Pediatrician appointed dean of University of Saskatchewan's College of Medicine

The University of Saskatchewan’s College of Medicine has a new dean: Dr. Sarah Forgie. Dr. Forgie is a pediatric infectious disease physician. She joins the University of Saskatchewan from the University of Alberta, where she was chair of the department of pediatrics in the faculty of medicine and dentistry.“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,” Dr. Forgie said in a University of Saskatchewan press release.Her role as dean began on July 1 when she took over from interim dean Dr. Marilyn Baetz, who stepped in after Dr. Preston Smith left the position in January 2024. Dr. Forgie will serve as dean for five years.Known for bringing diverse groups together in infection prevention, research and teaching, Dr. Forgie has recently been working on projects that reflect her commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, the university noted. For example, she has been working with Indigenous physicians and communities to explore ways to encourage successful residency training within Indigenous communities. “Dr. Forgie’s career shows genuine strengths in promoting interdisciplinary scholarship and uplifting the research activities of those around her,” said Airini, the University of Saskatchewan’s provost and vice-president academic. “She embraces creativity and innovation in all learning settings.”Dr. Forgie has had a number of academic homes. She holds a bachelor of science from the University of Toronto, a doctor of medicine from the University of Manitoba and a master of education from the University of Alberta. Dr. Forgie has won numerous teaching awards, including the 3M National Teaching Fellowship in 2012 and the University of Alberta McCalla Professorship. A YouTube video from 2012 shows her performing a version of Talking Heads' Psycho Killer on the ukulele as a way to teach about management of strep pharyngitis. She also taught about anaerobic bacteria by telling the story of how Harry Houdini died after abdominal trauma using Paul Desmond’s Take Five, made famous by the Dave Brubeck Quartet. In her retelling, each instrument is played by bacteria released into Houdini’s abdomen (i.e., Escherichia coli on piano, Bacteroides fragilis on saxophone). Dr. Forgie wrote about the lesson in Medical Education.Read: ‘Dying for doctors’: Report cites concerns with healthcare in rural Saskatchewan

Pediatrician appointed dean of University of Saskatchewan's College of Medicine

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