Priority Areas of Research and Scholarship
The SFU Stephens Family School of Medicine leads community-engaged and equity-oriented research and scholarship focused on transforming primary care education, care delivery, and health systems. Through relational and reciprocal partnerships, we lead Indigenous-informed research projects and support Indigenous-led research to improve the health and well-being of our partner Indigenous Nations.
Along with our academic, health system, government, and community partners, we have identified interconnected research domains that draw on the expertise and strengths of the school.
Our research and scholarly activities fall within these two priority areas.
- The School of Medicine as an Intervention
There is a strong interest in understanding the role of the SFU Stephens Family School of Medicine as part of the Government of B.C.’s strategy to strengthen access to primary care. Framing the school of medicine as a system-level intervention, our research and scholarly activities explore the school’s impact on learners and their career paths; physician mentors and their practices; communities and community health; and B.C.’s primary care, health systems, and health policy. - Health Systems
Improving health systems requires us to understand how different parts of the system are connected, where gaps exist, and where there are opportunities for change. Working with diverse partners across the health system in this research area, we will contribute to B.C.’s Learning Health System.
These priority research areas include six interconnected, interdisciplinary domains.
- Population and Public Health: Research focuses on understanding and addressing the health needs of diverse and equity-deserving populations.
- Indigenous Health: Research is Indigenous-led and Indigenous-informed, using a distinction-based approach that recognizes and respects the unique cultures, histories, and rights of different Indigenous Peoples and communities.
- Community and Health: Research investigates how structural, social, and environmental factors shape the access to care and health outcomes of communities, with a specific focus on rural, remote, and Indigenous communities.
- Health Education, System and Policy: Research explores how health education can influence and support system change; and how models of care, workforce structures, payment models, and policy decisions can improve the effectiveness, equity, and sustainability of the health system.
- Technology in Health: Research examines how emerging technologies, such as AI and digital tools, can improve health care delivery, medical education, and system efficiency.
- Cross-cutting Emerging Topics: Research explores interdisciplinary areas, such as climate change, mental health, and sex and gender, that intersect multiple areas of health research.
Learn about our research and scholarship