Residency Program Director

Dr. Dana Jerome

As of June 30, 2025, Dr Dana Jerome will have completed 2 terms as the PGY 4/5 Program Director and will be the new Chair of the Royal College Specialty Committee in Rheumatology. Dana continues as the Division Head at Women’s College Hospital where she maintains a very busy clinical practice.  Dana has left an indelible mark on our program, guiding (in exemplary fashion) the next generation of Toronto trained rheumatologists.  Our division’s sincerest thanks have been extended to Dr Jerome for all she did to advance rheumatology training in Toronto.

Dr. Dharini Mahendira

As of July 1, 2025, Dr Dharini Mahendira will be the PGY 4/5 Program Director. We are excited to follow Dr Mahendira’s work as she continues the tradition of having a passionate and skilled educator leading the next iterations of our residency training program. 

Dr. Dharini Mahendira is a rheumatologist and the Division Head of Rheumatology at St. Michael’s Hospital. She is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto.  Dharini completed her medical degree and rheumatology training at the University of Toronto. She subsequently obtained a Masters of Health Practitioner Teacher Education from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. Her clinical focus includes general rheumatology as well as the management of rheumatic diseases in pregnancy. Dr. Mahendira is the Director of the Rheumatic Diseases and Pregnancy clinic at St. Michael’s Hospital, and leads research related to this field. Dharini is an award-winning teacher with an education focus on curriculum design at the post-graduate level as well as patient education. She has been the recipient of numerous national and local education awards, including the Canadian Rheumatology Association Emerging Teacher-Educator Award as well as the University of Toronto William-Goldie Travel Prize for Excellence in medical education.