First-of-its-kind laboratory sciences academic practice partnership

William Osler Health System, Humber Polytechnic and BD-Canada integrate education, clinical practice and technology-enabled innovation in today’s complex health care environment

William Osler Health System (Osler) and Humber Polytechnic (Humber) have signed and launched an Academic Practice Partnership (APP), representing an important milestone in preparing the next generation of laboratory professionals. Unique to this partnership is the collaboration with Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD). The APP brings together Humber’s academic expertise, Osler’s clinical and simulation environments, and BD’s global leadership in medical technology to expand experiential learning, simulation-based education, research, and clinical innovation. By embedding evidence-based practice into both training and clinical decision-making, the APP will help ensure learners graduate with the practical skills and critical thinking needed in today’s complex health care environment.

Key priorities of the partnership include:

• Co-designing curriculum aligned with real clinical needs
• Expanding simulation and teaching labs
• Developing micro-credentials and structured pathways to support clinical placements
• Strengthening preceptor education and mentorship
• Creating clearer training-to-employment pathways aligned with workforce needs

The partnership includes the establishment of a “living lab” environment where Medical Laboratory Assistant and Medical Laboratory Technology students, educators, clinicians and industry experts can learn together and test new ideas in real-world clinical environments.

This APP will also support a shared research and innovation agenda focused on quality improvement, interdisciplinary collaboration and data-driven outcomes. Through joint evaluation, research pathways and innovation initiatives, the partnership will help to advance best practices in laboratory medicine and vascular access education and workforce development. This milestone follows months of coordinated planning across the three organizations to establish a shared vision, including developing governance, co-designing curriculum, and expanding simulation-based learning environments.

Quotes:

“At Osler, we know that exceptional people-centred care starts with evidence-informed programs that include experiential learning,” said Dr. Frank Martino, President and CEO, William Osler Health System. “This Academic Practice Partnership strengthens the connection between classroom and clinical care, supports our health care teams, and builds a sustainable health care workforce pipeline for the communities we serve.”

“This first-of-its-kind model represents what is possible when leaders in education, health care and medical technology work together to advance productivity and provide best-in-class opportunities for students,” said Dr. Ann Marie Vaughan, president and CEO, Humber Polytechnic. “Health human resources are critical to our province’s ability to thrive, and this partnership allows us to support today’s health care teams while preparing the health care leaders of tomorrow.”

“This partnership shows what’s possible when academia, health care and industry work together with a shared goal,” said Ivy Parks, President of BD-Canada. “By bringing Humber’s academic strength, Osler’s real-world clinical training environment and BD’s medical technology expertise together, we can help learners build the practical skills today’s workforce needs. We are proud to support this collaboration and help prepare the next generation of medical professionals.”