In collaboration with PHSA Alumni Quality Improvement, Medical and Academic Affairs will be hosting Dr. Chris Watling, the newly appointed CEO of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons Canada. He will be presenting virtually from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 14th as part of a cross-Canada ‘Listening Tour’ to connect with medical staff to better understand our perspectives, learn how we are improving specialty care across the province, and to hear ideas on how the Royal College can support us.
Dr. Chris Watling is the CEO of the Royal College Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. He is currently vice dean (acting), Education Scholarship and Strategy, and director, Centre for Education Research and Innovation at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at Western University. He is a neurologist and was formerly the associate dean, Postgraduate Medical Education, and program director, Neurology Residency Program at the Schulich School of Medicine, and Dentistry. In his leadership roles at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Dr. Watling led the faculty’s strategic planning process and authored the resulting strategic plan for 2021-2026, The Time is Now. In his previous role as associate dean, Postgraduate Medical Education, Dr. Watling led the transition of curricula for the medical residency programs from traditional time-based to competency-based approaches. Furthering his engagement in accreditation, Dr. Watling is also chair of the Royal College’s Residency Accreditation Committee and former deputy chair (2016-21). As chair, he has led the national conversation on reimagining accreditation as a continuous quality improvement exercise. He also contributed to ongoing efforts to revise and refresh standards to meet changing societal needs and to use accreditation to affect meaningful progress towards equity, diversity, and inclusion within Canadian training programs. Dr. Watling has previously held a myriad of provincial and national leadership roles, including chair, Accreditation Process Advisory Committee, the Canadian Residency Accreditation Consortium (2016-2020); vice chair, Royal College Neurology Specialty Committee (2010-15); member, Royal College Research Task Force, and co-chair, Medical 2.
