Rayfel Schneider

Project Director, SickKids Research Institute

U of T Positions

Professor, Department of Paediatrics

Chair Positions

• Chair, Medical Education Advisory Committee, Department of Paediatrics 
• Chair, Subspecialty Program Directors’ Committee, Department of Paediatrics 
• Co-Chair, Resident and Fellow Research Day Planning Committee, Department of Paediatrics 

Rayfel Schneider has held a number of leadership positions in the Department of Paediatrics, including Director of Undergraduate Medical Education, Division Chief, and Training Program Director of Paediatric Rheumatology. From 2007-2021, he was the Associate Chair for Medical Education, overseeing all educational activities in the Department of Paediatrics. He has won numerous departmental, university and national teaching awards, and was recently the recipient of the Paediatric Chairs of Canada Educational Leadership Award (2013), the University of Toronto Mickle Fellowship Award for long-term contributions to postgraduate education (2014), the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario Council Award (2019), and the Canadian Rheumatology Association Distinguished Educator Award (2020).

His major clinical and academic focus is juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) with a specific interest in the most severe subtype, systemic JIA and one of its most serious complications, macrophage activation syndrome. His research has focused on prognosis, outcome and clinical treatment trials.

Education

• 1980: M.B.B.Ch., University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
• 1984: Qualifying Examination, Medical Council of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario
• 1987: FRCPC, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario
• 1989: Diplomat, American Board of Paediatrics
• 1988: McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
• 1991: Harvard Medical School, New Pathways in General Medical Education (1 week course), Boston, Massachusetts
• 2009: University of Toronto, Rothman School of Management, Executive Leadership Program, Toronto, Ontario

Experience

• 1989–1996: Assistant Professor of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
• 1989–1991: Associate Staff, Centre for Studies in Medical Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
• 1989–1998: Director, Undergraduate Medical Education, Department of Paediatrics University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
• 1996–2012: Associate Professor of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
• 1997–Present: Member, Wilson Centre for Research in Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
• 2000–2007: Paediatric Rheumatology Residency Program Training Director, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Toronto, Ontario
• 2007–Present: Associate Chair, Education, Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
• 2012–Present: Professor, Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto
• 2016–Present: Chair, Fellowship Education Advisory Committee, University of Toronto
• 1981: Mixed Internship, Johannesburg Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa
• 1982–1983: Senior House Officer in Paediatrics, Johannesburg and Baragwanath Hospitals, Johannesburg, South Africa
• 1983: Registrar in Paediatrics, Johannesburg General Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa
• 1983–1984: Core I Paediatric Resident, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario
• 1984–1985: Core II Paediatric Resident, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario
• 1985–1986: Senior Paediatric Resident, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario
  1986–1987: Chief Resident in Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario
• 1987–1989: Clinical Fellow in Paediatric Rheumatology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario
• 1989–1999: Active Staff, Division of General Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario
• 1990–Present: Active Staff, Division of Rheumatology, The Hospital for Sick Children Toronto, Ontario
• 1990–1992: Active Staff, Paediatric Medical Orthopaedic Clinic, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario
• 1997–1998: Acting Division Chief, Division of Paediatric Rheumatology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario
• 1998–2007: Division Chief, Division of Paediatric Rheumatology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario
• 2002–Present: Project Director, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children Toronto, Ontario
• 1990–Present: Paediatric Consultant, The Bloorview MacMillan Medical Centre, Toronto, Ontario
• 1996–Present: Paediatric Consultant, Health Sciences North (previously known as Sudbury Regional Hospital), Sudbury, Ontario
• 2008–Present: Temporary Courtesy and Neonatal Intensive Care Privileges, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario

Achievements

• 1987: Wyeth Award for Excellence in Paediatrics, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.
• 1987: Clinical Fellowship Award, The Arthritis Society of Canada.
• 1987: Loewen, Ondaatje, McCutcheon Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching by a Senior Resident, The Hospital for Sick Children.
• 1988: Clinical Fellowship Award, The Arthritis Society of Canada.
• 1991–1992: Nominated, University of Toronto, W.T. Aikins Award for Excellence in Teaching in the Category of Course Coordination and Development.
• 1993–1994: University of Toronto, W.T. Aikins Award for Excellence in Teaching in the Category of Course Coordination and Development.
• 1996: The Association of Canadian Medical Colleges, Young Educator's Award - "to recognize an individual who has made a significant contribution to innovations in medical education in Canada".
• 1997: Nominated for the Department of Paediatrics Award for Excellence in Paediatric Clinical Care.
• 1998: University of Toronto, Dean A.L. Chute Award (The Silver Shovel) for Excellence in Overall Teaching in Second, Third and Fourth Years.
• 1998: Clerkship Teaching Award, Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, for Excellence in Clerkship Training.
• 1999: PERLS Teaching Award by Paediatric Residents, University of Toronto.
• 2000: RHA Haslam Preclerkship Teaching Award, Department of Paediatrics, for Excellence in Preclerkship Teaching.
• 2001: Runner-Up for the Department of Paediatrics Subspecialty Education Award.
• 2003: Runner-Up for the Department of Paediatrics Fellowship Subspecialty Education Award.
• 2004: The Department of Pediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Richard Rowe Award for Clinical Excellence.
• 2005: The Department of Pediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, The Claus Wirsig Humanitarian Award.
• 2007: University of Toronto, Dafna Gladman Award, for sustained and outstanding contributions to the University of Toronto Division of Rheumatology as Program Director, Paediatric Rheumatology Residency Training Program.
• 2008: Ontario Hospital Association Ted Freedman Award for Innovation in Education for Advanced Clinical Practitioner in Arthritis Care (ACPAC) Program.
• 2012: Nominated for the The Hospital for Sick Children Medical Staff Association Citizenship Award.
• 2012: Nominated for the American College of Rheumatology Distinguished Fellowship Program Director Award.
• 2013: First Runner-Up for the first annual Faculty Mentorship Award for Excellence in Faculty Mentorship.
• 2013: Nominated for The Hospital for Sick Children President’s Award.
• 2013: Paediatric Academic Leadership – Clinical Educator Award (awarded by the Paediatric Chairs of Canada).
• 2013: Runner-up for the Department of Paediatrics Faculty Mentorship Award – The Hospital for Sick Children.
• 2014: Charles Mickle Fellowship Award – University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine.
• 2014: Runner-up for the Department of Paediatrics Faculty Mentorship Award – The Hospital for Sick Children.
• 2015: Department of Paediatrics, Faculty Mentorship Award – The Hospital for Sick Children.
• 2017: MSA Citizenship Award – The Hospital for Sick Children.
• 2019: The College of Physicians and Surgeon Council Award
• 2020: Canadian Rheumatology Association Teacher - Educator Award for outstanding contributions to teaching and education in Canada.

1. Chhabra, A., Oen, K., Huber, A. M., Shiff, N. J., Boire, G., Benseler, S. M., Berard, R. A., Scuccimarri, R., Feldman, B. M., Lim, L., Barsalou, J., Bruns, A., Cabral, D. A., Chédeville, G., Ellsworth, J., Houghton, K., Lang, B., Morishita, K., Rumsey, D. G., Rosenberg, A. M., … ReACCh-Out Investigators (2020). Real-World Effectiveness of Common Treatment Strategies for Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Results From a Canadian Cohort. Arthritis care & research 2020
2. Angeles-Han, S. T., Ringold, S., Beukelman, T., Lovell, D., Cuello, C. A., Becker, M. L., Colbert, R. A., Feldman, B. M., Holland, G. N., Ferguson, P. J., Gewanter, H., Guzman, J., Horonjeff, J., Nigrovic, P. A., Ombrello, M. J., Passo, M. H., Stoll, M. L., Rabinovich, C. E., Sen, H. N., Schneider, R., … Reston, J. (2019). 2019 American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation Guideline for the Screening, Monitoring, and Treatment of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis-Associated Uveitis. Arthritis & rheumatology (Hoboken, N.J.), 2019
3. Ringold, S., Angeles-Han, S. T., Beukelman, T., Lovell, D., Cuello, C. A., Becker, M. L., Colbert, R. A., Feldman, B. M., Ferguson, P. J., Gewanter, H., Guzman, J., Horonjeff, J., Nigrovic, P. A., Ombrello, M. J., Passo, M. H., Stoll, M. L., Rabinovich, C. E., Schneider, R., Halyabar, O., Hays, K., … Reston, J. (2019). 2019 American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation Guideline for the Treatment of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Therapeutic Approaches for Non-Systemic Polyarthritis, Sacroiliitis, and Enthesitis.Arthritis & rheumatology (Hoboken, N.J.), 2019
4. Shenoi, S., Nanda, K., Schulert, G. S., Bohnsack, J. F., Cooper, A. M., Edghill, B., Gillispie-Taylor, M. C., Goldberg, B., Halyabar, O., Mason, T. G., Ronis, T., Schneider, R., Vehe, R. K., Onel, K., & Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Workgroup (2019). Physician practices for withdrawal of medications in inactive systemic juvenile arthritis, Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) survey. Pediatric rheumatology online journal, 2019
5. Saper, V. E., Chen, G., Deutsch, G. H., Guillerman, R. P., Birgmeier, J., Jagadeesh, K., Canna, S., Schulert, G., Deterding, R., Xu, J., Leung, A. N., Bouzoubaa, L., Abulaban, K., Baszis, K., Behrens, E. M., Birmingham, J., Casey, A., Cidon, M., Cron, R. Q., De, A., … Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance Registry Investigators (2019). Emergent high fatality lung disease in systemic juvenile arthritis.Annals of the rheumatic diseases, 2019