A message from Dermot Kelleher, Dean, Faculty of Medicine and Vice-President, Health.
There’s a wonderful concept in atmospheric turbulence whereby a tiny effect caused by a butterfly flapping its wings near the equator could be enough to tip the balance as the ultimate trigger for the creation of a weather storm system. As a faculty of medicine, it’s wonderful to work in a world where the impact of our work is felt all around us, even if our tiny triggers in the system are sometimes lost in all of the background noise.
In health education and research, what we do has an impact and, even though it may be difficult to discern on a day-to-day basis, that impact collectively is profound. This year saw the graduation of the MD class that started medical school in 2020… Remember that year? The year of the pandemic. For the students who began that year filled with uncertainty in unfamiliar surroundings, there was such a sense of joy at the graduation ceremonies this year. While their path to ultimate success was complicated, these graduates may find that their resourcefulness in the face of difficulties may prove invaluable as they navigate their future careers.
For this class and for all of our other health professional graduates, their path to success has been made possible by our outstanding preceptors who have demonstrated such commitment through these difficult times. Like the flapping of a butterfly’s wings, your impact through either imparting knowledge or simply through kindness has a ripple effect on our students, our graduates and ultimately the people who we serve. Support of a student through difficult times by our staff and faculty ultimately means that we produce more and better doctors and health professionals who will go on to provide excellent and compassionate care in whatever settings they choose to practise in — a generational ripple that we all have experienced and that passes through the ages.
I was strongly reminded of this during the academic gowning ceremony which recognised our wonderful new professors and emeriti: our colleagues across the province who have collectively made such a difference to our students’ lives across all disciplines. And particularly wonderful to see the transgenerational impact of mentorship on those being gowned, who have so often been mentored by our distinguished emeriti and colleagues. There was such a level of warmth, respect and collegiality at the ceremony — reflecting the strength of those seemingly fragile and soft ripple effects, those many flapping butterfly wings. And while we do not create a storm, collectively through our mutual respect and compassion we create a powerful force for the good of patients and populations here at home and around the world.
That good is also reflected in the powerful education and research outcomes, a sampling of which is captured in the Faculty’s Strategic Plan Mid-term Report. These impacts are the culmination of the wonderful work of our staff and faculty across years and even decades. And also reflected in our ability to consistently attract outstanding new faculty across the province and in establishing Canada’s Immuno-Engineering and Biomanufacturing Hub.
Naturally, my summer playlist begins with Ripple by The Grateful Dead and is followed by Reasons to be Cheerful by Ian Dury and The Blockheads.
Enjoy these summer months!
This message was sent to all faculty, staff and learners in the Faculty of Medicine.
