FitzGerald Academy

The FitzGerald Academy (Fitz) is comprised of an integrated network of hospitals and community agencies committed to excellence in undergraduate medical education, including:

Unity Health Toronto

  • St. Michael’s Hospital (main academic anchor hospital)
  • St. Joseph’s Health Centre
  • Providence Healthcare

 

Some students will also attend educational sessions at The Hospital For Sick Children and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and other community sites associated with the Fitz Academy.

At Fitz, students receive outstanding education from committed teachers in a welcoming and supportive environment. Preclerkship students may be placed at St. Michael’s Hospital or St. Joseph’s Health Centre for clinical skills teaching.

 

Students walking at St. Mike's Hospital

Currently, student enrollment in Fitz is 54 students for first year. In total, Fitz registers over 700 preclerkship, clerkship and elective medical students per year.

About Unity Health

Unity Health Toronto is one of Canada’s largest Catholic healthcare networks serving patients, residents and clients across the full spectrum of care, spanning primary care, secondary community care, tertiary and quaternary care services to post-acute through rehabilitation, palliative care and long-term care, while investing in world-class research and education.

For more information about the FitzGerald Academy, visit Unity Health Toronto or the Unity Health Student Centre  

Jeremy Edwards

Academy Director

Dr. Jeremy Edwards
Jeremy.Edwards@unityhealth.to

Dr. Jeremy Edwards earned undergraduate degrees in electrical engineering and medicine at the University of Toronto before going on to complete postgraduate training in internal medicine and cardiology. Subsequently, he completed a two year fellowship in echocardiography at St. Michael’s Hospital. He joined the Department of Medicine at Michael’s Hospital, University of Toronto in 2011 as an Adult Cardiologist with a clinical interest in valvular heart disease and interventional echocardiography. He has held a number of medical education leadership roles prior to becoming Academy Director in Oct 2021. He is passionate about supporting and empowering medical learners to succeed at achieving their individual goals.

Facilities

Opened in 2010, our state-of-the-art Student Centre and the new teaching facilities in the Li Ka Shing International Healthcare Education Centre provide a welcoming environment for all students and educators to meet, learn and engage with each other. Students also have access to a full-service health sciences library, computing services, lockers and a student lounge.

St. Michael's Hospital is easily accessed by public transit and is within walking distance of the University of Toronto and other points within the downtown core, including the Toronto Eaton Centre.

History

The FitzGerald Academy is named after 2004 Canadian Medical Hall of Fame inductee John Gerald FitzGerald (1882-1940). FitzGerald was Canada’s public health visionary, responsible for the development and dissemination of free vaccines to every Canadian, the formation of Canada’s first School of Hygiene at the University of Toronto, and the establishment of Connaught Laboratories (previously a world leader in insulin production).

Contact information

Jeremy Edwards, Academy Director
Li Ka Shing International Healthcare Education Centre
209 Victoria Street, Suite 580

FitzGerald Academy Student Centre
Phone: 416-864-5700