Leaders in Medicine student elected president of national medical students group

University of Calgary student Franco Rizzuti has been elected the 2016-17 president of the Canadian Federation of Medical Students (CFMS). Rizzuti is the first western Canadian president since 2008, and only the second from Calgary in the CFMS’s almost 40-year history. 

The federation serves as the voice of medical students in dealings with the public, the federal government, and national and international medical organizations. As president, Rizzuti will represent more than 8,500 medical students from 14 Canadian medical student societies across the country.

“It’s going to be a busy but exciting year ahead; medical education and health systems are at an inflection point,” says Rizzuti. “I’m looking forward to the national role and to representing the west on national issues.”

Rizzuti has squeezed a virtual lifetime of leadership experience into his academic life at the University of Calgary and is a past recipient of the President’s Award for Excellence in Student Leadership. Most recently, he served as the student co-lead for the Cumming School of Medicine’s Undergraduate Medical Education accreditation process.

“This is a huge job; although Franco never seems to shy away from those,” says Dr. Jon Meddings, dean, Cumming School of Medicine. “It is a real credit, not only to him and his proven leadership ability, but also to the school and to the university. I wish him the very best.”

Rizzuti is enrolled in the Leaders in Medicine program. He is concurrently completing a Doctor of Medicine degree, and a graduate degree in health leadership through the Werklund School of Education. 

Q: You have held a number of student leadership roles over the years — from president of the Graduate Students’ Association and chair of the Alberta Graduate Council, to president of the Calgary Medical Student Association. What’s your most memorable leadership experience?

A: Personally, the most memorable experiences are more intangible. I’d say it’s a tie between seeing projects that I worked on in their infancy (literally, ideas on the back of a napkin) come to fruition — like the Graduate Residential College and the Faculty of Graduate Studies’ Graduate Internship program — and the mentorship role I’ve been able to play. I’ve made it a priority to foster new leaders and mentor junior students; it’s the personal transformation that keeps my drive going. 

Q: How have your experiences at the University of Calgary helped to prepare you for this national role?

A: I’ve had the opportunity to serve on various boards; develop strategic plans; hire deans, associate deans and faculty members; approve programs; review accreditation requirements; and advocate to, and collaborate with, governments. The milieu of experiences I’ve had over my academic career have enhanced my understanding of complex systems, and specifically the nuances of public sector organizations.

I’ve had many tough conversations, and needed to bring together diverse stakeholders to come up with an actionable plan. I anticipate drawing considerably upon the soft skills and expertise I’ve gained throughout my time at the University of Calgary. 

Q: Why is it important for an organization like the CFMS to exist?

A: CFMS was formed in 1977 because medical students felt they needed a national voice to advocate, and a national body to unite students. These founding principles are still very much alive. We host a national lobby day, as well as supporting provincial lobby days each year; we represent students at all major medical stakeholder tables; we run a comprehensive global health program, and we develop programs supporting LGBTQ and indigenous health.

The medical landscape, both in terms of medical education and healthcare nationally, is undergoing massive transformation. I anticipate the health system my colleagues and I will work in will look very different to the system of today. With such progressive change, it’s important to have a unified voice representing current learners at the various tables leading this change.

Q: What do you hope to achieve as president of the CFMS?

A: My priorities as president are broad: national advocacy on medical student wellness and the transition to residency, advances in physician resource planning, as well as CFMS growth.

On the advocacy front, I am committed to strong national advocacy around medical student wellness. The CFMS and our francophone partners, Fédération médicale étudiante du Québec (FMEQ), recently concluded a national wellness survey, which for the first time provides the CFMS and Canadian medical schools data around medical student health. Working with our multiple stakeholders as this data is rolled out is of the utmost importance.

Q: Your Leaders in Medicine program combines medical school with graduate studies in health leadership. What’s the connection? How does your role as president of the CFMS fit in?

A: My graduate work explores physician leadership skills and competencies, specifically the change in required skills as physician leaders advance in their careers and make the transition between clinical practice and administration. My clinical areas of interest are neurology and preventative medicine.

Today, many of the barriers in health delivery are system-design limitations. The Leaders in Medicine program has allowed me to connect the two worlds of leadership development and system analysis with medical training. Long term, I envision a career with a mix of health system design and operations with preventative medicine/public health. The CFMS presidency fits right in; it’s an opportunity for me to utilize my skills and experience to represent my colleagues across the country, while providing me an opportunity to gain a better understanding of the federal health-care landscape.