Graduate Report
From September 15th – 25th, the Family Medicine Graduate Programs held a very successful launch of the 2025-26 academic year with the on-site portion. There were 7 Masters students and 1 PhD student present from across Canada and Brazil.
During the awards reception the Dr. Wm. Victor Johnston Award, Dr. Martin J. Bass Award in Family Medicine and the Dr. John F. Sangster Graduate Studies Family Medicine Award were given to Drs. Erica Kunsch and Makoto Kaneko, and Drs. Astha Dhingra and Sundus Kellow and Drs. Thiago Lopes and Sakina Walji, respectively. We were extremely pleased to have Gail Bass, the wife of the late Dr. Martin Bass and Toula Gerace, the wife of the late Dr. John F. Sangster join us in presenting the awards. Drs. Bass and Sangster were giants in our Department of Family Medicine as Clinicians, Educators, and Researchers. Their contribution to the Graduate Programs over the years was outstanding.
Dr. Tania Rubaiyyat successfully completed her Research Project and Major Essay in August. She will graduate in this fall.
Kamila Premji successfully defended her PhD thesis in September. She will graduate in absentia in February 2026.
Dr. Aline de Souza Oliveira, a recent graduate of our MClSc Program, presented her thesis work at the World Organization of Family Doctors Conference in Lisbon, Portugal in September 2025.
Our Master’s Program is in its 48th year and the PhD Program is in its 17th year. Together we are helping develop future teachers and researchers in Family Medicine. We have much to be proud of.
Mrs. Gail Bass, Dr. Judith Belle Brown and Dr. Scott McKay
presented the Dr. Martin J. Bass Award in Family Medicine
to Drs. Sundus Kellow (MClSc) and Astha Dhingra (MClSc)
Graduate Studies Family Medicine
Award to Drs. Thiago Lopes (MClSc) and Sakina Walji (PhD)
