Medical Students

A main purpose of the academy structure at the University of Toronto medical school is to provide students with a smaller, more intimate learning environment. Students will have many sources of assistance and mentorship while studying at UHN. These include:

• The Academy Director: The Academy Director is a faculty member who oversees all of the medical learners assigned to the academy and who can provide guidance in a non-evaluative manner.
  
• Social Activities: A variety of social activities are planned throughout the academic year by each year's elected class representatives. These activities are aimed at bringing students together in an informal, casual setting so that they may build a strong learner community.
• Learner Leadership Advisory Committee (LLAC): UHN's Clinical Learner Leadership Advisory Committee (LLAC) provides a novel opportunity for learners to contribute their unique perspectives to educational and organizational planning and processes while strengthening their leadership skills in areas such as:
  • Making specific recommendations to improve learners' experiences
  • Participating in strategic planning and other design sessions
  • Contributing to organization-wide events
  • Participating in committees
  • Adding perspectives in focus groups
  • Participating in learner and staff leadership initiatives across UHN, etc.

While studying at UHN, medical students will follow the curriculum established by the MD Program. Please visit UofT for full description. In brief, the first two years of study (named Foundations) provide the introductory learning necessary to move on to the clinical portion of the MD Program (called Clerkship).

Much of the learning during Foundations occurs via Case-Based Learning (CBL) sessions, where students are tasked with working through on-line modules depicting typical patient presentations under the guidance of a faculty teacher.

CBL is supplemented by lectures, anatomy classes, clinical skills learning, small group sessions on medical research and methodology, and clinical experiences where students work with community agencies or shadow practicing physicians. UHN provides excellent teachers for the small-group sessions, and amazing clinical experiences across a large number of specialty programs. Learners will have the opportunity to learn from programs unique to UHN, which include Multi-organ Transplantation, Advanced Oncology, and Interventional Cardiology, among others.

For registration instructions on your pre-clerkship, clerkship or electives, please see below

• Preclerkship Instructions
• Clerkship Instructions
• Elective FAQ

Toronto General and Toronto Western Hospitals

There are call rooms in the hospital. Check with your department for call room locations and availability. Keys and/or combination codes are distributed by individual departments.

NOTE:
The University Health Network and Sinai Health assume no responsibility for articles lost or stolen from lockers and/or call rooms. Make sure all valuables are securely stored.

During daytime hours, if a workplace injury or accident occurs, please inform your supervisor and go to Heath Services at your site. After hours, or if you are at a site that does not have Health Services, please go to the Emergency Department.

Toronto General Hospital
Eaton 2nd Fl, 2-260
Tel: External 416 340 3267, Internal 14-3267
Fax: 416 340 3463

Toronto Western Hospital
Main Pavilion, 9th floor, Rm. 309
Tel: External 416 603 5121, Internal 13-5121

Princess Margaret Hospital
620 University Avenue
7th Floor Rm. 820
Tel: External 416 946 2090, Internal 16-2090
Clinic hours: 7:30am – 3:30pm (M-F)

Toronto Rehab - Occupational Health Nurse
For all TR sites during regular business hours:
University Centre Room 5-145 (416 597 3422 ext. 3051)
Admin Asst: 416 597 3422 ext. 3775
Fax for all TR sites: 416 597 3026

N95 Mask Fit Testing
Mask fit testing must be completed every 2 years. Arrangements will be made for Wightman-Berris students to complete their training at the start of first and third year. It can also be completed through Occupational Health. Monthly mask fit testing schedules can be accessed at via the UHN intranet. If you require an accommodation to N95 mask fit testing, please contact the Office of Learner Affairs at the University, and notify the Academy Director.

Learning at UHN encompasses teaching and learning at four hospitals- Princess Margaret, Toronto General and Toronto Western hospitals, and the five campuses of Toronto Rehab - as well as full-time programs at the School of Applied Health Sciences and a range of options via the School of Continuing Education at the Michener Institute of Education at UHN. To learn more about the services please visit programs and amenities offered at each location.

• Get to and around UHN
• In-hospital amenities
• Information about bike parking can be found on the Energy and Environment Department home page on the UHN Intranet

UHN Shuttle Service
A free shuttle service runs between Toronto Western and Toronto General Hospitals Monday through Friday.

As a student enrolled in the MD Program at the University of Toronto you must register with the MD Program. Please refer to additional Information on registration, including relevant immunization and e-learning requirements.

As a University of Toronto medical student assigned to the Wightman-Berris Academy, you must also register yearly with UHN and Sinai Health. The UHN registration is accomplished by submitting an online placement. Once this placement is approved, your registration with UHN Medical Education is complete and, if applicable, your network access information (tID and EPR) will be available through your learner profile on the site.

UHN requires that all medical learners complete a small number of eLearning modules each academic year.

Your UMLearns profile keeps track of what modules you have to complete. Please log in and select 'Network login' to view outstanding modules

UHN is committed to identifying, removing and preventing barriers to care, services, work and learning.

Medical students placed at the WB Academy can access information regarding accommodations for their learning by contacting the MD Program's Office of Learner Affairs (OLA).OLA works closely with both Accessibility Services at UofT's Student Life and the Academy Director as required, to support students in both the classroom and clinical environments.

For additional information about accessibility please visit UHN Accessibility page.

Should you require accommodations, please contact the Office of Learner Affairs well in advance of your clinical placement.

Medical students at UHN are invited to take part in interprofessional education (e.g. Structured Interprofessional Clinical Experiences) throughout the year. Visit the website for more information about Interprofessional Education opportunities at UHN.

Through the Centre for Advancing Collaboration in Healthcare and Education (CACHE), the University of Toronto provides interprofessional education opportunities to pre-licensure students and practice-based health professionals at our affiliated hospitals.

Interprofessional education (IPE) is defined as: Occasions when two or more professions learn with, from and about each other to improve collaboration and the quality of care. (CAIPE: 1997 rev. 2001).

For an overview of the IPE curriculum and learning activities at UT - follow this link: U of T IPE Curriculum.

CACHE is a strategic partnership between the University of Toronto and the Toronto Academic Health Sciences Network with the University Health Network as lead hospital.

Providing inclusive and safe spaces for learners throughout their education is of the utmost importance. Learn more about the safe space resources available to you at UofT and at UHN

UHN is committed to learner and educator wellness at both an individual and at an organizational level. Workplace wellness at UHN is a comprehensive approach to improving the health and well-being of employees, trainees and the organization. A healthy organization translates into a more productive and resilient workforce.

You can visit our Oasis Wellness Centre - Main Office at Toronto General Hospital - 1NU168.

For further wellness resources and supports you can visit student life at the University of Toronto.

Any learner requiring assistance across UHN can find supports and resources on our Learner Assistance page.

If you are experiencing an urgent or emergency situation, there are multiple avenues available to you for support. Additional options include the following:

• The Student Assistance page - University of Toronto
• Office of Learner Affairs (OLA)
• The Gerstein Centre
• The Academy Director, Dr. Andrea Page

A variety of scholarships and bursaries are available to you as a medical student through the MD Program.

Students who have worked with a supervisor from UHN to complete research may be eligible to have costs associated with the presentation of their work reimbursed through UHN's MACK Foundation Bursary.

Mack Foundation Bursary

Through a generous donation by the Mack Family Foundation, Undergraduate Medical Education offers bursaries to medical students who presented UHN-supervised research at an approved medical conference during the previous calendar year.

Funding of up to $2,500 will be awarded to reimburse the cost of travel, hotel/accommodations, conference registration and posters. Successful applicants will be notified via e-mail and recognized at the annual Awards reception.

Bursary criteria and application form

To participate in student groups and discussion group, visit student life at the University of Toronto.

Golden Stethoscope Awards

The Golden Stethoscope award recognizes Year 3 Wightman-Berris students who have demonstrated the following characteristics during their 3rd year rotations:

• compassion, caring, altruism
• academic excellence
• the ability to go "above and beyond"

In short, this award is for clerks who “you would most want to walk into your room if you were a patient.”
These awards are distributed annually and medical students are nominated by their rotation supervisors.

Wightman-Berris Academy Awards

The University Health Network (Toronto General, Toronto Western, Princess Margaret Hospitals and Toronto Rehabilitation Institute), Sinai Health, and Michael Garron Hospital offer the Wightman-Berris Academy Awards that recognize the outstanding teachers and educators who have made significant contributions to health professional education. To read more about the categories of awards and learn how to nominate a health professional please visit Wightman-Berris Academy Awards page.