Dr. Anita Palepu reappointed Head, Department of Medicine

A message from Dermot Kelleher, Dean, Faculty of Medicine and Vice-President, Health.


I am pleased to announce that Dr. Anita Palepu has been reappointed as Head, Department of Medicine for a second five-year term effective to June 30, 2029.

Dr. Palepu is a professor and Eric W. Hamber Chair in the Department of Medicine, as well as a founding member of the department’s equity committee. She is also co-lead of the UBC Data Science and Health research excellence cluster and Head of the Department of Medicine at Providence Health Care.

Dr. Palepu is a general internal medicine specialist who is passionate about health advocacy and education. As a scientist with the Centre for Advancing Health Outcomes, Dr. Palepu’s research is in urban health, with a particular focus on persons vulnerable to poor health outcomes. Her many contributions have been recognized both nationally and internationally. In 2021, she was inducted as a Fellow into the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, one of the highest honours within Canada’s academic community.

Dr. Anita Palepu

For her work in undergraduate and postgraduate education, Dr. Palepu has received numerous awards, including the St. Paul’s Hospital Donald M. Whitelaw Award for Outstanding Grand Rounds, the Graeme Copland Clinician Teacher Award, Teacher of the Year Award, SPH Family Practice and Royal College Residents, and the Howard Stein Master Teacher Award. She was also the recipient of the inaugural Graydon Meneilly Award for Excellence in Mentoring, in recognition of her exemplary leadership as a mentor and contributions to fostering excellence in others and advancing the equity agenda of the Department of Medicine.

In her second term as Head, Department of Medicine, Dr. Palepu will continue to work collaboratively with the Department community to advance the research, education, organizational and clinical goals of the Department of Medicine’s ambitious strategic plan, Transforming Health Together, in alignment with the strategic priorities of the Faculty.

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Palepu on her appointment.