The Doctor | Modupe Tunde-Byass

As president of the Black Physicians of Canada, a national, not-for-profit organization established in July 2020, Dr. Modupe Tunde-Byass has worked to advocate for and mentor other Black physicians across the country. She also helped found Women’s Health Education Made Simple, a forum that aims to debunk health myths, correct misinformation and destigmatize topics including pregnancy loss, mental health and period health. Tunde-Byass has been inspiring racialized medical students through her mentorship, prioritizing building up the next generation of physicians to make Canada’s healthcare system a better place. 

By Hadal El-Hadi, Black Physicians of Canada founder

Dr. Tunde-Byass completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology in the United Kingdom, then at the University of Toronto after coming to Canada. She is a fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in both Canada and the United Kingdom. With a wealth of experience, she is a well-rounded academic physician with a balance between clinical, teaching and research duties. She has an outstanding commitment to mentorship. Dr. Tunde-Byass has received numerous teaching awards for her involvement in teaching medical students, residents, fellows, nurse practitioners and nursing students. She also provides formal and informal mentorship to many of her trainees. Currently, she is actively involved with the University of Toronto’s Summer Student Mentorship Program and works with a group of (mostly racialized) medical students to promote women’s health education through online resources. She is a consultant, a counsellor and a cheerleader. She is graceful, elegant, compassionate, eloquent and truly believes in the importance of mentorship. Dr. Tunde-Byass is an exceptional female Black physician and mentor. She goes beyond her role of leading by example and provides mentorship to others by building self-reliance, leadership skills and honing one’s potential. She has also contributed to the development of mentorship advocacy at the regional, national and international level. She is incredibly deserving of this award.

See our full list of Toronto’s most inspiring women of 2022 here.