Biography

Dr. Mireille Norris is an Internist and Geriatrician at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto. She was appointed Faculty Lead for Black and Indigenous medical learners in 2020 by the department of medicine and is the lead for the Core Internal Medicine Black and Indigenous pathway for the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto. Dr. Norris has a focus of interest in dementia care, fall prevention, quality improvement and medical education. Her interest in under represented physician education has been enhanced by the experience of recruiting and mentoring International Medical Graduates for the Hospitalist Training Program. Her own experience as a Black female French speaking physician was instrumental in empowering her trainees which are now successful in many provinces, the United States and Europe. Since March 2023 she took on the role of Black Health Theme Lead for the Temerty Faculty of Medicine. Her passion for Equity, Inclusion and Diversity is also reflected in a number of initiatives. They include, participation on the Sunnybrook President Anti-Racist Task force, launching of SPARK (Sunnybrook Program Accessing Research Knowledge) with co-founders and accomplices (Drs. Jill Tinmouth, Nick Daneman and Csilla Kalocsai), mentoring membership with the Black Physicians Association of Canada, collaboration with the Network for the Advancement of Black Learners and successful changes to the CaRMS application for core internal medicine which lead to increased inclusivity. Recently she has also contributed to the Royal College Committee on CANMEDS Equity Working Group on Advocacy and she is the Vice-Chair of the Committee on Black Health Innovation and Advancement which reports to the Association of Faculty of Medicine of Canada. She also contributes to the Black Health Education Collaborative nationally. In 2023 she received a Life time achievement award from the Black Physicians of Canada and in 2024 an Excellence in teaching award from the Black Physicians Association of Ontario.

She has been providing geriatric medicine care to marginalized communities at TAIBU in Scarborough, Centre Francophone du Grand Toronto, Centre D’Acceuil Heritage and Bendale Acres in Scarborough and coaches students in providing care to those communities. Her areas of expertise in geriatric medicine include dementia care, fall prevention, ethno-cultural geriatrics and she has collaborated in geriatric oncology both as an educator and consultant.