Gurdeep Parhar, a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Practice, has been appointed Executive Associate Dean, Clinical Affairs, effective April 1, 2014.
After growing up in Kitimat, in northern British Columbia, Dr. Parhar received his MD from the University of Calgary in 1992 and subsequently completed his postgraduate training at Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster, BC.
Gurdeep Parhar
Dr. Parhar is currently the Associate Dean, Equity and Professionalism, and also UBC’s Acting-Associate Vice-President, Equity and Inclusion. Previously, he served as Co-Acting Head and Associate Head of the UBC Department of Family Practice.
Dr. Parhar’s clinical practice in Vancouver Coastal Health and in Fraser Health focuses on immigrants, refugees, workers’ health and patients with severe disabilities. He teaches extensively in undergraduate and postgraduate programs on the topics of professionalism, equity, cultural safety, psychosocial aspects of healthcare, and medical disability. Dr. Parhar is currently the principal investigator on several educational innovation grants employing interprofessional models to address issues important to underserved populations, particularly Indigenous Peoples.
For MD Curriculum Renewal, Dr. Parhar chaired the Working Group on Social Responsibility and Accountability. He also led the revision and Senate approval of the Professional Standards for the Faculties of Medicine and Dentistry.
Aiming to improve patient safety in British Columbia, Dr. Parhar has served in leadership positions reviewing the prescribing patterns of physicians as well as surgical complications.
Nationally, Dr. Parhar is currently Co-Chair for the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC) Group on Professionalism and served as the national Co-Chair of the Group on Equity, Diversity and Gender.
For his excellence in medical education, in 2010 Dr. Parhar was awarded the BC College of Family Physicians’ Teacher of the Year Award and UBC’s Killam Teaching Prize. In 2011, the University of Calgary Faculty of Medicine awarded Dr. Parhar with the Alumnus of Distinction Award.
As Executive Associate Dean, Clinical Affairs, Dr. Parhar will provide strategic coordination and leadership between the Faculty of Medicine and the Health Authorities. Working with the provincial government, other universities, agencies and other public sector institutions, he will strengthen and support those faculty members engaged in clinical activities throughout the Province. Dr. Parhar will provide oversight of the Office of Clinical Faculty Affairs and will be a key member of the Faculty’s executive management team. Dr. Parhar succeeds Dr. Robert Liston, who held this role until his retirement on December 31, 2013.