Personal Issues & Academic Concerns

Dealing with personal issues? Please know that you are not alone. There are many people who can help you, no matter what problem you might be facing.

If your health or safety, or the health or safety of someone else, is at risk, please call 911 or seek medical attention right away.

How to access help

Office of Health Professions Student Affairs

Your Faculty of Medicine Office of Health Professions Student Affairs (OHPSA) has personal counsellors to assist you with any personal issues or concerns. These services are confidential and available to all students at both the St. George and UTM campuses. Counsellor offices are privately located at both campuses with daytime and evening appointment times available.

Book an appointment online, or call the OHPSA office at 416.978.2764.

You can also drop by:

At the St. George campus, the OHPSA office is at FitzGerald Building (FG), 150 College Street, Room 121 – the receptionist can book an appointment for you.
At the UTM campus (MAM), the Student Support Administrator, Mark Wlodarski, is located at the HSC at UTM, and he can arrange appointments for you at UTM.

Other resources

U of T also offers counselling services to all university students at both campuses. Appointments can be made at:

St. George campus, CAPS (Counselling and Psychological Services)
Koffler Student Services Bldg, 214 College St., main floor, 416.978.8070
CAPS Assault Counsellor: 416.978.0174

UTM campus, Health & Counselling Centre
Davis Bldg, room 1123, 905.828.5255

After-hours contacts

The Gerstein Centre (not associated with the Gerstein Library or the University of Toronto) is a resource that offers crisis intervention free of charge, including a Crisis Line and Mobile Crisis Response Team that operate 24/7. Call 416.929.5200.
PARO (Professional Association of Residents of Ontario), in cooperation with the Distress Centres of Toronto, offers a 24-hour crisis line that is available to medical students as well as residents: 1.866.HELP.DOC (1.866.435.7362)
The Physician Health Program (PHP) is a confidential program of the Ontario Medical Association that provides assistance to medical students, physicians, and residents who are experiencing a range of personal problems and stresses. Call 1.800.851.6606 from 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday.
Toronto Distress Lines (a.k.a. 211 Toronto) is a repository of services for individuals who require urgent medical or emotional care, including for reasons of assault. Call 416.408.HELP (416.408.4357).
In Mississauga, you can call the Distress Centre Peel at 905.278.7208 or contact the Mississauga Crisis Intervention Team at Trillium Health Centre, at 905.848.7100/905.848.7495.

In an emergency, or when other suitable options are unavailable, please call 911 or go to the Emergency Department of the nearest hospital.

Did you know...

The MD Program has a policy that ensures that a doctor or other health care professional who provides you with medical care will not evaluate you as a medical student. See policy on Procedure for Conflicts of Clinical and Educational Roles (PDF).

Concerns about academic performance

Do you have general concerns about your academic performance?

The Academic e-Coach connects you with appropriate resources, support systems and services available to you.

The A cademic Coach in the Office of Health Professions Student Affairs can help. You can also find resources at the OHPSA section and on Portal (Under My Organizations Plus > Office of Health Professions Student Affairs).

Your course directors and the Preclerkship and Clerkship Directors are also here to assist you in overcoming the academic difficulties you are encountering. Please see the Foundations Directory, Preclerkship directory or Clerkship directory for contact information.