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February 10, 2026

Dr. Latika Nirula, PhD, has been named the 2026 recipient of the AFMC Award for Outstanding Contribution to Faculty Development, an honour presented by the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC). This award recognizes exceptional faculty members who demonstrate vision, innovation, and leadership in faculty development in their faculty of medicine. This award underscores the importance of faculty development in academic medicine.

For more than fifteen years, Latika has shown a profound dedication to advancing faculty development at a local, national, and international level. Through her innovative leadership, strong commitment to equity, and collaborative approach, she has transformed educational practices and strengthened communities.

“The practice of Faculty Development is deeply relational, so I see this award not as a personal achievement but more of an ongoing acknowledgement of a field and a community that is so necessary to the success of our faculties of medicine across Canada,” Latika said. “As faculty developers, our work depends on fostering relationships, cultivating identities of health professions educators, and creating spaces for community, connection and growth. This award is particularly moving as it means that the work of faculty developers is being named and valued, and so I share this recognition with my colleagues at the University of Toronto and Unity Health Toronto’s Centre for Faculty Development, but also our rich and vibrant faculty development community across Toronto and Canada. I am so fortunate to be a part of a welcoming community, who took me under their wing, and have supported my growth and journey, and continue to push and inspire my thinking and work in the field.”

Latika is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, at University of Toronto and has served as the Director at the Centre for Faculty Development since 2020. In this role, she provides academic and operational leadership across the Centre’s initiatives. Latika leads a  vibrant and diverse research program describing excellence in faculty development, exploring the role of patient and family storytelling, and investigating how coaching practices and AI technology can converge to support teacher performance and growth. In addition to being a skilled facilitator across the CFD’s many programs, Latika is known for her faculty development work in simulation education, and more recently, has led the development of innovative faculty development programming utilizing coaching through the Enhancing Teacher Performance Program. Her commitment to equity and inclusion permeates her work and research interests in the field of faculty development, and is reflected in her leadership.

“Latika’s work is a testament to what advocacy in faculty development can look like when it is grounded in humility, courage, and a commitment to equity,” said Dr. Patricia Houston, Vice Dean, Medical Education, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. “She has not only advanced equity through programming and policy but has cultivated a culture where faculty development is a vehicle for systemic change. Her leadership continues to inspire a generation of educators to reimagine what inclusive and transformative faculty development can be.”

Latika will be formally recognized at the International Congress on Academic Medicine (ICAM) held by the AFMC in Ottawa from April 16-19, 2026.

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