UPEI Medical School - Information Session

Description

Join us for a community information session to learn more about the new UPEI Medical School. This event will provide an update on the school’s progress, its potential economic impact, and the background on the collaboration with Memorial University.

Attendees will hear from Dean Preston Smith and COO Paul Young, who will share insights into the journey toward the school’s anticipated 2025 opening. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions and discuss the project and its possible contributions to our community.

Dr Preston Smith, Dean, Faculty of Medicine, UPEI

Dr. Preston Smith is thrilled to be back on the Island. Preston, his wife Jane, and their two dogs, Murphy and Lincoln, made the move from Saskatoon to Stanhope. A highly regarded medical educator and administrator, he completed his medical education at Dalhousie University and is a Certificant and Fellow of the College of Family Physicians of Canada. In 2010, he completed a Master of Education from Mount Saint Vincent University focused on medical education.

What drew Dr Smith to this opportunity was his passion for what medical education and research can do in every community it touches. He believes Prince Edward Island’s vision to build a program to help meet the needs of Islanders from tip to tip is ambitious, compelling, and exciting.

Dr. Smith's career has been marked by his dedication to the development of medical education programs. He spent 25 years as a family physician in Moncton, during which he served as VP of Medicine in New Brunswick, overseeing the transition from the province’s 52 hospitals to eight regions. This experience provided him with significant expertise in health system reform and administration. He also held the position of Senior Associate Dean of Education within the Faculty of Medicine at DAL, where he played a key role in developing and overseeing the Dalhousie medical education program launched in Saint John. He was instrumental in starting new family medicine residency programs in PEI, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. His most recent role as Dean of the College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan saw his team lead a significant restructuring of the College of Medicine. The opportunity to be part of building something new and unique in Prince Edward Island while partnering with Memorial University’s award-winning medical school is an opportunity he is eagerly anticipating.

Dr. Smith is acutely aware of the importance of engaging existing physicians and attracting more to the Island for the success of PEI’s medical school and the healthcare system's future. He eagerly looks forward to collaborating with the physician community, Health PEI, the university community, and others to bring this vision to life. His commitment to this endeavour is unwavering, and he is dedicated to ensuring the success of the medical school and the betterment of healthcare in Prince Edward Island.

Paul Young, Chief Operating Office, Faculty of Medicine, UPEI

Paul Young is the Chief Operating Officer for the UPEI Faculty of Medicine and was the inaugural hire for the faculty of medicine in 2022. Paul holds three degrees from UPEI, including a Master of Business Administration in innovative management. He has worked in private and public health care for the last 20 years across several provinces throughout Canada. Paul is a Certified Health Executive with the Canadian College of Health Leaders, a Fellow with Healthcare Excellence Canada, and an alumnus of the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference.

In 2024, Paul became the first Islander and one of the youngest Canadians to complete a fellowship through the Canadian College of Health Leaders, which is the highest professional designation awarded by the College and recognizes members who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, who have had an impact on the Canadian health system through their leadership and engagement, and who are motivated to continue to influence future leaders. Atlantic Business Magazine recognized Paul’s leadership as they named him one of the Top 50 CEOs in Atlantic Canada in 2024. Paul also received the Top 50 CEO award in 2021, 2022, and 2023 for work in healthcare, leading to transformational change through innovation and ingenuity despite the healthcare system's unprecedented instability. Paul currently resides in Summerside with his wife, Erika, and his two beautiful girls, Brielle and Mila.