Dr. Mireille Norris appointed Medical Education Black Health Theme Lead

On behalf of Temerty Faculty of Medicine, the Department of Medicine is thrilled to share that Dr. Mireille Norris has been appointed to the role of Medical Education Black Health Theme Lead, effective March 1, 2023. The Black Health Theme Lead position relates to the support of health education regarding the Black people of Canada. This position reflects the Faculty’s commitment to social responsibility and addressing the health needs of individuals and populations across local, national, and global settings; and the Faculty’s commitment to addressing the health needs of Black people of Canada, one of the priority populations identified in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine Diversity Statement.

Dr. Mireille Norris is an Internist and Geriatrician at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto and Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto. She is the Education Director for the Sunnybrook Hospitalist Training program which she created and implemented at Sunnybrook in 2005. She was appointed Faculty Lead for Black and Indigenous medical learners by the department of medicine and is also the site lead for postgraduate geriatric medicine at Sunnybrook. Dr. Norris has a focus on dementia care, fall prevention, quality improvement and medical education. Her interest in underrepresented physician education has been enhanced by the experience of recruiting and mentoring International Medical Graduates for the Hospitalist Training Program. Her own experience as a Black female French speaking physician was instrumental in empowering her trainees who are now successful in many provinces, the United States and Europe. Dr Norris is eager to bring this experience to her new role as Black Health Theme Lead for the TFOM. Her passion for Equity, Inclusion and Diversity is also reflected in a number of initiatives. They include, participation on the Sunnybrook President Anti-Racist Task force, launching of SPARK (Sunnybrook Program Accessing Research knowledge for Black and Indigenous medical students), mentoring committee membership of the Black Physicians Association of Canada, collaboration with the Network for the Advancement of Black Learners and successful changes to the CaRMS application for core internal medicine which lead to increased inclusivity. She also brings her commitment to service to the Black community at TAIBU and at the Centre Francophone du Grand Toronto.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Norris on her appointment!