Dr. John Gilbert

Dr. John Gilbert is founding Principal & Professor Emeritus, College of Health Disciplines, University of British Columbia where he was also founding Director of the School of Audiology and Speech Sciences, and Director of the School of Rehabilitation Sciences. In the early part of his career he pioneered linguistics and psychology as the basis of practice for speech-language pathologists and audiologists. In the latter part of his career it was his vision and leadership that led to the concept of interprofessional education being developed as a central tenet of team-based collaborative patient-centred practice and care. These concepts are now part of university, college, and institute health sciences training in many places across Canada. Dr. Gilbert has received many honours and awards, including the Order of Canada and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, and has served on many committees and boards locally, nationally and internationally. He is currently Senior Scholar, WHO Collaborating Centre on Health Workforce Planning and Research, Dalhousie University; Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Graduate Studies, Dalhousie University; and a member of the Advisory Committee on social determinants of health at the WHO. He has served as a visiting Adjunct Professor at the National University of Malaysia; as an advisor to the International Institute for Leadership in Interprofessional Education at Manipal University, India; and was Co-Chair of the WHO Study Group on Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice.