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Black Health Advisory Committee

Version 1, August 2024 

Preamble 

The Black Health Advisory Committee for the York University School of Medicine is being established to provide advice, guidance and support to the development of the new medical school and a proposed undergraduate Bachelor of Interprofessional Health  (BIPH) using the lens of Black communities. This committee will provide its’ feedback  to the following individuals: Dean of Record/Institutional Lead for the School; Faculty Lead, Curriculum and Accreditation; Advisor, Curriculum and Accreditation; Advisor, Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME) Curriculum and Operations; Advisor, Research; and the Co-Chair of the BIPH working group or a delegate. 

Vision of the School 

York University’s School of Medicine will prepare the next generation of talented frontline primary care doctors — who represent the diversity of the communities in which they live — to not only thrive in a new, interprofessional, team-based health care environment but to continue to adapt to evolving patient, community and health system needs.  

Purpose 

The Black Health Advisory  Committee for the School is being established to provide constructive inputs, feedback, and recommendations on multiple aspects of the new medical school including admissions, curriculum, student supports, research and other aspects of the new medical school as well as the proposed BIPH program using the lens of Black communities.  

Term 

The Terms of Reference is effective from October 1, 2024 and will continue until October 1, 2025, after which they will be reviewed and revised, as appropriate. 

Membership 

Full Members: 

  • Faculty Lead, Black Community (Co-Chair) 
  • Black community representative (Co-Chair) 
  • One (1) Undergraduate medical student from the Black Physicians Association of Ontario 
  • One (1) Postgraduate Resident from the Black Physicians Association of Ontario 
  • Two (2) Physicians from the Black Physicians Association of Ontario 
  • Two (2) faculty members at York University with expertise in Black Health 
  • One (1) representative of the Black Health Education Collaborative/Black Health Alliance 
  • One (1) representative from Black Excellence at York University 

Ex-officio members: 

  • Faculty Lead, Curriculum & Accreditation 
  • Advisor, Curriculum and Accreditation 
  • Advisor, Research 
  • Co-Chair of the BIPH working group or delegate 
  • Advisor, UGME Curriculum and Operations 
  • Chair, Community Relations, & Accountability Committee 

Operations 

  • The Black Health Advisory Committee will meet monthly or at the call of the Co-Chairs 
  • The meetings will be 90 minutes in duration  
  • Quorum will be 50% plus one of the committee members 
  • The term of the representatives is one year  
  • Meeting minutes reflecting the activity of the committee shall be recorded 
  • Committee members are expected to attend meetings or, if unable to do so, send advance notice of their absence. 
  • When one Co-Chair is not present, the other Co-Chair will chair the committee. 
  • Key parties of interest, such as advisors internal or external to York University, will be invited to attend on an as-needed basis 
  • The Black Health Advisory Committee reports to the Dean of Record/Institutional Lead for the School and to the Community Relations & Accountability Committee. 

Committee Member Expectations 

  • Attend at least 75% of the meetings 
  • Prepare for meetings in advance 
  • Complete assigned tasks in a timely manner 
  • Solicit collegial input, as appropriate 

Roles and Responsibilities  

  • Using the lens of Black Health, provide constructive feedback on a variety of aspects of the new School including 
  • Curriculum 
  • Admissions 
  • Student support 
  • Research 
  • Using the lens of Black Health, provide feedback on policies and procedures within the School 
  • Provide suggestions on individuals who should be engaged in the School 
  • Provide suggestions on organizations/institutions who should be engaged in the School 
  • Consult other Black individuals or communities about the work of the School as requested by the Co-Chairs 
  • Provide any recommendations around educational programs on Black Health that could be utilized by the SCHOOL 
  • Provide any recommendations around the proposed BIPH program