Dr. Philip Berger began his career at the SRCHC in 1978. He later was Medical Director of the Inner City Health Program at St. Michael’s Hospital, and Chief of its Department of Family and Community Medicine from 1997 to 2013. He is an Associate Professor Emeritus in the University of Toronto Department of Family and Community Medicine.

Dr. Berger has helped establish human rights related health organizations arising from his work with torture victims, refugees, people with HIV and drug users.

He is a founding member of the Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture, the Amnesty International Canadian Medical Network, and Maggie’s Safe Sex Project for Prostitutes.

From 2018 to 2022 he was Board Chair of Inner City Health Associates who provide medical services to homeless and precariously housed people across Toronto.

Dr. Berger is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and is a Senior Fellow of Massey College.

In 2010 Dr. Berger was appointed to the Order of Ontario and in 2020 was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Canada. In 2018 he was inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame.