The Department of Internal Medicine is the largest academic department at the Max Rady College of Medicine.
Our expert faculty members are dedicated physicians, researchers, and educators who are shaping the next generation of healthcare professionals.
01/30/2026
As of today, the Department of Internal Medicine will no longer maintain or update this page. We invite you to stay connected with us on LinkedIn and Instagram, where we will continue to share updates and engage with our community.
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Today we are excited to shine a spotlight on Dr. Samuel Quan; an Assistant Professor in the Section of Geriatric Medicine and the Department of Internal Medicine.
Dr. Quan's current research project uses administrative health data to investigate how older adults with dementia receive care in Manitoba. This study examines factors such as hospital access, length of stay, and the frequency of transfers between hospital facilities. His long term plan is to expand this research to explore how persons with dementia and their caregivers access other health services, such as long-term care.
But why research dementia? Throughout his training in geriatric medicine, he came to understand the unique challenges of dementia care. He realized that many patients and their loved ones often struggle with receiving the care they need from the health and social systems. Dr. Quan explained, "I kept seeing patients with dementia and their caregivers in my practice, and I kept hearing their unique stories and narratives. I then knew that there needed to be more advocacy for the betterment of their care."
The purpose of Dr. Quan’s research is to paint a clearer picture of dementia care in Manitoba by showing what the system does well and where it needs more support to meet patients’ needs. He stresses that meaningful improvement requires collaboration across all sectors. “We really need a robust workforce that understands the complexity of older adults. Not only for persons living with dementia, but also in other vulnerable sectors of society, such as: physical disability, mental health and addictions, social isolation, and other marginalized groups,” explained Dr. Quan. "We need a workforce that understands marginalized communities on all levels, in frontline healthcare, administration, academia, community organizations, and government. People who really understand and empathize with the needs of older adults and their caregivers."
As Manitoba's population continues to age, Dr. Quan's work offers insight into what older adults with dementia and caregivers need and helps guide efforts to build a more responsive and compassionate system.
Picture a career caring for older adults with compassion, skill, and clinical expertise.
The Department of Internal Medicine is proud to offer a two-year subspecialty training program in Geriatric Medicine, accredited by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
Trainees spend their time learning how aging affects the body and its implications for patient care. Participants build a solid foundation in geriatrics through immersive, hands-on experiences, working closely with older adults across a variety of clinical settings. The program includes four diverse rotations covering both inpatient and outpatient care, as well as a specialized rotation in geriatric psychiatry. This comprehensive training helps our residents become confident medical professionals who can assess, consult, and treat geriatric patients effectively and with care.
By the end of the program, trainees will have gained the knowledge, experience, and perspective necessary to provide exceptional care to our aging population.
Interested in learning more about the Geriatric Medicine Residency program? Click the link below for more details!
Link: https://umanitoba.ca/medicine/department-internal-medicine/geriatric-medicine-residency
01/09/2026
Today, we want to highlight Dr. Philip St. John, a dedicated gerontologist, professor, and Section Head of geriatric medicine here at the Department of Internal Medicine.
Dr. St. John's research centers on understanding how people age and how health changes over time. He participates in and uses long term, population based cohort studies that track individuals across many years to reveal patterns in health, function, and disease.
Dr. St. John's journey in cohort studies began in the mid-1990s with the Manitoba Study of Health and Aging. This study was notable because it sampled participants from the entire province, unlike many other studies at the time that focused only on urban areas. This approach sparked Dr. St. John's interest, as he grew up in Minnedosa, Manitoba, and was interested in using the cohort data to explore differences in aging and health trajectories between rural and urban populations.
His other research affiliations include several other cohort studies and research groups, including the Centre on Aging at the University of Manitoba and the Manitoba Follow-Up Study, where he serves as the medical director and co-investigator. Dr. St. John emphasized that cohort studies and research rely heavily on collaboration with dedicated researchers across the world. "Everything I've done has been collaboratively within groups...you can't do a big cohort study without a lot of different investigators, and I've been very fortunate in people with whom I've been able to collaborate," explained Dr. St. John.
A central theme throughout Dr. St. John's career is his commitment to a long-term perspective. He often compares the patience required for cohort research to planting an orchard. As he thoughtfully puts it, "You need to plant an orchard if you want apples. One of the challenges with a cohort study is that it takes a long time and a lot of patience. And a lot of people don't have the time and patience to wait for results. But if you want to have apples, you have to wait four or five years for the tree to mature and produce fruit."
Dr. St. John's commitment to cohort research continues to shape how we understand, support, and plan for healthy aging across Manitoba.
01/05/2026
January is Alzheimer's Awareness Month. Here at the Department of Internal Medicine, we are committed to conducting research that strengthens diagnosis, care, and quality of life for people living with dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Together, we would like to improve the lives of those impacted today while fostering hope for a brighter tomorrow.
🎆 The Department of Internal Medicine would like to wish everyone a healthy, happy, and hopeful New Year! 🎇
❄️ Wishing all our faculty, physicians, staff, and managers a safe and joyful holiday season! See you in the New Year! ❄️
12/22/2025
The Department of Internal Medicine was proud to host our 2025 Annual Dinner earlier this month in the York Ballroom of the RBC Convention Centre.
It was a memorable evening as colleagues from all over came together to reconnect, share laughs, and celebrate the achievements that continue to shape and strengthen our department.
A big congratulations to the following award and grant recipients announced at the event:
• Dr. Brittany Perija received the prestigious Barry J. Kaufman CTU Clinician Educator Award
• Dr. Isanne Schacter was honoured with the Morley Lertzman Subspecialty Clinician Educator Award
• Drs. Samuel Quan and Dr. Carolina Munoz‑Grajales were both awarded the New Investigator Grant
• Dr. Chris Wiebe was announced as the recipient of the inaugural Eberhard Renner Emerging Translational Research Leader Award.
The evening was a celebration of gratitude, excellence, and the people who make our department stronger every day.
12/15/2025
Here at the Department of Internal Medicine, we’re committed to training physicians who approach their work with skill, thoughtfulness, and respect for the populations they serve.
So what sets training in the Section of Critical Care apart from other critical care programs?
Our residents gain a close look at the realities of critical care across Manitoba, Northwestern Ontario, and Nunavut. Learning from patients across multiple regions exposes our trainees to a wide range of complex cases and helps them build a stronger understanding of the distinct health challenges found there. The program also highlights the importance of specialized transport medicine, helping residents gain a deeper understanding of how critical care teams work together across vast distances here in Canada.
Together, these experiences help shape clinicians who are confident, compassionate, and grounded in real‑world learning.
Looking to specialize in critical care medicine?
The Department of Internal Medicine offers a two‑year subspecialty residency in Adult Critical Care Medicine, fully accredited by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
Residents receive hands-on training in six intensive care units across three major hospitals in Winnipeg, Manitoba. In this setting, they immerse themselves in critical care and work with departments such as trauma, respiratory medicine, and surgery. This collaborative environment fosters a rich learning experience, builds confidence, sharpens clinical skills, and prepares future physicians for successful careers in critical care medicine.
In addition to clinical training, the Adult Critical Care Medicine residency provides extensive research opportunities. Many faculty members are not only seasoned clinicians but also active researchers. Our residents are strongly encouraged to participate in ongoing research projects to improve their skills in clinical research methodologies and to contribute to the advancement of evidence-based practices in critical care medicine.
Want to learn more about the Adult Critical Care Medicine Residency Program? Click the link below for more details!
Link: https://umanitoba.ca/medicine/department-internal-medicine/critical-care-medicine-residency