Email - Alumni Newsletter - Summer 2026

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ALUMNI NEWSLETTER • SUMMER 2026

ALUMNI
GIVING

ALUMNI
STORIES

EVENTS &
OPPORTUNITIES

OTHER NEWS &
HIGHLIGHTS

ALUMNI GIVING

U of T MD 50th Reunion: Rekindling connections that stand the test of time

The milestone event brought MD 7T6 classmates together for reflection, reconnection and a celebration of their shared history, reflected in new and renewed donations to their class award.

Bayanihan: How the Filipino Canadian Medical Association is supporting the next generation of medical students

When members of the Filipino Canadian Medical Association — led by FCMA president Gian Agtarap (MD ’22, PGME Family Medicine) — endowed an MD award, they were inspired by a Filipino value that has guided the organization for more than 40 years: bayanihan.

A family legacy of giving: Siblings create two new awards

Siblings and physicians Ethel (MD '97), Irene (MD '08, MHSc '10), Ivan (MD '09) and Yvonne Ying came together to create two new annual student awards in honour of their parents, Pamela and Wei Ming Ying, to support students with financial need.

‘Good Show!’ — Honouring hard work and dedication through philanthropy

A new award created in honour of Chih-Chen Fang (MD ’75), a former long-time Chief of Anesthesiology at The Permanente Medical Group (TPMG) in Sacramento, California, will carry forward its namesake’s legacy of service by investing in the next generation of U of T-trained physicians.

ALUMNI STORIES

Honouring impact with the 2026 Dean’s Alumni Awards

Selected by a volunteer committee of alumni and students, this year’s awardees represent a wide range of fields — genetic medicine, cardiology, biochemistry, speech-language pathology and forensic medicine — and their impact extends across Canada and around the world.

Four Temerty Medicine community members receive Order of Canada honours

Four members of the Temerty Faculty of Medicine community have been appointed to or promoted within the Order of Canada, one of the country's highest civilian honours, as announced in June.

Celebrating the RSI spring 2026 graduating class: reflections, milestones, and what’s next

Preparing to carry their rehabilitation science expertise into health care and beyond, four recent graduates reflect on their journeys at the Rehabilitation Science Institute, highlighting the experiences that shaped them and the paths they are excited to pursue next.

The next generation of researchers: graduating MSc and PhD students reflect on discovery and growth

Three graduating students talk about the experiences that drove their research, the challenges and communities that shaped them, and the impact they hope to make next.

Purpose, curiosity and new beginnings: MD Class of 2T6 graduates reflect on medical school

As they prepare to begin the next phase in their training, graduating students from the MD Class of 2T6 reflect on what drew them to medicine, the moments that defined their medical education, and what they hope to carry forward into their careers.

Linda Rabeneck on the past, present and future of colorectal cancer screening

The career of Linda Rabeneck (PGME ’80 Gastroenterology) has been shaped by curiosity, clinical insight and a steadfast conviction in the power of preventive medicine. We chatted with her about her career at the forefront of gastroenterology research and cancer screening development and implementation.

From classroom to clinic: how translational thinking is shaping a future physician

When third-year U of T MD student Sam Neumark (MHSc TRP '23) walks into a lecture hall or hospital ward, he carries more than the typical med student toolkit. He also brings the mindset of a translational researcher — an approach he credits with shaping the way he learns, problem-solves and connects with patients.

Betsy Ann Easow on building a career and a community

For Betsy Ann Easow (PT Bridging Program '16), the Ontario Internationally Educated Physical Therapy Bridging Program wasn’t just career changing, it was life changing — opening up doors and fostering helpful connections in the local PT community.

Temerty Medicine celebrates National Volunteer Week 2026

During National Volunteer Week in April, Temerty Medicine recognized the many contributions our volunteers make to our work advancing health and health care, whether supporting new generations of health care professionals, fueling health research or strengthening community engagement.

EVENTS & OPPORTUNITIES

Support Temerty Medicine students through the Diversity Mentorship Program

Minoritized and/or underrepresented learners often experience info gaps or barriers to achieving their full career potential. You can be a meaningful support to these learners through the Diversity Mentorship Program, which runs from November to April. Email medicine.dmp@utoronto.ca with your name and specialty area if interested in applying.

MD and MD/PhD mentorship programs now accepting applications

Members of our MD alumni community are uniquely positioned to significantly enhance the MD student experience through their guidance and mentorship. Please consider applying to the MD or MD/PhD mentorship programs — the deadline to apply is August 14th.

Inspire the MD Class of 2030 with your Words of Wisdom

The newest cohort of MD students will be arriving on campus for orientation in late August. As someone who was once in their shoes, you can offer your congratulations, encouragement and/or advice through our Words of Wisdom welcome cards. To have your message printed and shared, submit your Words of Wisdom note online by August 14th.

UofTMed magazine: The Poop Issue

In our latest edition of UofTMed magazine we take a closer look at gastrointestinal science and its ties to whole-body health, highlighting the many researchers and clinicians across Temerty Medicine working in this field.

Temerty Medicine events on demand

Catch up on Temerty Medicine virtual events you may have missed through our new on demand section. We are archiving content periodically, so stay tuned as we update our collection.

Getting ready for 2027 class reunions

While there are still some upcoming reunions for honoured-year classes ending in 1 and 6, we will soon start planning for next year’s reunions. Does your graduation year end in 2 or 7? Find out more about how we can help you plan your reunion and let us know if you are interested in getting involved.

Thanks for joining us at Alumni Reunion

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our Kids Passport station, attended the sold-out Stress-Free Degree Lecture featuring U of T occupational therapy professor Alex Mihailidis and reconnected at the many departmental and class reunions we supported this spring. Be sure to join us next year at Alumni Reunion 2027!

VIEW ALL EVENTS

OTHER NEWS & HIGHLIGHTS

Adrenaline, preparation, precision: Inside the city-wide FIFA World Cup 2026™ major training simulation

Thirty-two organizations took part in Operation Red Card, a city-wide emergency preparedness exercise intended to test the limits of coordination and capacity as Toronto prepared for the more than 300,000 visitors expected to attend FIFA World Cup 2026™.

New partnership to expand education pathways for Indigenous youth into health care and traditional healing

Women’s College Hospital and Foundation, U of T, and the Mastercard Foundation announced an innovative, new partnership that will create comprehensive pathways into post-secondary health care and traditional healing programs for Indigenous youth.

Sixty-three Temerty Medicine trainees named 2026-2027 Hold’em for Life Cancer Fellows

Made possible thanks to the philanthropic support of the Hold’em for Life Charity Challenge, the fellowships support U of T residents and clinical fellows conducting cancer research at any of the faculty’s affiliated teaching hospitals.

Expanding access to health care in the North

The Consortium of Physician Assistant Education — a collaboration between Temerty Medicine and Northern Ontario School of Medicine University — has received funding to establish a dedicated Northern Stream for Physician Assistant (PA) training in Northern Ontario.

A renewed legacy: Tanz family makes new commitment to neurodegenerative disease research

Five years after Mark Tanz’s passing, his family has come together to extend his legacy as a generous champion of collaborative neurodegenerative disease research by committing new annual gifts to the Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases.

Honouring Irene Frances Breen: A family’s legacy of hope and change

The creation of the endowed Irene Frances Breen Chair in Hemorrhagic Stroke stands as a deeply meaningful tribute to a woman whose life was defined by love, resilience and dedication to her family towards transforming the future for those affected by intracranial hemorrhage.

VIEW ALL NEWS

The Temerty Faculty of Medicine alumni community is a network of more than 73,000 health care leaders that includes graduates of our health sciences, rehabilitation sciences, radiation sciences, Physician Assistant, MD and MD/PhD programs, as well as former residents and fellows.

Temerty Medicine’s Office of Advancement connects our community of learners, faculty, alumni, volunteers and donors to meaningful and transformative initiatives advancing health and health care.

Temerty Faculty of Medicine Advancement Office
6 Queen's Park Crescent West / Toronto, ON Canada M5S 3H2

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