Dear members of the Faculty of Medicine,
Over the course of the Faculty’s Project Renaissance strategic planning exercise, which began in 2016, questions have been raised about the appropriateness of the current Faculty name. Medicine is the founding pillar of this Faculty; however, since its inception in the 1820s, it has become more and is now comprised of multiple leading health profession and biomedical science programs.
In addition to Medicine, the Faculty today is home to the Ingram School of Nursing, the School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, and the School of Population and Global Health. As part of the Project Renaissance strategic planning, two new schools are under discussion – the School of Medicine and the School of Biomedical Sciences – to better advocate for and support the programs in these units. An overview of the current Faculty composition and programs can be found on this web page (scroll down).
Consequently, various names have been proposed in discussions with members of the Faculty during Faculty Council meetings and in other forums. During the May 21 Faculty Council meeting, an update was given during which the three following proposed names were shared and discussed: Faculty of Health; Faculty of Health Sciences; Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
With respect to Faculty of Health, it has been argued that “Health” is more far-ranging, including preventive, nutritional and other disciplines not part of our current Faculty. With respect to Faculty of Health Sciences, the point was made that it dismisses the historic and foundational role of Medicine, which is a great source of pride for alumni around the world. The third proposal, the McGill Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, has been the most positively received. It is also used by faculties in other parts of the world.
At the most recent Faculty Council meeting on Sept 23, a motion was passed to proceed to next steps with respect to the renaming process, which includes this message to you and a poll that you will find at the link below. While we routinely invite everyone to Faculty Council meetings and share each agenda Faculty-wide in advance, we understand not everyone is able to attend and partake in these discussions.
Thank you, in advance, for your participation.
Vice-Principal (Health Affairs)
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
November 6 2019