Building a foundation for collaboration - The Western Centre for Public Health and Family Medicine

Although they are natural allies, the fields of public health and family medicine approach health care from different perspectives. Family medicine views health care from the individual level, while public health takes a global perspective.

Collaboration between these two programs can improve patient care locally, nationally and globally by providing context on the whole picture. Collaborations like these will lead to better patient care, and are exactly what will come out of The Western Centre for Public Health and Family Medicine.

The new, state-of-the-art building is home to the Schulich Interfaculty Program in Public Health and the first class of the Master of Public Health Program, the Department of Family Medicine, and the Centre for Studies in Family Medicine. The building has the potential to be the major hub for medical education and public health collaboration in Southwestern Ontario.

The building also helps to move the School one step closer to its vision of being a global leader in optimizing life-long health through innovations in research, education and active engagement with its community.

At the building's official opening, Dr. Michael J. Strong, dean, Schulich Medicine & Dentistry, noted the importance of the building as, "Having researchers, educators and learners from both disciplines together in this wonderful new facility will lead to new collaborations and innovations to improve health care."

For Dr. Stephen Wetmore, chair, Family Medicine, the building opening marks the first time the academic and research sides of Family Medicine will be under one roof.

"This new building gives us the administrative headquarters, the classrooms, the seminar rooms and the state-of-the-art videoconferencing capabilities and electronic communications necessary to carry out our teaching on a wide and broad scale."

Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long Term Care, who participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony, touched on how important the building is for the future care of patients.

"Western's tradition of excellence in educating the health care leaders of tomorrow will continue with this new building. It will ensure that students in the Family Medicine Program and the new Public Health Program are working together and sharing best practices for the benefit of patients."