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Robert Sheppard Award

For Health Equity and Social Justice

Nominations are open:

Submit nominations by December 15, 2025.

About

The Robert Sheppard Award for Health Equity and Social Justice was established in 2016 in honour of Dr. Robert Sheppard who served as Associate Dean, Postgraduate Medicine from 1977 to 1988 at the University of Toronto.  Dr. Sheppard was one of the first endocrinologists in Canada. Apart from being an influential endocrinologist and Faculty Leader, Dr. Sheppard was deeply committed to volunteering initiatives in his community after retiring from medicine. This award recognizes outstanding contributions of faculty members and medical residents/fellows involved in the development and/or implementation of activities, programs or research related to social justice and health equity in faculty development or postgraduate medical education.

Up to 3 awards may be presented annually.  Each winner will receive a certificate with a financial prize. Winners will be notified directly.  Faculty members will be recognized at the Faculty’s Annual Educational Achievement Event in May.

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Faculty: Any Temerty Faculty of Medicine faculty member who contributes to the education of postgraduate trainees or faculty development.
  • Resident/Fellow: Any resident/fellow currently registered as a trainee with the postgraduate medical education office.

Selection Criteria:

  • Contribution to assessing or meeting the needs of marginalized communities
  • Level of collaboration and partnerships with relevant communities and organizations
  • Contribution to awareness and promotion of social justice and health equity
  • Contribution to leadership development in faculty and medical trainees
  • Contribution to addressing the determinants of health, health promotion, disease or injury prevention among individuals, communities and populations

How to Submit a Nomination

Nominations will open on October 15, 2025 and be accepted until December 15, 2025 at 11:59 pm.  

All nominations must be submitted using the online nomination form. Nominations can be completed by anyone within the Temerty Faculty of Medicine with knowledge of the nominee’s work. 

When completing the form, you will be asked to provide the following:

Impact Statements
Short statements (up to 300 words each) describing how the nominee meets each of the criteria listed above. For each, include examples of impact. Impact as it relates to each criterion may include but is not limited to: changes in knowledge, perspectives, practices, or policy; scaling/replication; innovation; advancing EDIIA.
Confirmation of Leadership Support
For faculty nominees: When completing the online nomination form, you must indicate that the Department Chair or Vice Chair, Education supports the nomination on the basis that the nominee’s accomplishments align with the award criteria. There is no limit on the nominees that can be put forward by a department.      For trainee nominees: When completing the online nomination form, you must indicate that the Residency, Fellowship, or Site Director supports the nomination on the basis that the nominee’s accomplishments align with the award criteria. 
One Peer Testimony
A short peer testimony of up to ~300 words. This statement should be provided by a colleague, collaborator or supervisor.  This short personal testimony should describe the writer’s support for the nomination. This is not meant to be a summary of the nominee's merits and accomplishments but rather highlight specific experiences the writer has had with the nominee, and how these impacted the person writing the testimony or a group, institution or discipline. Examples are stronger than adjectives. 
One Learner Testimony
A short learner testimony of up to ~300 words. This statement should be provided by a former learner of the nominee. Due to the inherent power dynamics of this relationship, current learners should not be approached to provide this testimony. This short personal testimony should describe the writer’s support for the nomination. This is not meant to be a summary of the nominee's merits and accomplishments but rather highlight specific experiences the writer has had with the nominee, and how these impacted the person writing the testimony or a group, institution or discipline. Examples are stronger than adjectives.
CV
Standard U of T format.
Additional Supporting Materials - Optional
Optional.

Selection Process

  • The nominations will be reviewed and ranked by the Global Health Awards Committee.
  • The nominating chairs and winners will be notified at the beginning of April by the Associate Dean’s office.

If you have any questions, please contact Arlene McKinley.

Preview Nomination Form

Nominations accepted via online form only.

Submit a Nomination

Deadline: December 15

Previous Recipients

2024

Faculty

  • Jillian Alston

Trainee

  • Adom Bondzi-Simpson
  • Betty Yibrehu

2023

Faculty

  • Malika Sharma
  • Mireille Norris

Trainee

  • Fartoon Siad

 

2022

Faculty

  • Michaela Beder

Trainee

  • Justine Baek
  • Samantha Liauw

2021

Faculty

  • Rachel Spitzer

Trainee

  • Bushra Khan

2020

Faculty

  • Katherine Rouleau

Trainee

  • Christopher Noel

2019

Faculty

  • Meb Rashid

Trainee

  • Michael Scott
  • Alissa Tedesco

2018

Faculty

  • Stephen Hwang

Trainee

  • Anna Dare

2017

Faculty

  • Elizabeth Ford-Jones

Trainee

  • Nanky Rai
  • Horia Vulpe