New dean brings a people focus to USask’s College of Medicine

Her appointment was announced in February by Dr. Airini (PhD), USask’s provost and vice-president academic, following an extensive national and international search. Forgie officially began her five-year term on July 1, 2024, and is the first woman to be the full dean of the college.   

“It is the people that drew me to the College of Medicine. I am excited to build connections and an engaged community within the college, the university, and beyond,” said Forgie. 

She joins USask from the University of Alberta where she served as chair of the Department of Pediatrics in the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, a professor in the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, and a pediatric infectious disease physician at the Stollery Children’s Hospital. Forgie succeeds Dr. Preston Smith (MD), who departed the role in January, and Dr. Marilyn Baetz (MD), who stepped in as interim dean.  

“Dr. Forgie’s career shows genuine strengths in promoting interdisciplinary scholarship and uplifting the research activities of those around her,” said Airini. “She embraces creativity and innovation in all learning settings.”  

Throughout her career, Forgie has grown and maintained research programs that bring diverse groups together in infectious diseases, infection prevention, and teaching innovations in health sciences education. She approaches medicine with an academic lens, stressing the broad benefits across many areas including discovery research, quality improvements in clinical practice, and educational scholarship in teaching.  

Forgie has been honoured with numerous teaching awards including the 3M National Teaching Fellowship, and the University of Alberta McCalla Professorship for her integration of teaching and research. She also has a history of leadership at the university level as the vice-provost, learning initiatives, and at the national level as vice-president of the Pediatric Chairs of Canada and president of the Association of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Canada.  

Her commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion is evident in contributions to hiring practices, retention, promotion and mentoring. Her recent research focuses on responding to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action, working on projects with Indigenous Elders, communities, and Indigenous physicians to examine ways to promote successful residency training within Indigenous communities.  

Forgie has a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Toronto, an MD from the University of Manitoba, and a Master of Education from the University of Alberta. The impact of her work is evident by her publication record and innovative approaches to knowledge transfer.  

She emphasizes, “I want to continue to build on the collaborative environment at the College of Medicine—to create a place that attracts, trains and retains current and future academic leaders.”