“Without Equity, There is No Quality: Exploring Population-level Disparities in Surgical Outcomes for Cancer and Trauma Patients in Ontario: A Call to Action,” presented by Dr. Adom Bondzi-Simpson.
The Yosif Al-Hasnawi Memorial Lecture Series: Promoting Racial Justice in Health Care is named in memory of a first-year Medical Sciences student who died in the service of another in 2017. Yosif Al-Hasnawi had dreams of becoming a doctor and hoped to one day make a difference in the world.
Wednesday, March 19, 2025, from 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Goodman Atrium at Brock University
Sponsored by the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences; the President’s Advisory Committee on Human Rights, Equity, and Decolonization; and the Centre for Women’s and Gender Studies at Brock University.
Learn more about the presenter and event below:
Adom Bondzi-Simpson, MD, MSc is a resident in General Surgery in the Surgeon Scientist Training Program at the University of Toronto. He completed his BSc in Medical Sciences at Brock University in 2013, followed by a joint MD/MSc through the Leaders in Medicine Program at the University of Calgary in 2019, before returning to Ontario for his surgical training.
A passionate advocate for health equity and social justice, Dr. Bondzi-Simpson is currently pursuing a PhD in Clinical Epidemiology at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto.
He is the co-founder and co-chair of UpSurge, an equity-based initiative designed to inspire and support Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) and underrepresented students in their pursuit of surgical careers. Dr. Bondzi-Simpson serves on the board of directors for the Black Health Alliance, a national not-for-profit dedicated to improving the health and well-being of Black communities. He has authored more than 20 peer-reviewed publications and media articles, and has presented his work at national and international conferences. In recognition of his efforts, he was awarded the 2024 Canadian Medical Association Award for Young Leaders and the 2023 Resident Doctors of Canada Award for Medical Education.
This lecture will draw on a population-based analysis of surgical outcomes in Ontario to explore how equity can be integrated into the healthcare quality frameworks of the future. Combining both data-driven and narrative insights, the discussion will reveal critical gaps at the intersection of equity and quality in healthcare delivery, focusing on cancer and trauma surgery as models of inquiry. Finally, actionable frameworks for addressing these disparities will be explored, including research, policy initiatives, and grassroots advocacy strategies that future healthcare leaders can adopt to prioritize equity in quality care.