A Canadian first in health education
The integration of University Health Network (UHN) and The Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences is Canada’s first-ever merger between a hospital and a post-secondary health education institution. The Michener Institute of Education at UHN is a groundbreaking model for educating currently in-demand applied health professionals, and for designing and delivering training for future health professions.
“By having a hospital and a health education institution working so closely, we will be much better able to prepare tomorrow’s workforce,” said Cliff Nordal, Chair of the UHN Board Education Committee. “It’s a natural evolution for an organization that has always existed to tackle the health problems of the day. Preparing graduates who work well in fast-changing clinical environments and have mastered the latest technologies will benefit the entire province.”
Embedding an applied health sciences school within a hospital is groundbreaking because it will enable students to learn within the real-world environment of operating rooms, labs and MRI suites. Front-line health professionals will contribute to curriculum development, helping to ensure that students are job-ready on day one. Hospital employees will have more opportunities for real-time continuing education so that they can keep pace with rapidly changing patient needs and technologies.
Michener students will continue to have clinical placements at various hospitals in Ontario, just as they do today, so that they gain experience in different care environments.
“The Michener Institute of Education at UHN will be a tremendous asset for Ontario,” said Dr. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. “Medical technologists and other applied health professionals will be equipped with the best knowledge and hands-on skills to provide the highest quality care – whether they are working in a hospital, a lab or a community clinic.”
The Michener Institute of Education at UHN was inspired by the Mayo Clinic in the US, which pioneered the model in which educational institutions work hand-in-hand with hospitals to better meet patient and health system needs.
“With this integration we are creating the premier training site in Canada for applied health sciences professionals,” said Peter Pisters, CEO of the University Health Network. “This will bring UHN closer to our goal of becoming a High Reliability Organization – one that does everything to eliminate avoidable risks and promote the safest environment for patients. Being able to work with young health professionals to create an approach to safety that they will take with them to the workforce is an exciting opportunity.”
“The Michener Board had a vision to transform Michener to keep the school at the forefront of health system change. We saw joining forces with UHN as an ideal strategy to realize this vision,” said Maureen Adamson, former CEO of the Michener Institute. “For patients, it ultimately means feeling confident that the person treating you has had the best education, anchored in current research and best practice in health care where patients are always first.”
About Michener
Established in 1958, The Michener Institute of Education at UHN is Canada’s only post-secondary institution devoted exclusively to health sciences education. Michener offers full-time and continuing education in Imaging, Medical Laboratory Sciences, Medical Radiation Sciences, Primary and Critical Care and other specialized applied health programs. With a robust and responsive curriculum that emphasizes inter-professional collaboration and simulation-based training, graduates are prepared to deliver quality diagnostic and therapeutic services. Michener is publicly funded by the Ministry of Health and further enriched through partnerships with universities, private sector companies and leading health care organizations. For more information, visit us at www.michener.ca.
About UHN
University Health Network consists of Toronto General and Toronto Western Hospitals, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, The Michener Institute of Education at UHN and Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. The scope of research and complexity of cases at University Health Network has made it a national and international source for discovery, education and patient care. It has the largest hospital-based research program in Canada, with major research in cardiology, transplantation, neurosciences, oncology, surgical innovation, infectious diseases, genomic medicine and rehabilitation medicine. University Health Network is a research hospital affiliated with the University of Toronto. www.uhn.ca
Contacts:
Anita Lo
Senior Communications Advisor, The Michener Institute of Education at UHN
t. 416.596.3101 ext. 3206
e. alo@michener.ca
Ana Gajic
Public Affairs Associate, University Health Network
t. 416.340.4800 ext. 4011
e. ana.gajic@uhn.ca
