Après TFS - Dr. Sonu Gaind '86

SONU GAIND: After graduating from TFS, I attended the University of Toronto and, as it turns out, I ended up spending my entire academic career there. I'm currently a professor at U of T and feel fortunate to have been part of this institution for much of my life. I began in the Faculty of Arts and Science, and at that time, it was possible to apply to medical school after two years–which I did. When I entered medical school, I didn’t yet have a degree. I guess it’s a good thing I finished, otherwise, I wouldn’t have had one at all!

In my final year of medical school, I did a rotating internship at St. Michael's Hospital, a program that no longer exists but was incredibly valuable. It gave me the time and exposure to figure out what I enjoyed, which led me to psychiatry. I completed a psychiatry residency, followed by a fellowship in psycho-oncology and cross-cultural psychiatry. From there, I began working at Princess Margaret Hospital as a psycho-oncology consultant, while also starting a part-time community practice in Toronto’s west end, which I’ve maintained ever since, though I spend less time there now.

I spent several years with Princess Margaret Hospital's psycho-oncology team, then joined Humber River Hospital as Chief of Psychiatry about a year and a half before its move to the new building at Wilson, holding that position for nearly a decade. Near the end of my term, I moved to Sunnybrook as Chief of Psychiatry, where I’ve spent the past two years.

Alongside this, I followed an academic path, progressing from assistant to full professor, attaining full professorship at Humber. I’ve also been active in medical associations and administration, serving as president of one national and three provincial associations. Currently, I’m a university governor for the Faculty of Medicine and part of the University Executive.

SONU GAIND: There’s no typical day, which is one thing I enjoy. My schedule varies, and no two days are alike. I balance clinical work with patients, which I’m passionate about, with administrative duties like overseeing quality of care in the department. That involves meetings and collaboration across the hospital. I also focus on medical health policy, combining evidence-based medicine and psychiatry to influence broader public policy. This element of scholarship and advocacy is why I’ve remained active in association leadership roles.

SONU GAIND: It’s hard to pinpoint one thing, but making an impact in meaningful areas is key. Earlier today I had a patient appointment with someone I’ve seen for years dealing with their chronic illness. Seeing the difference our time together has made–improving their quality of life–is incredibly rewarding on a personal level.

At the same time, I find it fulfilling to influence policy. That’s why administrative work and advocacy matter to me. Evidence-based, ethical decision-making can have real reach. I’m encouraged to see more people pushing for policies that promote equity, especially for marginalized populations. While this wasn’t absent before, it’s more emphasized now. I take satisfaction in helping us shift away from policies that perpetuate privilege and toward those that consider broader impact on our most marginalized.

SONU GAIND: You know, my dad recently said something to me that made me reflect on my life. He said, "life should not be lived in a straight line." My time at TFS embodied that. It wasn’t about pursuing a single path–it was eclectic and full of diverse experiences I still value today.

At TFS, I was keen on writing and looked forward to the annual writing contest. I also loved math, physics and playing squash at Glendon campus, where we went for physical education at the time. So, I had some unique experiences, especially during a time when Harry Giles was driving significant changes at the school. I was part of Canada’s first two Physics Olympiad teams and competed internationally in Yugoslavia and Harrow, England–where I even got to see the birthplace of squash!

You might not expect interests like English or physics to lead to psychiatry and psycho-oncology, but that range of experience shaped how I think. Learning to connect seemingly unrelated ideas is something I’ve carried into my scholarship at U of T. TFS taught me how to find those threads and make meaning from them.

SONU GAIND: I joined TFS in Level 2 on a math scholarship, knowing no French. That summer, I had a crash course to prepare for full French immersion in September. Without TFS, I wouldn’t be anywhere near bilingual. It's what gave me the ability to engage in French, whether reading, writing, or speaking. While I don’t use French in my work now, it’s shaped my life in meaningful ways. We used to take our kids to France every year, and that early exposure helped them experience the culture. TFS French made that possible.

Bilingualism also shaped our school choices. My son, Dante, started at TFS and built a strong foundation. My daughter, Sabine, went from start to graduation. So, it’s shaped not just my life, but my children too.

SONU GAIND: I’d say thinking in unconventional ways; not just for the sake of it, but to recognize what you might be overlooking or what hasn’t been part of traditional thinking. That’s where innovation comes from. One thing I remember strongly about TFS is the value placed on both individuality and innovation.  It encouraged out-of-the-box thinking and openness to blind spots –recognizing what you might have missed and using that to see things differently.

SONU GAIND: This might sound like a strange one, but it has a kind of symmetry in my life. One of my most memorable experiences was playing on the front lawn at TFS, now a parking lot, when I got tackled by a classmate. I tore my ACL, MCL, and meniscus and couldn’t get up, so they took me to Sunnybrook Hospital and that was actually my first experience there.

It happened just days before a national physics exam to qualify for the Physics Olympiad and TFS sent a staff member to my hospital room to invigilate the exam. I wrote it from my hospital bed the day after surgery, and thanks to that support, I was still able to go to Harrow– on crutches!

Going through that as a teenager and still feeling like I received excellent care stuck with me. It made me think, even then, that Sunnybrook was a good place to be– for care and eventually, for work.

SONU GAIND: Realize that you actually can change the world– but also realize that the world won't change without you.

SONU GAIND: It was a tremendous feeling and deeply meaningful to be recognized by both TFS and my peers. I believe it was my classmate Daniel who nominated me, which made it even more meaningful. It was early in the history of the award, and that recognition resonated. It also made me realize how powerful recognition can be, not just as validation, but as inspiration for others to strive for more.

That experience helped lead my family and me to establish an award at the University of Toronto in honour of my mother, who passed away shortly after I graduated from TFS. I have a vivid memory of her and my father at the school– my dad in his turban, my mom in a brightly coloured sari, a beautiful burst of colour among the crowd. That image has always stayed with me, and in thinking about how to honour her legacy, a few years ago, we created the Harinder K. Gaind Bending the Arc Award, which recognizes a University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine member contributing to biopsychostructural justice. I truly believe there’s a direct line between that and the recognition I received from TFS. These acknowledgements matter, they push us to aim higher.

SONU GAIND: I’d say you’ve shared a formative part of your life with people who are going to be or have become lifelong friends. You know your classmates’ strengths, and probably their quirks too. That’s why recognition from your own peers is so meaningful. They see your value firsthand. Nominating someone is one of the most significant things you can do for a peer, colleague, or friend.