Leading through learning

An early exposure to surgery planted the seed for a career in medicine for the newly appointed associate dean of continuing professional development and medical education (CPDME). Her love of science, combined with the intellectual challenge and complexity she later discovered in internal medicine, helped shape her path forward.

“I really liked science and gravitated towards medicine,” she says. “I ended up in internal medicine because of the complexity of the patient and the amount of thinking required.”

Her love of problem-solving eventually drew her into the subspecialty of clinical immunology and allergy, a field she says, “filled that nerdy medicine bucket.” Through medical school and residency at Dalhousie, followed by a fellowship at McMaster, she found herself increasingly drawn to supporting patients with both common allergies and rare immunodeficiencies.

A passion for education 

Coming from a family of teachers, and with a Dalhousie medical education electiveunder her belt, Dr. Connors was guided toward medical education roles early in her career. When she returned to Dalhousie after her fellowship, she became unit head for Dal’s Skilled Clinician Year 1.

“Early on, I realized I liked the teaching aspect of medicine and became interested in medical education,” says Dr. Connors. “Having gone through an internal medicine residency, I liked physical exam skills and saw Clinical Skills as a great opportunity to help students hone their history and physical exam skills.”

This work led to roles in communication skills and remediation of learners navigating challenges in communication and clinical practice.  

In 2015 Dr. Connors completed a master’s degree in education from Acadia University, where she studied alongside health professionals from various disciplines, an experience that deepened her commitment to interprofessional collaboration.

Most recently Dr. Connors was program director for Dalhousie’s large internal medicine residency program, where she took pride in working with 75 residents across the Maritimes.

“Being an advocate for residents was my favorite part,” she reflects, “and it helped inform a lot of the changes we made during my time in that role.”

Dr. Connors has been widely recognized for her contributions to medical education, mentorship, and community service. In 2023, she received the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for her community service during the COVID-19 pandemic. She was awarded the Michelle Harkness Mentorship Awards Mentorship Development Grant from Allergen Canada in 2021 and the Early Career Award from the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology in 2016. She was also the recipient of the Department of Medicine’s Excellence in Medical Education Award in 2015.  

Supporting health systems change

On April 1, 2025, Dr. Connors stepped into her new role as associate dean of CPDME, where she will oversee a wide range of CPD programs, support medical education research, and drive strategic initiatives that align with the Faculty of Medicine’s goals. 

“I've always had an interest in CPD and innovation in presenting information to physicians,” she says. “I like the idea of the learner in CPDME being the whole career healthcare professional. There's a lot of opportunity to make a difference and support health systems change.”

Dr. Connors notes it is a great time to be a medical educator, with lots of excitement on the horizon. This includes the development of the Cape Breton Medical Campus, which has a faculty development portfolio; growing scholarship through the medical education research unit; and the chance to integrate technologies like AI and simulation into lifelong learning.

In her first year, accreditation of the CPDME office is top of mind, but longer-term goals are already taking shape. She envisions a thriving, innovative office that delivers high-impact, evidence-informed programming and advances faculty development alongside changing technologies and health system priorities. She knows achieving these ambitious goals will undoubtedly require a strong foundation of collaboration, drawing on the diverse expertise and perspectives of the entire medical community.

“CPDME is a team environment, which lends itself well to collaboration from an interprofessional perspective,” she says. “It's important to foster connections with other health professions to ensure we're doing the best work together.”

Lifelong learning

Dr. Connors, who practices at the QEII and Bayers Lake Outpatient Clinic, has scaled back her clinical work to focus on her new position three days a week. She will also have some commitments as past program director in internal medicine. 

Weeks into her new role, she’s energized by the possibilities.  

“There’s a lot of space for learning in this role, which is one of the beauties of being a medical educator. The CPDME team has already been so supportive and welcoming.”

As she embraces this new chapter, Dr. Connors remains committed to advancing education and inspiring lifelong learning in medicine.