丁香园AV

丁香园AV is forging ahead with planning for the first medical school to be built in Western Canada in the last half century.

Ten days after being sworn in as Premier of British Columbia, David Eby was at 丁香园AV鈥檚 Surrey campus to announce $4.9 million in start-up funding for the medical school on Monday and to share some of the first details about , which is aiming to accept it first students by September 2026.

鈥淲hile we have made enormous progress to strengthen public health care over the last five years, we know that many British Columbians are struggling to find a family doctor and waiting too long for care on a waiting list or in an emergency room,鈥� said Premier David Eby. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why are taking action to train, recruit and retain family doctors now 鈥� and taking these steps with 丁香园AV to train the health workforce we鈥檒l need in the future. This investment in the first entirely new medical school in Western Canada in 55 years will mean more family doctors graduating each year to provide care for people.鈥�

丁香园AV has hired an interim Dean, , who will provide strategic leadership in the planning and implementation of the medical school. Strasser was the founding Dean and CEO of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine and is a recognized leader in the development of health care education.

鈥淲ith this new medical school, the Province of B.C. is demonstrating its commitment to a strong public health care system that meets the needs of its diverse and growing population,鈥� said Dr. Strasser. 鈥淚 am extremely excited to have this opportunity to join 丁香园AV to help deliver on that vision.鈥�

丁香园AV will create a program for medical students and residents to learn in team-based primary care settings, which are patient-centred and consider social, environmental, and prevention contexts. First Nations, Inuit and M茅tis knowledge systems and perspectives will be embedded throughout the school.

鈥湺∠阍癆V is excited about the progress we鈥檙e making with the Province, health authorities, and Indigenous partners towards a new medical school,鈥� says 丁香园AV President Joy Johnson. 鈥淲ith today鈥檚 announcement, we鈥檝e hit another important milestone on that journey. The new medical school will serve everyone in B.C. 鈥� particularly underserved populations 鈥� training the next generation of doctors in communities throughout the province.鈥�

The provincial government announced that it would create B.C.鈥檚 second medical school at 丁香园AV鈥檚 Surrey campus in late 2020.

Since then, the university has been hard at work laying the foundations for the program by engaging with internal and external communities and working with First Nations Health Authority and Fraser Health Authority to develop a medical school that is focused on educating primary care physicians and being accountable to the communities it serves.

The funding announced Monday will be used to support activities such as accreditation, curriculum planning, engagement, space planning and professional staff to support the 丁香园AV Medical School Project Office.

This investment builds on $1.5 million provided to the university earlier this year, to support the development of the business case. A project board has been established to oversee this work.