Dr. Preston Smith has been appointed dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Prince Edward Island for a five-year term, effective April 1, 2024. 

Originally from Summerside, PEI, Dr. Smith returns to Atlantic Canada, bringing a wealth of experience and a strong commitment to advancing medical education and research to benefit Prince Edward Island communities. 

Dr. Preston Smith was Dean of the College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) since 2014. He has led the college’s extensive restructuring to improve all facets of medical education, increase research capacity, and prioritize Indigenous health, learner wellness and faculty and staff engagement. Dr. Smith is an experienced change management leader committed to equity and diversity in the workplace. While at USask, he was instrumental in commissioning an independent review to help the College of Medicine better address issues of systemic inequity, which helped inform the college’s increased efforts to change and improve as an equitable, diverse, and inclusive medical school.

Smith received the 2023 Chris Carruthers Excellence in Medical Leadership Award—a national award from the Canadian Society of Physician Leaders recognizing his outstanding leadership in culture change and system transformation at the USask College of Medicine. Throughout his time in Saskatchewan, he has built effective relationships and partnerships across the province’s healthcare system. 

Prior to the University of Saskatchewan, he was the Senior Associate Dean of Education in the Faculty of Medicine at Dalhousie University. He played a key leadership role in developing and overseeing the new Dalhousie medical education program, launched in New Brunswick in 2010, which included his critical relationship-building role with New Brunswick partners. He has been instrumental in starting new family medicine residency programs in PEI, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.

Dr Smith served the city of Moncton, NB, for 25 years as a family physician with a large community practice, where he also had extensive involvement in hospital administration. He is experienced in health system reform and administration, having served as vice president of medicine in southeastern New Brunswick when that province moved from 52 hospitals to eight regions.

A highly regarded medical educator and administrator, he completed his medical education at Dalhousie University and is a certificant and fellow of the College of Family Physicians of Canada. In 2010, he completed a Master of Education focused on medical education from Mount Saint Vincent University.

He and his wife, Jane, are excited to return to Atlantic Canada, accompanied by their four-legged companions, Murphy and Lincoln. Dr Smith enjoys time with family, reading, distance running, golf, photography, and gardening in his free time.