To enter a Canadian health professions education program, applicants prepare and submit academic and non-academic application materials. They may also participate in admission interviews. The applications are usually reviewed by admissions committees made up of faculty, trainees, community members, and sometimes patients.  It’s problematic that admissions processes are grounded in institutional voices and priorities, while leaving out the perspectives of the patients and families that students will ultimately serve. 

Mark believes it’s time to deeply evolve the health professions admission process by engaging and including patients and families. He devoted his fellowship to considering how to have patients qualify the attributes they’d like to see prioritized in applicants, and the types of application processes and policies that patients would prefer. By co-developing the application process with patients, Mark believes we will radically democratize the admissions process.