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Our Research

DFM Research is dedicated to improving primary care and population health through research that is collaborative, community-engaged, and focused on real-world impact. The DFM Research Strategic Plan 2025–2028 builds on this work by setting out clear priorities to strengthen research excellence, advance primary care reform, and translate evidence into practice and policy. Grounded in commitments to equity, inclusion, anti-racism, and Indigenous reconciliation, the plan aligns with McMaster University’s research priorities and values. It also emphasizes strong partnerships, an inclusive research community, and sustainable systems that support meaningful and lasting improvements in health and health care.

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We embrace a culture of evidence-informed primary care by working to discover new knowledge and creating new ways to improve the health care patients receive — so that they may enjoy a life worth living on their terms.

Our research, which has informed the development of innovative systems of care and contributed knowledge leading to improved health outcomes, is regularly recognized with local, provincial, national and international awards for excellence.

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$40 million dollars of research funding in the past ten years

112 active research projects Learn More

Over 40 faculty members leading research projects Learn More

48 research staff, 28 students and 6 postdoctoral fellows participating in research Learn More

Research clusters

Shaping Policy

Policies are an influential element shaping health care delivery. We aim to shape policy through our research and consider the ethical and social implications of health policies to ensure the delivery of sensitive and responsive care.

Developing Primary Care Clinicians

The education and development of clinician trainees is an important part of DFM work and several faculty members are involved in researching how to do this more effectively. Research considers the development of the practicing primary care clinician, drawing attention to how they navigate difficult circumstances, enhance their skillset, and keep up to date.

Integrating Care into the Community across the Lifespan

We have a focus with delivering care to patients where they need it most, which is often in the community. This might mean meeting patients where they are, whether this is elderly people at home, in subsidised housing or in places of incarceration.

Matching Burden of Care with Capacity to Benefit

Established health system practices may not be the best use of resources for patients or for the system. Many of our researchers are considering scenarios that see a potentially high burden of care for a relatively low treatment benefit e.g., overdiagnosis, multimorbidity.

Cross-cutting values

Person-focused

Patient, family, and primary care clinician are the ‘person’ at the centre of the work we do, with particular attention to patient priorities and preferences in clinical care.

Data-informed

Data is important in describing, understanding and shaping practice patterns, the training of clinicians, and identifying places for improving efficiency, efficacy or safety of care.

Health equity-enhancing

Our researchers work to understand and alleviate health inequities experienced by many different types of equity-seeking groups, including racialized and Indigenous populations, gender-diverse and queer populations.