Toronto Metropolitan University is investing in the future of Black representation in health care with the launch of a national bursary, the first of its kind in Canada.
In partnership with the Foundation for Black Communities (FFBC), the Black Medical Student Bursary will provide $10,000 in financial support to eligible first-year Black students in medicine at participating universities, along with mentorship and wrap-around support throughout their education.
@nowtoronto Toronto Metropolitan University launched a $200K bursary to support and empower Black medical students. Here’s to lifting up the next generation of healthcare heroes! 🙌🏽💙 #TMU #Health #BlackExcellence ♬ original sound – Now Toronto
The launch event, held on Oct. 9 at Toronto Metropolitan University’s (TMU) Brampton campus, brought together academic leaders, community advocates, and invited guests to celebrate the inaugural cohort of bursary recipients and recognize a shared commitment to building equity in health care across the country.
“Representation is life saving, life changing for our Black communities,” TMU’s Interim Associate Dean of Black Flourishing in Medicine and Healthcare Dr. Trudy McFarlane told Now Toronto.
“When Black physicians are part of a care program… Black patients have more trust. They’re more engaged, there’s better care for them, and as a result, we see better outcomes for Black communities. And so representation is so key, not just for communities, but for the learners. And what that ultimately does is creates a pathway towards Black flourishing for all of society.”
While Black communities in Canada continue to face disparities in health-care access, including a shortage of primary care providers, the Black Medical Student Bursary takes a systemic approach to address the gap. Rather than focusing only on individual achievement, the initiative emphasizes institutional responsibility and coordinated action.
FFBC’s Director of Strategic Initiatives Fatma Hassan says the creation of the bursary was “quite simple.”
“There is definitely a need for more Black medical doctors, so this was an opportunity to figure out how we can fill that gap and make sure that we’re supporting those that are interested in entering the medical field,” she said at the launch event.
Alongside TMU, Canadian institutions Dalhousie University and McGill University are also academic partners in the development of the bursary. Recognizing that financial issues are one of the biggest barriers for Black students, Hassan says she hopes other universities nationwide will opt in after seeing there are available pathways to continue to support these future doctors, which will in turn benefit all Canadians in the years to come.
“We recognize that many individuals that enter the health-care system to seek services and support are met with racism. They’re met with discrimination, inequalities, which leads to people not seeking medical assistance when they need it,” Hassan explained.
“Having more Black doctors in the health-care system means that Black community members across the country are provided with culturally relevant support and health care.”
One recipient, Maleeka Munroe, expressed a deep gratitude for the bursary, emphasizing its significance as a step toward overcoming systemic barriers to education within the Black community.
“It means so much to me and so much to my fellow award recipients,” Munroe shared with Now Toronto. “Knowing that we are supported through this bursary, knowing that we have a community behind us throughout our medical education, is comforting, and it’s really exciting.”