Our History
1946: The Department of Clinical Preventive Medicine was established.
The aim of the department was to integrate preventive procedures into clinical practice with emphasis on social factors in disease. The initial aim was influenced by the Goodenough report on medical education from Great Britain.
1950: The Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Preventive Medicine were combined.
The Department of Psychiatry and Preventive Medicine was established under Professor G.E. Hobbs (1907–1987). Research focused largely on the epidemiology of mental health.
1967: Two separate departments were established: Community Medicine and Psychiatry. Carol Buck, PhD (1925–2004), the first female PhD graduate at Schulich.
Under the leadership of Carol Buck, the purpose was to introduce Family Medicine into the Faculty of Medicine by joining it to an established department with which it shared an interest in the community aspects of health problems.
1972: The Department of Community Medicine spawned two new departments: Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, and Family Medicine.
Liaison between the two Departments was maintained by cross-appointments on committees that dealt with matters of common interest.
1975: The Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine moved into the Kresge Building.
Learn about our building's history and Mr. Kresge.
1977: Carol Buck stepped down, following her second term as Chair, and was replaced by James M Wanklin, PhD.
1979: The department became the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics with the recruitment of Allan Donner, PhD, its first biostatistician.
Allan Donner became an international name in biostatistics and other biostatisticians were recruited.
1987: Allan Donner became Chair of the Department.
During his tenure, the focus of the department became increasingly quantitative and, in addition to the historical strength in Community Medicine and Population Health, a new strength in biostatistics was evident.
2003: M. Karen Campbell, PhD was appointed Chair, replacing Dr. Donner when he stepped down after three terms. Under her leadership, a new focus in Health Services Research (HSR) and Health Economics evolved.
Karen Campbell's legacy also included the development of the Honors Specialization Program in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, the first undergraduate program of its kind in Canda.
2015: Karen Campbell is appointed Special Advisor to the Provost and Vice-Provost Elect, Academic Planning, Policy and Faculty (July 01, 2016).
Guangyong Zou, PhD assumed the role of Acting Chair on September 01, 2015.
2016: Saverio Stranges was appointed Chair.
His research focused on chronic disease, aging, social determinants of health, and global health.
2021: The department moved from the Kresge Building into a new space at the Western Centre for Public Health and Family Medicine (PHFM).
Saverio Stranges began his second term as Chair.
