St Mary’s University Celebrates Faculty Members Awarded 2026 Social Accountability Fellowship

St Mary’s University, London, is proud to announce that Prof Sonia Kumar, Executive Dean of Medicine, and Prof Nick Merrifield, Head of Primary and Community Care, have been selected for the 2026 Social Accountability Fellowship by The Network Toward Unity for Health (TUFH) and the Norther Ontario School of Medicine. This fellowship recognises Prof Kumar’s contributions and vision to advancing social accountability in healthcare education and her commitment to improving the accessibility and quality of healthcare for vulnerable populations.

The 2026 Social Accountability Fellowship supports global leaders in strengthening social accountability, to better serve vulnerable populations, including Indigenous, Migrant and Refugee, Remote and Rural, Ageing, Intellectual Developmental Disabilities, Autism, and Women and design innovative health solutions and promote policies that aim to address health disparities on both a regional and global scale.

The vision of social accountability for the new School of Medicine is aligned with the mission and ethos of St Mary’s University where inclusion and generosity of spirit are core values. The new School of Medicine is set to open in September 2026, to train a future generation of doctors who are equipped to address pressing health challenges, particularly those facing underserved communities.

As the School of Medicine at St Mary’s University continues to develop, Prof Sonia Kumar ‘s leadership will play a key role in shaping the curriculum and training future healthcare leaders who are socially conscious and equipped to meet the needs of diverse populations.