Elizabeth Wenghofer

Dr. Elizabeth Wenghofer is a Full Professor at Laurentian University's School of Kinesiology & Health Sciences, with additional appointments at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine and as Research Director for the University of California San Diego Physician Assessment and Clinical Education (PACE) Program. She serves on the Medical Council of Canada's Governance & Nominating Committee and is a member of the editorial board of the Journal for Medical Regulation.

Dr. Wenghofer earned her BSc and MSc in Human Biology from the University of Guelph (1988-1994), followed by a PhD in Medical Sciences (Health Services Research) from the University of Toronto (2000-2004). Before joining Laurentian University in 2007, she spent over a decade leading research initiatives at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario.

Her primary research interests focus on physician performance and assessment, medical regulation, physician workforce, and program evaluation. Her work leverages big data to explore factors influencing physician performance, emphasizing the interactions between practice environments, continuing professional development, and medical regulation. She has partnered with numerous organizations including the Medical Council of Canada, the National Board of Medical Examiners (USA), the Federation of State Medical Boards (USA), and various Canadian provincial medical regulators.

Dr. Wenghofer's recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on physician assessment methodologies, regulatory frameworks, and workforce issues, with particular attention to rural practice settings and continuing competence throughout a physician's career. Her research increasingly incorporates big data approaches and cross-national comparisons.

Scientific Awards:

• Outstanding Women of Laurentian University Award (2022)
• International Medical University's Ron Harden Award for Innovation in Medical Education (2020)
• Faculty of Health Top 10 Researchers (2016-17)
• Faculty of Health Top 10 Researchers (2015-16)
• Faculty of Health Research Excellence Award (2015)

Dr. Wenghofer teaches and supervises graduate students in the Interdisciplinary PhD in Rural and Northern Health and Masters in Interdisciplinary Health programs. Her research collaborations span multiple continents, working with medical regulatory authorities across Canada, the United States, and internationally to advance evidence-based approaches in healthcare regulation and policy. She has been particularly active in investigating the relationships between performance, practice environment, and continuing competence throughout physicians' careers.