Grow Your Career: Apply NOW - Early Career Health Leaders Program - Starting January, 2026

"Tell me and I forget; teach me and I remember; involve me and I learn." – Benjamin Franklin

The ECHL program supports and develops early to middle career leaders to successfully navigate the complexities of health leadership in order to have impact and create positive change within Canada’s health system.

Applications to the 2026 ECHL program are now open!

• Continue to deepen and refine your leadership practice as you make career transitions into health leadership.

• Help us spread the word! Encourage interested staff, friends and colleagues in health care to apply to this unique immersive experience in health leadership.

Applications are open until November 7, 2025. This program is aimed at early to mid career health leaders who:

• are currently in leadership roles in health (leadership roles are broadly defined to include leadership positions or roles in health organizations as well as leadership in health advocacy or community development).

• in later stages of completing a Masters or PhD health related program or have completed a graduate degree in health care in the past 5-7 years (including graduate programs in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Rotman School of Management, IHPME and DLSPH) and other universities and colleges with graduate programs in health;

  
  

Application Process and Deadline: November 7, 2025. To apply to the program, please complete the following:

1. Attend an information session this fall (optional but recommended).

ECHL 2026 Information Session

September 15, 2025, 8:00–9:00 p.m.|Zoom Link will be shared with registrants.

Register Now

2. Send cover letter and curriculum vitae to Vernissage@utoronto.ca.

3. Complete the application survey https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ECHL2026RegSurvey  

   
   
   
   

For more information about the ECHL program, please contact Wendy Nelson, Founder and Project Lead at wendy.nelson@utoronto.ca.  or visit https://www.vernissagehealth.com/leadership-coaching-and-mentoring

Program Aims

The ECHL program is designed to provide a positive learning environment that achieves the following objectives:

• allows networking with experienced health leaders who provide 1:1 coaching and mentorship to augment leadership development;

• provides the opportunity to examine diverse experiences, thoughts and insights about contemporary health leadership

Core Offerings

1. Personal Leadership Assessment: All participants will complete a leadership self-assessment as part the programme and review results individually with Program Faculty.

2. Dialogue Series: The foundation of the ECHL program is a series of eight small group sessions — or “hosted conversations” – scheduled from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Mondays from January to May, 2026. There is two in-person sessions, one in January and one in April. Other sessions are held online (using Zoom). Dates available upon request.

3. Individual Coaching and Mentoring: All participants will be assigned to work with an established leader/mentor who will provide personal coaching and mentorship in achievement of a primary leadership development goal. (See the bios of mentors participating in the 2026 program.)

4. Leadership Development Action Plan: By the end of the progam, participants will have developed a clear leadership development plan to deepen their leadership practice and kick start their leadership journey!

Course Fees:

A small fee to cover out-of-pocket expenses will be payable in full upon acceptance into the program. Participants may be eligible for continuing education credits from professional colleges. A receipt for fees paid will be available for tax purposes.

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