About the Department

The Department of Family Medicine at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at Western University is an academic leader of family medicine in Canada. The Department is committed to developing exemplary family physicians and future leaders in healthcare through clinical excellence, professional education, administrative leadership and robust research.

Western's Department of Family Medicine is the birthplace of family medicine in Canada. Family Medicine at Western started in 1966 with two teaching sites: Victoria Family Medical Centre and St. Joseph's Family Medical Centre. Byron and Southwest Middlesex Health Centre were added in 1978.

Dr. Ian McWhinney was the first Chair of Family Medicine at Western, presiding over the department for 20 years. He received the Order of Canada (the highest civilian honour in the country) for his pioneering work in evolving and shaping the discipline of Family Medicine.

Dr. Brian Hennen succeeded Dr. McWhinney and continued in that capacity for 10 years before accepting the appointment of Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Manitoba in 1999. He was the first family physician to be appointed Dean of a Canadian Medical school.