Helena Dhamko MD, MScCH

Biography

Dr. Helena Dhamko is an Assistant Professor and clinician teacher in the Department of Medicine, practicing outpatient general hematology and thrombosis at the Toronto General Hospital. Dr. Dhamko received her medical degree from the University of Ottawa and completed internal medicine and hematology residency at the University of Toronto. She has a Master’s of Science in Community Health (MScCH) from Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto. Dr. Dhamko serves as the hematology rotation coordinator for PGY1-PGY3 internal medicine residents at UHN and also coordinates the hematology rotation for transition to residency fourth year medical students and other clerkship electives. She is the Competency-by-Design (CBD) lead for the PGY4-PGY5 Hematology residency program at University of Toronto. She also co-leads an annual, national practice OSCE for hematology residents in Canada. She is passionate about teaching at all levels of medical training in both clinical settings and formal teaching sessions.

From the Nomination

"Dr. Dhamko has contributed immensely to transforming the UHN hematology clinic as a positive learning environment for clinical clerks. She prepares in advance for the learners and puts a lot of time and effort into ensuring that their learning objectives are met, both individually and as a group. Her impact has been clearly demonstrated by the number of students who have cited her influence as the reason they have decided to pursue a career in hematology."

"My time with Dr. Dhamko was one of my greatest learning experiences. I have seen Dr.Dhamko’s dedication to her role as a clinician and educator, and am very fortunate to have had the opportunity to receive her guidance."

About the Award

These awards are named after William Thomas Aikins, the first Dean of the Faculty of Medicine after its reorganization in1887. They are the Faculty’s most prestigious awards in the MD Program. They were established to recognize and formally reward outstanding teachers in the areas of Individual Teaching Performance (Foundations and Clerkship), Development and Use of Educational Innovations, and Course / Program Development and Coordination. Recipients of these awards have significantly contributed to high-quality undergraduate teaching by establishing and integrating new and effective methods of instruction into the curriculum.