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Message from the Associate Dean, Learner Affairs

Photo of Professor Tony Pignatiello

The Office of Learner Affairs (OLA) continues to provide support to learners across the medical education continuum with a focus on ensuring equitable and accessible services for all learners, across all campuses including the future Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health (SAMIH). A large focus of the 2023-24 year was solidifying our processes, promoting and developing resources for learners and ensuring the supports we provide are easily accessible.

Our office serves undergraduate and postgraduate learners at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine with resources tailored to their unique and individual needs. Learners from across all years of all programs have access to resources to support their personal, academic and career success. Our careers team continues to expand their strategies to better serve post-graduate trainees, including the development of seminars and workshops aimed at clarifying future career goals and developing skills in important areas such as document creation.

OLA also acts as an advocate and guide for an overall cultural shift at Temerty Medicine. Our office provides supportive and confidential pathways discuss, disclose or report learner mistreatment, and works to educate learners, faculty and staff on both the issues and solutions in this area. As part of a wider cultural shift, we raise awareness about accommodations and wellness programs that are available to all learners in Temerty Medicine and work to remove the stigma associated with accessing those supports. We strive to make accessing these resources seamless and clear with our in-house experts acting as expert guides, connecting learners with the resources to thrive.

Looking towards the future, we are excited to continue to tailor our supports and resources to learner needs. We will continue to keep the goal of a supportive, inclusive, and safe learning environment at the heart of what we do and help learners navigate through challenges and enable them to flourish into caring and resilient health professionals.

Professor Tony Pignatiello
Associate Dean, Learner Affairs
Temerty Faculty of Medicine