Mississauga Academy of Medicine

Established in 2011, the Mississauga Academy of Medicine (MAM) is a partnership between the University of Toronto and Trillium Health Partners (THP). In its inaugural year, MAM welcomed 54 medical students and now supports 216 undergraduate medical students as part of the over 1,000 students enrolled in the University’s four-year MD Program.

MAM students spend the majority of their first three years in Mississauga—Years 1 and 2 on campus at UTM, and Year 3 immersed in clinical training at the THP hospital sites. As one of Canada’s largest and most prominent academically affiliated healthcare centres, THP offers MAM learners a rich and diverse array of clinical experiences across multiple healthcare settings. In their final year, the MAM students are more dispersed as they participate in electives offered across the country.

Over time, the partnership between the University and THP has grown into a strong, complementary relationship that provides robust support for the MAM MD learners throughout all four years of their education, under the clinical umbrella of the Mississauga Academy of Medicine.

Dr. Alison Freeland, Associate Dean, Mississauga Campus

Dr. Alison Freeland’s commitment to education and leadership has been a consistent theme throughout her accomplished career. She joined the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto in June 2015, and is also a Psychiatrist and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto. Dr. Freeland currently holds the position of Executive Vice President, Academics and Chief & Medical Director, Mental Health at Trillium Health Partners (THP).

Her clinical work is focused on providing care to people with serious mental illness and addictions. She has a passion to shape the future generation of health care providers to ensure the continued health and wellness of the Mississauga community and beyond.

Dr. Nicholas Blanchette, Director, MD Program, Mississauga Academy of Medicine

Dr. Nicholas Blanchette is a member of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Toronto. He completed his medical school training at the University of Toronto in 2005 and then his pediatric residency and rheumatology fellowship at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. He is a pediatrician at Trillium Health Partners and runs the SickKids outreach rheumatology clinic in Sudbury. He has taught extensively at MAM since 2011. Dr. Blanchette worked in several leadership positions before becoming Academy Director at the Mississauga Academy of Medicine in 2024 and has received teaching awards both at the Mississauga Academy of Medicine and the Department of Pediatrics. His goal is to support and foster collaborative learning environments based on excellence, advocacy, and inclusiveness.

UTM MD Program Staff Contacts

For a complete list of contacts, please visit the University of Toronto Directory.