Sophia Myles PhD, MA, BA

Sophia Myles is an Assistant Professor at the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy (JSGS) at the University of Regina campus. She is also an Adjunct Professor in the School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences at Laurentian University, and Co-Lead of the Integrated Care Models Optimizing Scope policy theme at the Canadian Health Workforce Network.

Prior to joining JSGS, she held research appointments at the University of Ottawa, Athabasca University, and Memorial University of Newfoundland. She completed post-doctoral fellowships at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto as an embedded researcher with the Algoma Ontario Health Team, and in Social Accountability in Education and Health Systems at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine University. Her health sector experience includes consulting for national organizations such as the Federation of Medical Regulatory Authorities of Canada and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and serving on the Board of Directors of national and North American organizations such as the Justice Emmett Hall Memorial Foundation and the Coalition for Physician Enhancement.

Sophia’s research program aspires to contribute to the growing body of applied qualitative and mixed method health policy research, the results of which may impact health policy, services, systems, workforces, and professions in practice to achieve greater equity. Broadly, her work focuses on the pillars of regulation that both prepare and dictate how professionals get in the system, stay in the system, and navigate the system; structures, processes and outcomes at the macro, meso, and micro levels; and related factors, considerations and influences. She has a particular interest in occupational regulation, workforce development and enhancement emphasizing health professions, which may serve as an interdisciplinary case from which non-health professions may learn. Through her work, she hopes to expand and build capacity in a science of professional regulation.

Designations

• Interdisciplinary PhD in Rural and Northern Health (Health Policy specialization), Laurentian University
• Master of Arts in Political Science (Canadian Government and Politics), University of Windsor
• Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, University of Toronto

Research supervisory capacity will be updated in summer 2025.

Sophia’s research interests intersect social and health sciences. As a researcher in health policy, services, systems and workforce, her work has focused on professional regulation, scope of practice, health professions education (including accreditation of health profession education programs), social accountability, primary care, interprofessionalism, and underserved areas.

Sophia Myles has received funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, the College of Optometrists of Ontario, AMS Healthcare, and the Northern Ontario Academic Medicine Association.

Selected Research Funding

• “Strengthening Team-Based Care: Optimizing the Scope of Practice of Primary Care Nurses (“SCOPE PC-N”).” CIHR Project Grant: Fall 2024 and Spring 2025, 2025-2028, Role: Co-I
• “A balancing act: compassionate professional regulation, professional well-being and public safety.” SSHRC Insight Development Grant (February 2025 Competition), 2025-2027, Role: PI
• “Inclusive, Integrated and Enhanced Data & Digital Infrastructure Platforms for more Timely and Responsive Health Workforce Planning and Decision Making.” CIHR 2021 Project Grant Competition, 2021-2026, Role: Co-I
• “Strengthening the health workforce by scaling innovative solutions: Examining how best to organize, finance, manage and deliver health care to achieve the Quadruple Aim, improve equity, and accountability to patients, populations and providers.” CIHR Summer 2024 Planning and Dissemination Grant, ICS, 2024-2025, Role: PA
• “Co-Creating a pan-Canadian nursing regulation research agenda to achieve the quadruple aim and health equity.” CIHR Winter 2024 Planning and Dissemination Grant, ICS, 2024-2025, Role: Co-I
• “Policy Options for a Pan-Canadian Mental Health and Substance Use Health Workforce Strategy.” CIHR Catalyst Grant – Policy for Health System Transformation (Workforce Call), 2023-2025, Role: Co-I
• “Regulating Healthcare Professionals’ Ethical Challenges when Practising in a Digital Age.” College of Optometrists of Ontario Regulatory Research Award, 2023-2025, Role: Co-I
• “Exploring the Need for a Uniquely Different Approach in Northern Ontario: A Study of Socially Accountable Artificial Intelligence.” AMS Healthcare Small Grant in Compassion and Artificial Intelligence, 2022-2023, Role: Co-I

Journal Articles

• Myles, S., Mensour, C., Delaney, K.Z. & Cameron, E. (2025). Applying Quality and Equity Lenses to Advance Social Accountability in Medical Education. Education for Health, 38(2): 187–196. 
• Atanackovic, J., Bartram, M., Slipp, M., Myles, S., Bourgeault, I., Fraser, C. & Leslie, K. (2025). Policy Options for a Pan-Canadian Mental Health and Substance Use Health Workforce Strategy. Healthcare Management Forum: 8404704251329040.
• Slipp, M., Myles, S., Atanackovic, J., Garner, G., Bartram, M., Bourgeault, I.L. & Leslie K. (2025). Re-Imagining Approaches for Mental Health and Substance Use Health Workforce Regulation in Canada: Making Room for Dynamic Tensions. PLOS Mental Health, 2(3): e0000168.
• Braithwaite, S., Gilmer, C., Lukewich, J. & Myles, S. (2025). Registered Nurse Leadership in Primary Care: Embracing “Every Nurse a Leader.” Canadian Journal of Nursing Leadership, 37(SP): 133–141.
• Norful, A.A., Nikpour, J.A., Myles, S. & Lukewich, J. (2025). Theory-informed strategies to guide policy, practice, education, and research about RNs in primary care. Canadian Journal of Nursing Leadership, 37(SP): 14–26.
• Lukewich, J., Myles, S., Ryan, D., Braithwaite, S., Poitras, M-E., Curnew, D. & Mathews, M. (2025). Education for Registered Nurses in Primary Care: Current and Future Trends. Canadian Journal of Nursing Leadership, 37(SP), 27–40.
• Adams, T.L., Leslie, K., Myles, S. & Moraes, B. (2024). Regulating Professional Ethics in a Context of Technological Change. BMC Medical Ethics, 25(1): 143.
• Webber, J., Mulroney, E., Tatasciore, M., Smith, B., Duggan, P-J., Ferron, L. Albani, H., Feitelberg, B., Tenhagen, L. & Myles, S. (2024). Post-Pandemic Needs of Unpaid Family and Friend Caregivers to Effectively Continue Caregiving Duties in one Northern Ontario Health Authority. Patient Experience Journal, 11(3): 106-116.
• Anawati, A., Fleming, H., Mertz, M., Bertrand, J., Dumond, J., Myles, S., Ross, B., Lamoureux, D., Patel, D., Carrier, R. & Cameron, E. (2024). Artificial Intelligence and Social Accountability in the Northern and Rural Health Care Landscape: A Rapid Literature Review. PLOS Digital Health, 3(9):
• Atanackovic, J., Corrente, M., Myles, S., Ben-Ahmed, H.E., Urdaneta, K., Tello, K., Baczkowska, M. & Bourgeault, I. (2024). Cultivating a psychological health and safety culture for interprofessional primary care teams through a co-created evidence-informed toolkit. Healthcare Management Forum:
• Leslie, K., Myles, S., Alraja, A., Chiu, P., Nelson, S., Schiller, C. & Adams, T. (2024). Professional Regulation in the Digital Era: A Qualitative Case Study of Three Professions in Ontario, Canada. PLOS ONE, 19(5): e0303192.
• Myles, S., Leslie, K., Nelson, S. & Adams, T.L. (2023). Expanding Scope of Practice for Ontario Regulated Health Professionals During COVID-19. Health Reform Observer - Observatoire des Réformes de Santé, 11(1): Article 4.
• Leslie, K., Myles, S., Schiller, C., Alraja, A., Nelson, S. & Adams, T.L. (2023). Protecting the Public Interest while Regulating Health Professionals Providing Virtual Care: A Scoping Review. PLOS Digital Health, 2(4): e0000163.
• Leslie, K., Myles, S., Stahlke, S., Shelley, J., Cook, K., Schiller, C. J., Stephens, J. & Nelson, S. (April 2023). Regulating During Crisis: A Qualitative Comparative Case Study of Nursing Regulatory Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Nursing Regulation, 14(1): 30-41.
• Leslie, K., Myles, S., Adams, T.L., Schiller, C., Shelley, J. & Nelson, S. (2023). Regulating in the Public Interest When Professionals Provide Virtual Care: A Scoping Review Protocol. BMC Systematic Reviews,12(1): 31.
• Myles, S., Leslie, K., Adams, T.L. & Nelson, S. (January 2023). Regulating in the public interest: Lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare Management Forum, 36(1): 36-41.
• Myles, S.M., Wenghofer, E.F., Ellaway, R.H. & Yeo, M.T. (2022). Ontario Family Physicians’ Perspectives About their Scope of Practice: What is it, What Drives it and How Does it Change? BMC Primary Care, 23(1): 251.
• Wenghofer, E.F., Kam, S.M., Timony, P.E., Strasser, R.P. & Sutinen, J. (2018). Geographic Variation in Family Physician and General Practitioner Scope of Practice in Ontario: A Comparative Provincial Study. Canadian Family Physician, 64(6): e274-e282.
• Wenghofer, E.F. & Kam, S.M. (April 2017). Evolving Professional Regulation: Keeping Up with Health System Evolution. Healthcare Papers, 16(4): 30-35.
• Strasser, R.P., Kam, S.M. & Regalado, S.M. (March 2016). Rural Health Care Access and Policy in Developing Countries. Annual Review of Public Health, 37: 395-412.
• Wenghofer, E., Campbell, C., Marlow, B., Kam, S., Carter, L. & McCauley, W. (March 2015). The Effect of Continuing Professional Development on Public Complaints: A Case-Control Study. Medical Education, 49(3): 264-275.
• Wenghofer, E., Marlow, B., Campbell, C., Carter, L., Kam, S., McCauley, W & Hill, L. (June 2014). Relationship Between Physician Participation in Continuing Professional Development Programs and Physician In-Practice Peer Assessments. Academic Medicine, 89(6): 920-927.

Non-Peer Reviewed Publications

• Myles, S. & Wenghofer, E. Robust federal leadership needed for health workforce data collection and planning. The Hill Times. Published February 12, 2025.
• Wenghofer, E. & Kam, S. (April 2015). Physician Performance: One Size Fits All? CAME Voice/Voix.

Reports

• Leslie, K., Bartram, M., Atanackovic, J., Garner, G., Myles, S., Dunning, A., Summerville, C., Slipp, M., Fraser, C., Klaus, J. & Bourgeault, I. (2025). Toward a mental health and substance use health workforce strategy for Canada [summary report]. Ottawa: Canadian Health Workforce Network.
• Leslie, K., Myles, S., Adams, T.L., Schiller, C., Shelley, J., Lin, M., McCormick, A. & Nelson, S. (2021). Regulating professionals in virtual practice: Protecting the public interest in rapidly changing digital workplaces. SSHRC Knowledge Synthesis Grant Final Report.
• Kam, S., Bourgeault, I., Ng, V., Oandasan, I., Wenghofer, E. & Wilson, L. (2019). “Scope of Practice as a Tool to Describe Practice, Identify Learning Needs, and Plan CPD.” Theme 3 FMEC-CPD Working Group Report. 15 Pages in Campbell, C. & Sisler, J. on behalf of the FMEC-CPD Steering Committee. A Collective Vision for CPD in Canada – Continuing Professional Development for Physicians in Canada: A New Way Forward. Summary Report of the FMEC-CPD Project.

Curated Works

• Bourgeault, S. Myles & D. McMurchy. (2025). Compendium of Roles in Primary Care. Canadian Health Workforce Partners: Ottawa.