Dear Members of the Faculty community,
Welcome everyone, whether you are returning or new, to the Fall 2023 semester. I hope you were able to take advantage of the summer months to reconnect with family and friends, enjoy some quiet time or engage in other favourite pursuits or adventures.
As many of you know, this is my first term in the role of Vice-Principal (Health Affairs) and Dean of the Faculty and, as I start out, my first thought is how honoured I am to serve this community. During my time at McGill, as a student and resident, and then as a faculty member, I have been impressed time and again by the world-leading teaching and science being conducted and the amazing people who work, study and train here. It is a great privilege to have the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues who really care about what they do, and who do it especially well.
I follow in the footsteps of Dr. David Eidelman, the Faculty’s former Vice-Principal and Dean for the past 11 years, who has left quite a legacy and big shoes to fill. If there is one thing I have learned along the way from many mentors and colleagues, both faculty and staff, as well as students and trainees, it is that you cannot succeed alone. And so, I look forward to hearing from and collaborating with you across schools and disciplines, to advance our shared mission and values and to help build on your successes, working together towards healthier societies, here at home and around the world.
My number one priority, for the next while, is to listen and learn – about your plans, aspirations and challenges. This input will inform the months ahead and complement the Faculty’s current priorities, among them: cultivating a diverse and truly inclusive learning and work environment; building on our interprofessional, interdisciplinary and inter-institutional collaborations; continually improving the learning experience for students and trainees; delivering on our social responsibility, especially with respect to underserved and marginalized communities; and advocating for our Faculty at different levels, so that we can continue to meet and exceed the high standards we set for ourselves.
Thank you, everyone, for all that you do. Your contributions are especially inspiring in a Faculty like ours with a mission to understand health and illness, innovate in clinical care and policy and, ultimately, improve health.
I wish you all a great start to the Fall semester and a fruitful year ahead.
Lesley Fellows, MDCM, DPhil, FRCPC
Vice-Principal (Health Affairs)
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences