June 13, 2025Articles Championing Inclusion: Dr. Bobby Yanagawa’s Mission to Diversify MedicineDr. Bobby Yanagawa, the Division Head of Cardiac Surgery at Toronto’s St. Michael’s Hospital, is this year’s Ascend Canada Inclusion Champion of the Year.He shared his views with us on the importance of inclusion initiatives and their implementation. His passion and dedication to this has led him to create and operate initiatives and programs that promote inclusion and belonging – not just cardiac surgery but for various medical fields. He hopes to inspire other like-minded individuals in finding new ways to make their fields more inclusive for all. Join as a member What Does Inclusion Mean to Dr. Yanagawa?When asked about the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion, Dr. Yanagawa shares that “if we truly want the best and brightest in heart surgery, then we can’t be picking from such a small pool of people, we’re missing talent.” For Dr. Yanagawa, his journey into medicine has been long and trying. His first attempt was unsuccessful, leading him to pursue years of post-graduate studies and research in Canada, Europe and Japan. Ultimately, this was time well-spent, as the work he put into his studies and training has brought him to where he is today: leading the Division of Cardiac Surgery at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, where he has seen an opportunity for change. In the field of cardiac surgery in Canada, Dr. Yanagawa shares some shocking statistics:There has never been a black heart surgeon in CanadaThere has only been one heart surgeon of Indigenous descentCanada has never had more than 10% women heart surgeons at any given time(ref: Servito M, Ouzounian M, Chung J, Yanagawa B. Trends in female cardiac surgery trainees and staff in Canada: 1998 to 2020. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2022;163:e203–e206. Yanagawa B, Ouzounian M, Lawton J. Women in Cardiac Surgery: Closing the Equity Gap. Circulation. 2023;148:1292-1294.)These figures, along with his own personal journey, fuel Dr. Yanagawa to head inclusion programs such as the Next Surgeon Program, the Next Woman Surgeon Program and Operation Heart. He is committed to providing equal opportunities for all, improving cultural cohesiveness and strengthening Canada’s medical community. Dr. Yanagawa wants Canadian heart surgery to be the best it can be – and he knows that inclusion and belonging are the keys to success. Join us at our events The Next Surgeon ProgramThe Next Surgeon Program (NSP) is an initiative founded and led by Dr. Yanagawa in collaboration with the Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC). It is designed to introduce high school students in grades 10-12, who are residents within the TCHC network, to pursue a career in medicine.Through the program, students take part in a series of workshops, interactive sessions, and one-on-one mentorship opportunities. Mentors are medical professionals of various ethnic backgrounds, and most if not all, are either black, women, or Hijabi doctors. The program gives students a glimpse of what it’s like to work in the medical field. It also provides resources and guidance to help students navigate the educational requirements to support their journeys towards becoming healthcare professionals.Operation Heart, is another initiative created by Dr. Yanagawa. It is a nonprofit organization aimed at empowering minorities and diversifying the medical field. These initiatives are still young but they are growing. The NSP is in its fourth year – and while it initially started by focusing solely on heart surgery, it has since evolved to include emergency medicine, orthopedic surgery and neurosurgery, providing a more diverse experience for participants. Already, students who may not have thought a career in medicine was possible, are planning on becoming the next generation of the best and brightest doctors Canada has to offer.Mentorship is Critical to Breaking Down Barriers Dr. Yanagawa believes in the importance of mentorship in breaking down barriers and self-perceived limitations with unique one-on-one mentorship opportunities with medical professionals who have similar ethnic backgrounds to themselves. “Exposure to mentors who look like them is important,” says Dr. Yanagawa.“They become aspirational,” he adds, noting that the participants of the NSP can physically see that careers in medicine are possible for people like them. “Simply making yourself seen, especially if you are a minority, can inspire a generation of impressionable youth with big dreams to achieve great things. Finding these opportunities within the communities you are a part of takes an open mind, and a willingness to reach out and inspire.”Reflecting on a Change in DEI SentimentDr. Yanagawa acknowledges the recent pushback against DEI initiatives but shares this perspective: “If you’re against diversity, you’re going to be a dinosaur.”“In business, [pushing back against diversity] is not going to work. You’re not going to recruit talent or attract business. You will essentially become extinct.”He recognizes that some pushback is normal and okay, as this is the nature of change – and change often leads to discomfort. “But over time, we are finding that DEI strengthens our organizations – whether they are in the fields of medicine, business or education.” He urges others to embrace the discomfort and allow it to lead you to new ideas and positive change. Despite changing sentiments towards DEI in some parts of the world, Dr. Yanagawa shares that the general population has been accepting. “The world is becoming more globalized every passing day,” he says. “Cultures, religions and ethnic backgrounds are co-existing with each other and it’s important that we are inclusive and understanding of one another – not just tolerant but that we embrace each other and welcome our differences. We are all in a position to change the community around us, as long as we keep our minds open, and learn to embrace change.”Inclusion is in Everything You Do Dr. Yanagawa acknowledges that the people you serve in our community will always be the top priority. He gets creative with the initiatives he is leading, and tries to make the various programs he operates fun. Doing so helps him find balance in his busy life and makes it an enjoyable use of time. Not only that, but Dr. Yanagawa believes that over time, the work put into DEI initiatives will make serving customers/patients/ students easier. Whatever your field of work, it will be strengthened by the inclusion of new people with unique backgrounds and perspectives.Dr. Yanagawa says, “Look for ways that feel less like work and more like fun. The sacrifices you will make will change lives – first and foremost, yours.”Final Words from Dr. Yanagawa“It takes a diverse group of people to take advantage of opportunities and to address the unknown,” explains Yanagawa, adding that diversity, equity and inclusion will play a vital role in the future. The future of medicine will surely integrate AI, genomic revolution, tissue regeneration, and other advances. For his part, he hopes that diversity initiatives continue in his field, as he believes they will lead to a truly robust group of healthcare professionals.Likewise, for any field, having a diverse group of individuals can only lead to great things. New discoveries will be uncovered due to new perspectives and ways of thinking; a new sense of trust within the community will grow as they see more people that share their ethnicity serving them; and more access for up-and-coming generations will allow them to dream bigger.Finally, Dr. Yanagawa believes that the lack of DEI in any field is “an issue of access not talent.” He believes that talent is evenly distributed in all communities – and having more DEI initiatives will provide access for more people from various ethnic backgrounds, making any organization more robust and capable of adapting.Talent is everywhere. Dr. Yanagawa urges us to be bold, to look for ways to nurture that talent and inspire the next generation to dream big have a real chance of achieving those dreams. Read more FacebookTweetPinLinkedIn
