A message from Ravi Sidhu, Vice Dean, Education.
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Andrea Townson as the Associate Dean pro tem, Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME), effective March 14 to September 13, 2026.
Dr. Townson is a clinical professor in the Department of Medicine’s Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and serves as the department’s Associate Head of Education. She brings a strong track record of academic leadership, curriculum innovation and faculty development, and is deeply committed to advancing excellence in medical education.
Dr. Townson is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, a Certificant of the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and holds subspecialty certification in Spinal Cord Injury Medicine from the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
As Associate Dean pro tem, Dr. Townson will provide strategic leadership for undergraduate medical education within the Faculty of Medicine, collaborating closely with the Regional Associate Deans to ensure continuity and advancement of undergraduate medical education across British Columbia. She will also work in close partnership with faculty, staff and learners to sustain momentum on key strategic priorities and ongoing initiatives within the MD Undergraduate Program (MDUP).
Dr. Townson’s appointment follows the leadership of Dr. Cheryl Holmes, to whom we extend our sincere gratitude. During her tenure, Dr. Holmes provided key educational and operational leadership in the expansion of the MDUP and supported the program in achieving a successful eight-year accreditation from the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools. She also demonstrated visionary leadership in advancing the inclusion of learners with disabilities in medical education, leading coordinated national and institutional efforts. Her work in support of learner success, equity and program quality has contributed to the program’s ongoing advancement. Dr. Holmes will be taking on the role of Dean at the Ross University School of Medicine, and we wish her every success in her new role.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Townson on her appointment.
