in August 2023, marking another crucial milestone, and the oversight body will eventually review the entire program prior to launch to ensure it meets its standards.

TMU is actively progressing through the next stages of accreditation, aiming for final accreditation to solidify the program’s standing, Ulrich told The Pointer.

“The TMU School of Medicine has been granted preliminary accreditation by CACMS. This is the first step in the accreditation process for all new programs and allows us to open admissions and welcome our inaugural MD class in 2025.”

“TMU is on track to continue the accreditation process to secure provisional accreditation and finally full accreditation.”

A rendering of the former Bramalea Civic Centre, where the TMU School of Medicine is being built.

(Diamond Schmitt)

TMU’s School of Medicine has gained robust support from healthcare providers, community members and partners, she said. Community engagement in its planning has been a priority, ensuring the school is built in collaboration with those it will serve.

About a thousand prospective students attended a recent virtual information session.

TMU has partnered respected healthcare providers across the GTA to support clinical training, allowing students to gain hands-on experience with diverse patient populations across various settings, fostering skills in delivering culturally competent, high-quality care, she said.

Due to an increasing need for healthcare professionals throughout Canada, the Peel District School Board (PDSB) has initiated an ambitious program called the Future of Healthcare Program, which is designed to link underserved and underrepresented students from grades seven to twelve with potential career opportunities in the healthcare field.

This innovative collaboration with Toronto Metropolitan University aims to prepare and motivate the upcoming generation of medical professionals, showcasing the range of student talent across Peel.

Rashmi Swarup, Director of Education at PDSB, said she is excited for the healthcare contributions these students will make in their communuties.

"A lot of thought has gone into this program. Together with TMU, we wanted to address an industry need for talent that reflects the communities they serve, while also exposing students to the diverse range of opportunities in the healthcare field.

"We are excited for the students, their career potential and the contributions they will make in their communities.” 

The program is split into three phases: a speakers series, a courses offering and an experiential component. Over 1,100 students had the chance to hear from renowned healthcare leaders during the first phase's speaker series, which included Dr. Jamaica Cass, Indigenous Health Lead, and Dr. Trudy McFarlane, Black Health Lead from TMU's School of Medicine. By sharing their unique professional experiences, they encouraged students to see themselves as the doctors and innovators in tomorrow’s medical landscape.

Dr Teresa Chan, Dean of TMU’s School of Medicine, said students should imagine the significance of their representation in health care.

"When students see themselves represented in healthcare, they can imagine new career possibilities," she said. "We hope that hearing from physician panelists like Dr. Cass and Dr. McFarlane will inspire students from diverse communities to envision the contributions they can make as future healthcare leaders." 

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