The AFMC’s Board of Directors is constituted of 21 Directors including the Deans of the 17 Faculties of Medicine and four public members. By including members of the public on its Board of Directors, the AFMC benefits from the input of experienced leaders that bring important perspectives for the advancement of academic medicine in Canada.
We will be featuring AFMC Board’s public members on our newsletters. Read our interview with Kaylynn Purdy.
What sparked your interest in becoming a public member of the AFMC’s Board of Directors?
I have been involved as a learner in medical education policy and advocacy since my first year of medical school and worked very closely with the AFMC in my final year of medical school as the CFMS Director of Education. I continued on with other organizations in residency, so when the opportunity arose to apply for the single learner public member position on the board, I thought it would be a good opportunity not only to learn more about medical education policy from a high level, but to also continue to advocate for learners on a national level.
In your opinion, why is it important to have the perspective of public members on the board?
The public member perspective, especially the learner perspective is essential on the board as most decisions and discussions directly affect learners. Being able to ensure that the voice of learners is heard and taken into consideration helps the board therefore the AFMC to make more inclusive and effective decisions.
What do you see as the biggest challenges for academic medicine in Canada?
One of the biggest challenges that I see in academic medicine is learner and faculty wellness, how this not only impacts success of physicians and learners, but also workforce planning, health system functioning and the practice of medicine.
What work being undertaken by the AFMC brings you excitement or joy?
I am excited for the AFMC to host the International Conference on Academic Medicine (ICAM) in 2023 which will allow the AFMC and Canada to further become a leader in medical education on the international stage. Additionally, I am looking forward to the AFMC contributing more to health workforce planning and being a collaborative leader in this area.
Kaylynn Purdy completed her medical education at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine is currently an adult neurology resident at the University of Alberta and health policy student at Stanford University. She is formerly a member of the CFMS Board, CaRMS Board, and Professional Association of Residents of Alberta Board.
