Message from the Director

I am filled with pride as I reflect on the accomplishments and impact our SREMI faculty have had on emergency medicine locally, nationally and increasingly, internationally. 2025 has been a fantastic year of growth and achievement for SREMI. Our faculty continue to be recognized with prestigious awards and grants, lead provincial, national and international programs and projects, and innovate through their education and research with the singular goal of improving ED patient care. With so much to celebrate, I would like to mention just a few highlights. 

This year, we renewed our partnership agreement between North York General Hospital and Sinai Health. Our hospital liaison team, with the support of both Dr. Everton Gooden and Dr. Gary Newton (CEOs of NYGH and Sinai Health respectively), finalized a multi-year agreement that provides dedicated support for Dr. Rohit Mohindra and ED research at the NYGH site, including funding for research personnel. This renewed partnership is a strong endorsement of Dr. Mohindra’s tremendous progress to date and an important milestone in the evolution of SREMI.

Another highlight of 2025 was the increased presence of SREMI on the world stage. This year’s Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians Annual conference in Montreal was held in conjunction with the International Federation for Emergency Medicine (IFEM) World Congress. SREMI scientists and educators were invited to serve in very prominent capacities (invited speakers, track chairs, moderators) at the meeting, highlighting not only their individual work, but also their knowledge and expertise as internationally respected thought leaders in their fields. Earlier this year, Dr. McLeod was selected as the Vice Chair of the IFEM Research Group, and Chair of the IFEM Research Journal Club. This builds on the legacy of SREMI leadership established by Dr. Don Melady, who served as the Chair of IFEM’s Geriatric Emergency Medicine Subsection and as a member of the IFEM organizing committee. 

Building on that momentum, many SREMI faculty were invited to present and moderate sessions at the European Society for Emergency Medicine meeting in Vienna this past September. Their participation can only be described as a huge success with plenary presentations, large, engaged crowds in attendance at all talks, and several faculty being invited to speak at upcoming national emergency medicine meetings across Europe in 2026.

We also achieved significant milestones closer to home. This year saw the establishment of the SREMI Emergency Medicine Chair in Addiction and Mental Health. The first in the world of its kind, The Wolf Lebovic & Harry Lebovic Chair will fund a clinician researcher/educator dedicated to developing innovative approaches to improve care for patients experiencing mental health and substance use challenges in the ED. Along with the same lines, a very generous gift from the Slaight Family Foundation has allowed us to expand our highly successful ED based “RBC Pathway to Peers” program to Michael Garron Hospital in Toronto’s east end. This year we formalized our agreement, with the program beginning operations this month. We are thrilled that Bella Shulman, a valued and experienced member of our peer support team at Mount Sinai, will be leading this new initiative. 

At SREMI, our mission remains clear: to develop and empower leaders who advance the discipline of emergency medicine and improve ED patient care. This mission continues to be inspired by our founding partners, Heather Reisman and Gerry Schwartz, whose vision and passion for emergency medicine laid the foundation for all that we do. We are profoundly grateful for their continued trust and for the generous support of Sinai Health leadership and our many donors.