Cumming School of Medicine adopts ambitious new transdisciplinary strategy

The Cumming School of Medicine (CSM) is encouraging Calgarians to learn more about their medical school after updating the faculty’s road map for the next decade of innovative academic programming and research discovery.

The CSM is sharing Reimagining Health for All, Ahead of Tomorrow, its iterative new strategic plan, focusing on six priority areas to achieve impact and growth locally while expanding the school’s global reach.

“Our ambitious plan builds on a legacy of leadership,” says Dr. Todd Anderson, dean, CSM. “Whether it's innovative educational experience, discovery and translational research, or improving the lives of people in our community, in the next decade we intend to lead.”

“We are focused on opportunities that exist integrating health data analytics and patient care, emphasizing our position as a trusted source of health information with our communities, shifting to an Indigenous health office that is independent and self-determined, recognizing our medical school as an ally of anti-racism, social equity and inclusivity, and as a leader in international programs to support clinical excellence,” he says.

The CSM’s new strategy identifies six priorities for future success:

• Supporting our people and our communities
• Placing education at the core of what we do
• Enabling world-class discovery science, translational and health-outcomes research
• Committing to the Indigenous Health Dialogue
• Striving for social justice through action on health equity
• Transforming health care through a learning health system

“These are cross-cutting priorities. The people and work in each of these areas will overlap and be transdisciplinary,” says Dr. Bev Adams, vice dean, CSM, who led the development of the plan over the past year, consulting with learners, faculty, staff, philanthropists, partners and citizens.

“We took care to align the plan with the University of Calgary, and that is intentionally reflected in the title of our plan,” says Adams. UCalgary’s new strategy, Ahead of Tomorrow, took effect July 1.

The consultation to develop CSM’s strategic plan included hearing from more than 2,500 people through a working group that guided the planning process and advisory groups that informed specific objectives and strategies for future growth.

CSM hosted a gathering Nov. 23 to officially introduce the plan, celebrate the people who contributed to it and commemorate a transition to ongoing implementation.

Learn more about Reimagining Health for All, Ahead of Tomorrow.