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As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of our department, we reflect on the milestones that have shaped our residency program and the legacy of leadership that continues to guide its evolution.
We are deeply saddened by the recent passing of Dr. Christiane Kuntz. An interview from earlier this year, offers a glimpse into her remarkable journey and enduring impact on our department. An Assistant Professor in our department, Dr. Kuntz played a valuable role in its growth over the past 35 years. She was an alumna, mentor, and clinical expert in women’s health, whose contributions spanned decades of teaching, program development, and leadership.
Born and raised in Ottawa, she served as one of two Chief Residents at the Ottawa General Hospital in the 1980s, led as Women’s Health Director, and provided countless mentorship opportunities for our residents. In this conversation, Dr. Kuntz reflects on her experience as a clinical expert, mentor, and medical educator within our Family Medicine program, while imparting wisdom she learned along the way.
We recently had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Lissa Bair, Lecturer and Global Health Director and co-organizer of the Faculty of Medicine’s international elective in Benin. Through her work, alongside Dr. Charlotte Roy, Lecturer and Family Physician, Dr. Bair contributes to a longstanding collaboration between the Faculty of Medicine and its partners at Université d’Abomey-Calavi (UAC) and the Institut Régional de Santé Publique (IRSP) in Benin, an important partnership that has grown steadily for more than 20 years,
Established in 2003 through the Faculty of Medicine’s Affaires Francophones office, the initiative was built on the dedication of a committed group of physicians at Montfort and has since developed into a comprehensive global health collaboration.Today, the program offers group global health electives that provide medical students and residents with the opportunities to engage with core global health principles, including community engagement, social accountability, and exposure to healthcare delivery in resource-limited settings. Each year, learners participate in a four-week elective in Benin, beginning with hospital-based observerships in Cotonou, where they gain exposure to conditions less commonly seen in Canada, such as malaria and sickle cell disease, while witnessing the clinical expertise of local physicians working with limited resources.
The elective includes a week in a long-standing partner village, where learners support a supervised community clinic alongside local healthcare professionals.
As Dr. Bair shared, one of the most meaningful developments in recent years has been the program’s evolution into a truly reciprocal partnership. With the launch of the CEReSA Project in Benin as part of the Canadian International Development Scholarships (BCDI 2030), the Faculty of Medicine now welcomes medical trainees and healthcare professionals from Benin to Canada. This bilateral exchange reflects a modern approach to global health, grounded in collaboration, mutual learning and sustainable capacity building.
“It feels very much like a partnership. Our colleagues are also now coming here and so it feels very bilateral. This is exciting and in line with global health objectives.”
For the future, Dr. Bair and Dr. Roy hope to further develop the elective in collaboration with the Faculté des sciences de la santé, and encourage more shared activities with our learners and béninois médical students and residents. They also acknowledge the work behind the BCDI project and look forward to the continuation of this important initiative.
