News Release – Tuesday, February 11, 2020
Queen’s University today announced that the Honourable Jane Philpott will serve as the university’s next Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, and Director of the School of Medicine. Dr. Philpott is an accomplished family physician, educator, and global health champion, and is best known for having held several senior cabinet positions with the Government of Canada. She will be the first woman to hold this position at Queen’s University.
The Queen’s Faculty of Health Sciences is internationally renowned for scholarship, research, social purpose, and sense of community. Dr. Philpott will lead a faculty that includes the School of Medicine, the School of Nursing, and the School of Rehabilitation Therapy. The faculty offers programs that are among the most in-demand in Canada thanks to an exceptional student learning experience, and new and innovative education models.
Elected as the Member of Parliament for Markham-Stouffville in 2015, she served in a number of prominent federal cabinet roles, including as Minister of Health, Minister of Indigenous Services, President of the Treasury Board, and Minister of Digital Government.
Prior to entering politics, Dr. Philpott spent over 30 years in family medicine and global health. After earning a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Western Ontario, she spent the first decade of her career in Niger, West Africa, where she provided clinical care to patients and training to community health workers.
In 2008, Dr. Philpott joined the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine and became Chief of Family Medicine at Markham Stouffville Hospital. She also founded a campaign that raised close to $5 million for people in Africa affected by HIV/AIDS, and helped to create the first family medicine training program in Ethiopia.
Dr. Philpott begins her term as Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Director of the School of Medicine on July 1, 2020. The appointment will see her also become CEO of the Southeastern Ontario Academic Medical Organization (SEAMO).
Quotes
“Queen’s University’s Faculty of Health Sciences is among the top interdisciplinary institutions of its kind in Canada, excelling in education, research, and care. I am honoured to accept the role as Dean and look forward to serving the Queen’s community in upholding and strengthening its reputation for excellence.”
– Dr. Jane Philpott
“Dr. Philpott is an exceptional leader who has dedicated herself to improving the lives of her patients, her fellow Canadians, and the international community. She is a powerful addition to our Faculty of Health Sciences and our university and I know will play a pivotal role in furthering our mission of making a positive impact on society through education and research. I want to extend my congratulations to Dr. Philpott and look forward to welcoming her to Queen’s.”
– Patrick Deane, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Queen’s University
Quick facts
- Queen’s University is located in Kingston, Ontario and has a vibrant campus that is home to more than 25,000 students, including students from 121 countries. The university has a proud history and strong traditions in leading research, international collaborations, excellence in teaching, and student engagement.
- The university’s Faculty of Health Sciences comprises the schools of medicine, nursing, and rehabilitation therapy, and provides education to undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate students. The faculty has over 2,000 full-time and adjunct faculty members over 700 administrative and research staff.
- The faculty generated annual research revenues of $134 million last year. It enjoys strong partnerships with academic hospitals in Kingston, a strong network of hospital and community affiliated teaching sites, and many successful industry partners.
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Biography – The Honourable Jane Philpott MD, CCFP, MPH, PC
Dr. Jane Philpott is a medical doctor and former Member of Parliament.
She received her Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Western Ontario in 1984. She completed a Family Medicine residency at the University of Ottawa and a Tropical Medicine fellowship at the University of Toronto. She later earned her Master of Public Health from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto.
Dr. Philpott worked as a family doctor for 30 years, with the first decade of her career as a doctor in Niger, West Africa, providing clinical care and training community health workers. In 1998, she and her family moved to Stouffville, Ontario, where she served for 17 years as a family physician.
Dr. Philpott has been an Associate Professor in the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine. She was Chief of Family Medicine at Markham Stouffville Hospital. In this role, she led the launch of the Markham Family Medicine Teaching Unit and the Health for All Family Health Team. She also helped Addis Ababa University develop Ethiopia’s first training program for Family medicine.
In 2004, Dr. Philpott founded Give a Day to World AIDS, which has raised close to $5 million to help people affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa.
Dr. Philpott was elected as the Member of Parliament for Markham-Stouffville in 2015. She served in numerous federal cabinet positions from 2015 to 2019, including Minister of Health, Minister of Indigenous Services, President of the Treasury Board, and Minister of Digital Government. She played a lead role in policies that have shaped Canada: bringing Syrian refugees to Canada; legislating Medical Assistance in Dying; negotiating a health accord with new resources for mental health and home care; delivering new investments in discovery research; improving infrastructure for First Nations to provide clean water on reserve; and reforming child welfare to reduce the over-apprehension of Indigenous children.
She currently serves as Special Adviser on Health for Nishnawbe Aski Nation, an organization representing 49 First Nation communities across Treaty 5 and Treaty 9 in Northern Ontario.
Dr. Philpott’s husband is CBC journalist, Pep Philpott. Their first daughter, Emily, died in Niger in 1991. They now have four children. Bethany completed her Family Medicine residency at Queen’s University in 2019. She is now a family physician and coroner in Belleville, Ontario. Jacob is a data scientist and web developer. David is a PhD candidate and Vanier Scholar in Engineering at the University of Toronto. Lydia is studying kinesiology at Queen’s University.