Mini Med School

Vancouver's first ever Mini Med School Series was launched in the spring of 2003. In the fall of 2003, the second Mini Med School was held under the scientific leadership of Dr. Michael Hayden as Dean. The focus of this forum was on "Genetics, Genomics and Health Research" and was a huge success.

Presenters included Dr. Michael Hayden and Jeffrey Carroll speaking on "Genes to Therapies: Hopes & Promises for Disorders of the Mind & Brain" and Dr. Elizabeth Simpson presenting the "Mouse Models for Mental Illness".

Over the years, the Mini Med School, organized by the Child and Family Research Institute, has become an excellent avenue to engage the public, including exceptionally motivated high school students and the clinical community, in participatory learning and discussion around topics in scientific research. It provides health science researchers and research trainees the chance to exhibit their knowledge to an audience that would not normally be accessible to them, in a way that can capture the imagination while motivating further learning, awareness, and public dialogue.

On November 16th 2005, Dr. Hayden, Dr. Simpson, and graduate student Jeffrey Carroll presented "Genetics, genomics and the mystery of life" at the "Best of Mini Med School" program and CMMT further participated in conducting lab tours and interactive lab stations to give Mini Med "graduates" a closer look at a real research environment. On November 17th, 2007, Dr. Mike Kobor presented "Here’s looking at you Kid!—Introduction, Early Life Events, and Development" as Co-Dean of the "Epigenetics—It’s All Around You" Mini Med School.