海角社区官网Metropolitan University鈥檚 new medical school has received $5 million聽鈥 its largest donation to date聽鈥 to support its goals of recruiting equity-deserving students and transforming the health-care system.
“We were drawn to the TMU School of Medicine because of its bold vision for the future of health care聽鈥 one that prioritizes equity, community engagement and a commitment to serving those who need it most,鈥 said Moez Kassam, who together with his wife Marissa, made the investment announced by the university Tuesday.
The gift, through the聽聽will establish student scholarships and help fund the capital costs of transforming the former Bramalea Civic Centre聽in Brampton into the school鈥檚 new facility, slated to open next summer. It will be聽the first new medical school in the Greater 海角社区官网Area in a century.
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“We believe that investing in equity generates outsized returns for society,” said Kassam, a hedge fund manager and co-founder of Anson Funds. “By supporting the education of future physicians from underrepresented communities, we are building a more just and equitable health-care system for all Canadians.”
聽said the university is grateful to the Kassam family, who 鈥渓ike TMU, believe in levelling the playing field for excellent students who traditionally face challenges in access to medical education.鈥
TMU faced backlash for its聽, which聽prompted the Doug Ford government to reach out to the university聽to emphasize that qualified students, regardless of background, should fill the seats. That was followed by聽聽from university president Mohamed Lachemi, who indicated TMU has never set a quota on who will get in.
The school has said it will recruit and 鈥減urposefully admit鈥 Indigenous, Black and other equity-deserving students in a bid to address the 鈥減ersistent underrepresentation of these groups in medical schools and the medical profession.鈥 The school is seeking students who are interested in practising primary care in medically underserved areas such as Peel Region.聽
Applications for the first cohort of students are due Dec. 2. A TMU spokesperson said the school is anticipating more than 5,000 applicants for just 94 seats. Offers will start rolling out in May.
The Moez & Marissa Kassam Excellence through Equity Scholarships聽make up the school鈥檚 first comprehensive scholarship program. Recipients will be awarded $30,000, which will be potentially renewable for each of four years. The annual tuition for the MD program has been set at $25,604.
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鈥淏y removing financial barriers to medical education, we are investing in the diverse talent that will shape the future of health care,鈥 said Marissa Kassam, former vice-president of philanthropy for Royal Bank of Canada Capital Markets.
The Moez & Marissa Kassam Equity Fund (formerly the Moez and Marissa Kassam Foundation) was founded by the 海角社区官网couple in 2016 as a charitable platform focused on addressing 鈥渟ymptoms of inequality and exclusion.鈥
Moez Kassam, who is a member of TMU鈥檚聽, has been included as one of聽聽the past two years 鈥.鈥
TMU announced it will name the medical school鈥檚 central gathering hub in Brampton the Moez & Marissa Kassam Atrium.
In September, the聽聽from entrepreneur and philanthropist Surjit Babra and his wife Remy Babra, whose names will grace the school鈥檚 largest classroom.
Janet Hurley is a 海角社区官网Star journalist and senior writer
covering culture, education and societal trends. She is based in
Toronto. Reach her via email: jhurley@thestar.ca.
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