The Michener Institute's Story
The Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences, initially known as the Toronto Institute of Medical Technology, was created to respond to the educational requirements of health sciences professionals and to the continuing education needs of health care practitioners. The Michener Institute's history goes back to 1958 with a Medical Laboratory Technology pilot program at Toronto General Hospital and it was Diana Michener Schatz who was instrumental in founding the institution.
She developed a three-pronged approach to applied education, paying particular emphasis to the practical and clinical components of education by negotiating clinical arrangements with various sites to provide students with the most effective learning experience. Her vision emerged from her work as a clinical chemist at the Toronto General Hospital.
The original program of Medical Laboratory Technology evolved from a multi-discipline approach to an integrated systems format. Since that time, most programs in Canada have emulated the pattern set at The Michener Institute.
Formal classes were started in temporary quarters in 1966 with the financial support of the Ontario Ministry of Health. In 1972 the institution moved to its present location at 222 St. Patrick Street in downtown Toronto, which is close to many major teaching hospitals. In 1990 the name was changed to honour the late governor-general Roland Michener.
Today more than 150 health professionals instruct on a full and part-time basis at The Michener Institute, offering students access to a unique resource of clinical teachers and teaching material.