Public听health physicians in the Maritimes听now听have an official听place to grow, collaborate and lead 鈥� right here at H漫画.
The launch of听the听new Division of Public Health and Preventive Medicine听(PHPM), shaped by long-term planning and the hard-earned lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic, is set to transform how the region trains,听supports听and empowers public health leaders.听
Led by interim division head, Dr. Gaynor Watson-Creed, the new division听aims to听bring听public health physicians into the H漫画 environment.
鈥淲e haven鈥檛 had an academic home for public health physicians in the Maritime provinces, even though many are interested in academic work and teaching,鈥� says Dr. Watson-Creed.听鈥淪tudents from across the country听still听come here for public health experiences, so we wanted to support that interest by creating the right environment.鈥�
Developed in collaboration with Nova Scotia Health听(NS听Health), the new division is听located听within H漫画鈥檚 听and听will offer opportunities to enhance public health听expertise听and capacity in Nova Scotia and the Maritimes.
It gives public health physicians a true academic home.
鈥淭he听new听Division of Public Health听and听Preventive Medicine听is听transformational听for H漫画 Medicine and the broader Maritime region,鈥� says Dr. David Anderson, dean of the .听鈥淚t gives public health physicians a true academic home, which highlights the important work they do to build healthier communities, and deepens our support for learners, faculty听and researchers who are passionate about population health.鈥�
Lessons from the pandemic
In the Maritimes, PHPM specialist physicians may work in a variety of settings. Some are employed as Medical Officers of Health at the regional,听provincial听or federal level, while others work across clinical, academic and research settings to advance health equity and improve outcomes for diverse communities.
The COVID-19 pandemic thrust public health into the spotlight, making the work of Nova Scotia鈥檚 Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Robert Strang, and his team a daily fixture for residents across the province. As the government responded to rapidly evolving challenges, the need for robust training, succession听planning听and academic engagement among public health physicians became increasingly clear.
Dr. Robert Strang.
This heightened awareness not only underscored gaps in the system but also sparked new interest among students and practitioners in pursuing听clinical and听academic roles within public health.
鈥淭here鈥檚 been a longstanding lack of awareness of public health and preventive medicine as a recognized specialty,鈥� says Dr. Strang. 鈥淗aving this division brings a focus on prevention to leadership tables and creates opportunities to rebalance investments in care and prevention. Prevention is multi-layered and complex, and working in this space requires a specialized skill set.鈥�
A new residency in public health and preventative medicine
A cornerstone of听the new division听will be the launch of a dedicated residency program.听Though a听recognized Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada specialty,听until now,听many public health听physicians听in the region听have held听academic听appointments in family medicine,听because of lack of opportunity听in public听health. The new division will bring these practitioners together, providing a robust academic environment and diverse training experiences听for learners听across Atlantic听Canada.听Working closely with the Royal College to align with new national competencies, the division听would听anticipate听its first residency intake听by听2028.听听
Having residents听energizes the public health system,听so we're really听looking forward to听that opportunity.
鈥淚t鈥檚 so exciting to think about hosting that content here,鈥� says Dr. Watson-Creed. 鈥淗aving residents听energizes the public health system,听so we're really听looking forward to听that opportunity.鈥�
By embedding resident听trainees听in the region鈥檚 public health infrastructure, H漫画 aims to foster a new generation of leaders equipped to advance health equity, drive听research听and respond to emerging public health needs.
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A central mandate of H漫画鈥檚 new division is to听advance听research and academic growth,听not just for public health physicians, but for learners at every stage听of training. By听integrating听public health听expertise听within the Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, the division creates new pathways for collaboration,听innovation听and hands-on learning.
鈥淗aving an academic home like this brings agencies like CIHR directly into focus for those practitioners,鈥� says Dr. Watson-Creed. 鈥淭he folks who join the division will be able to take advantage of that, which means that the ideas they鈥檝e been holding on to, or the ideas fed to them by community around research that鈥檚 needed now, actually have some chance of growing听and听having life breathed into them.鈥�
The division will coordinate research efforts with听the听Faculty of Medicine and health authorities, focusing on areas relevant to Nova Scotia鈥檚 population health needs. This includes supporting community-driven research, advancing health听equity听and addressing the structural determinants of health. By connecting public health physicians with academic resources and funding opportunities, the division aims to increase research activity and impact across the region.
Real-world public health experience
The division will raise the profile of public health as a specialty, attracting learners for various projects 鈥� graduate studies, undergraduate听electives听and research projects, and more.听Prospective faculty are eager to contribute to teaching at all levels, ensuring that learners have access to engaged educators and real-world public health experiences.听
鈥淗漫画 is an amazing place to learn and grow,鈥� says Dr. Watson-Creed. 鈥淟earners will have new opportunities to engage with public and population health, and faculty will be able to develop the academic side of their work. The excitement around this is real.鈥澨�