UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO MEDICAL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION MAGAZINE Spring 2009 MAA Matters NO BONES ABOUT IT An AnAtomy prof reflects on teAching RECOGNIZING DONORS • OUT-OF-TOWN REUNIONS treasurer’s rePort Dr. ronn golDberg (Class of 1981) Weathering the economic storm your support is even more crucial during the recession here is no doubt that the 2008 fixed income investments and 41 percent in (and ongoing) cataclysmic equities. As the markets stabilize and begin upheavals in the economy to recover, we anticipate a rebalancing of t will have a significant impact the portfolio to allow for a moderate on our students and their families’ ability increase in the weighting of equities in the to afford a medical education. That makes portfolio with a resulting decrease in our the MAA’s mission to support our medical cash position. students even more critical. As treasurer I must acknowledge the Donations to the MAA in the 2008 enthusiasm and professionalism of Ruth calendar year were $359,923.85, compared Gillings, the administrator/manager of the with $384,983.85 in 200 7. This represents MAA, and her assistant, Julienne Ramos, a small but worrying decrease of nine who assist with many alumni activities, percent. The majority of our funds (81 and keep a diligent eye on the finances percent) are received as a result of direct of our association. mail appeals. The balance comes from a I also wish to thank Dr. Flavio Habal, combination of donations of securities, the previous treasurer of the MAA, for his online donations, and income from desig - the Maa excellent stewardship. He has left the assets nated funds held in trust by the MAA. of the MAA with a solid foundation from Your ongoing generosity has enabled has always which to grow. significant financial support of our medical The MAA has always recognized the studen ts. Disbursements to students during recognized the importance of supporting alumni activities the 2007-2008 academic year totalled importance of and maintaining access to medical educa - $370,607. This included $195,000 in tion for our students. Hence, we are new interest-free loans, $49,607 in bursaries, supporting alumni partnering with the Faculty of Medicine $15,700 in awards and scholarships, on the MAA/Faculty of Medicine Access $13,000 for elective tr ansportation activities and to Excellence Fund campaign, to raise grants, $ 7, 300 to the Rural Health money for student financial assistance. Initiative, $70,000 to International Health maintaining access As an alumnus, your continued support scholarships, and $20,000 to the Medical is vital in bridging the gap between past, Society for student activities. to medical present and future generations of physicians. The MAA portfolio, which continues to education for On behalf of the MAA executive and be conservatively managed by BMO Nesbitt board, I offer sincere thanks for your Burns, had a moderate devaluation of 13.8 ongoing commitment, especially to the u our students. o h percent in 2008. To place that in context, students who must conquer increasingly z r o an investment in the S&P TSX composite daunting financial barriers to their l y a t : index over the past year would have resulted education at Canada’s most prestigious y h P a in a negative 33 percent return. medical school. r g o At year end, our asset mix was 18 percent t o h P cash; 41 percent was invested in each of 2 university of toronto • spring 2009 Dean’s Message Dr. CatharIne WhItesIDe (Class of 1975) those who have “a gift for giving” good teachers are influential far beyond classroom of teaching and learning. Whatever else goes far beyond their mandate as medical is happening within and beyond the educators. classroom, every day our faculty members One such faculty member featured in devote themselves to the task of teaching this issue is Dr. Ian Taylor, who is stepping our students, sharing their own insights down as course director, Structure and and experiences and continuing a chain of Function, after 35 years at this Faculty pedagogy that is unique to our profession. (although he will continue to teach The responsibility of teaching in medicine residents and graduate students). Eleven different graduating classes—including the Class of 2009—have presented Dr. Taylor the responsibility with the Hollington Award for teaching excellence; there can be no more eloquent of teaching in articulation of his impact on countless medical students. medicine is a “Teachers believe they have a gift for he Faculty of Medicine is simul - great privilege giving,” former Yale president A. Bartlett P taneously many things. It is a Giamatti once said. “It drives them with h o t place where we acquire the the same irrepressible drive that drives o g r a knowledge that will inform our is a great privilege. The knowledge our others to create a work of art or a market P h y t : professional careers. It is the environment faculty pass on to their students empowers or a building.” Generations of graduates M a C in which we will form lifelong relationships these future physicians to provide life- from our Faculty of Medicine have D o n with our peers and acquaintances. It is the changing and life-saving care to patients. benefited from the spirit of giving that n e l scene of some of our formative challenges But through their example, the best teachers motivates the greatest teachers and inspires P h o t and life-changing experiences. embody the values and the mission of our future generations of medical educators; o g r But in the context of this issue of MAA Faculty and provide a model of conduct we salute them within these pages and a P h Matters , we focus on the Faculty as a place as professionals and as human beings that within our hearts. y MAA Matters is published by the editor: fiona Irvine-goulet for more information, ON THE COVER Medical alumni association in Contributors: Dr. bill arkinstall, please contact: Dr. ian taylor, who is about co -operation with the university Paul Cantin, Dr. suan-seh foo, ruth gillings, to retire as course director of toronto’s faculty of Medicine. Dr. barney giblon, r uth gillings, room 3249, of structure and function Dr. ronn goldberg, Dr. Jay Keystone, Medical sciences building, at the faculty. Canadian Publications Mail Product nadia Molinari, Julienne ramos, 1 King’s College Circle Photo : nadia Molinari CustoMer # 7022738 Macarena sierra, Dr. Catharine toronto M5s 1a8 medical Alumni Association Contract # 41679520 Whiteside, taylor zhou tel.: (416) 978-0991 Cover photo: nadia Molinari e-mail: [email protected] Design & art Director: Website: http://maautoronto.ca luisa De Vito For more MAA news and reunion info., visit www.maautoronto.ca Medical alumni association 3 COVER STORY I r a n I l o M a I D a n : y h P a r Dr. Ian Taylor and friend g o t o h P 4 university of toronto • spring 2009 NO BONES ABOUT After 40 yeArs of teAching, A legenDAry AnAtomy professor IT reflects upon A cAreer full Disclosure #1: Dr. iAn tAylor is NOT A eleventh time), of the Dr. E. Mary Hollington Preclinical Teaching graduate of the University of Toronto. We make this admission Award, given to a faculty member who has “taught with distinc - only because MAA Matters traditionally features stories about the tion,” and presented annually at the MAA Convocation Banquet. university’s medical alumni. But then, Dr. Taylor, who is a proud Translation? The students like him. And those who like him, like member of the University of Manchester Medical him a lot. Among a list of teaching awards, Dr. Taylor School, class of 1968, has always been a bit of a rene - was the first (and now a multiple) recipient of the gade. And there are those who would argue that, Harry Whittaker Award for Teaching. after 36 years of teaching anatomy to first-year med Amol Verma, 24, 2009’s co-class president, first met students—and now, some of their children—Dr. Dr. Taylor in his admission interview. (Dr. Taylor has Taylor can be no less than an honorary Faculty of been involved with the Faculty admissions process for Medicine alumnus. many years.) “My previous interviewers from other On the eve of his retirement as course director of the schools had worked from a list of stock questions,” first year Structure and Function course block, the 64- Amol says. “Dr. Taylor’s interview was so focused on year-old Englishman reflected upon his own teaching my experiences: he had combed through my applica - career and teaching in general. Full disclosure #2: Dr. tion in minute detail, and in a discerning manner, he Taylor is retiring only from his position as course director. He will pushed me—pretty much put me through the wringer—by giving I l continue to teach speech-language pathology to graduate students, me a chance to defend my positions and express myself. It was the l u s t and clinical anatomy electives for first year-residents in medical imag - interview I’d been waiting to have,” continues Amol, who admitted r a t I o ing, as well as keep up with his lectures, seminars and course work. that this experience led him to choose U of T for his M.D. n : D r There is no doubt that Dr. Taylor is a good teacher. Just ask the Other students agree that Dr. Taylor cuts an imposing figure. “He . I a n meds graduating class of 2009 who recently elected him winner (his was intimidating at first,” says Nam Le, 28, co-class president with t a y l o r Medical alumni association 5 Amol.