Kathy Boutis

Senior Associate Scientist, Child Health Evaluative Sciences

Dr. Kathy Boutis earned her medical degree from the University of Toronto, followed by a residency in Pediatrics and a fellowship in Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard University. She subsequently completed a Master’s degree in Health Research Methodology at McMaster University. Dr. Boutis is an Emergency Physician and Senior Associate Scientist at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and Full Professor in the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Toronto. An accomplished clinician and medical education researcher, she is internationally recognized for her contributions to both fields. She has also served in key leadership roles, including Research Director and Vice-Chair of the Research Ethics Board. 

Academic Training

• 2004–2008: M.Sc., Health Research Methodology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
• 1998–2001: Paediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship, The Children's Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA 
•  1995–1997: Paediatric Residency, The Children's Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA 
• 1992–1994: Senior House Officer, London University, London England
• 1987–1991: MD, Doctor of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada 
• 1984–1988: B.Sc., Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada 

Research

Dr. Boutis has become an internationally recognized thought leader in paediatric emergency medicine, whose research on musculoskeletal injuries has challenged dogma and is transforming practice. She links her core research area to child abuse, radiation exposure, and how trainees learn. Her established work on learning curves and the interpretation of diagnostic images combines scholarship in education theory, decision-making, and implementation science and resulted in an innovative on-line learning platform called ImageSim.

In addition, Dr. Boutis has designed and evaluated innovative, theory-based learning interventions that enhance clinician expertise and reduce diagnostic error in the visual interpretation of medical images. Her established program of research on image interpretation and learning analytics integrates educational theory with clinical decision-making. As Research Director in the Division of Emergency Medicine, she also led the development and implementation of a cost-effective research infrastructure that streamlined patient enrollment into prospective studies—an approach now adopted at multiple sites across Canada and in diverse clinical settings.  

Education

Dr. Boutis is the co-founder and academic director of ImageSim CME, an accredited, award-winning web-based learning platform that helps health care professionals develop expertise in interpreting medical images. Thousands of clinicians around the world—including those in resource-limited settings—actively engage with authentic, image-based cases that reflect real-world diagnostic challenges, with the goal of achieving a performance-based standard of proficiency. 

Research Ethics

Dr. Boutis was appointed Vice-Chair of Research Ethics in 2015. In this role, she collaborated closely with the Research Ethics team to review submissions and guide decision-making within an evolving research landscape. Her scholarly work in research ethics includes publications on topics such as compensation for research participants and consent processes for recruitment into research studies. As the new Chair of the Research Ethics Board, her vision includes strengthening engagement, enhancing operational performance, and advancing ethical frameworks for emerging research areas such as genomics, artificial intelligence, and international data sharing. 

Achievements

• 2025: David Hawkins Lecturer in Health Sciences Research Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University
• 2020: John Ruedy Award for Innovation in Medical Education, The Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada  
• 2019: Continuing Medical Education Award, The Hospital for Sick Children 
• 2019: Fred Fallis Award in On-line Learning, University of Toronto 
• 2011: Physician Research Recognition Award, The Hospital for Sick Children and University of Toronto 
• 2009: National Terry Klassen Young Investigator Award, Paediatric Emergency Research Canada 

1. Radiograph-Negative Lateral Ankle Injuries in Children Occult Growth Plate Fracture or Sprain?. JAMA Pediatrics. 2016;170:e154114.
2. A Big Data and Learning Analytics Approach to Process-Level Feedback in Cognitive Simulations. Acad Med. 2017 Feb;92(2):175-184.  
3. Image interpretation: Learning analytics-informed education opportunities. AEM Educ Train. 2021 Apr 1;5(2):e10592 
4. A Target Population Derived Method for Developing a Competency Standard in Radiograph Interpretation. Teach Learn Med. 2022 Apr-May;34(2):167-177. 
5. Removable Boot vs Casting of Toddler's Fractures: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Pediatr. 2025 Apr 21;179(7):713-21. 

See a full list of Kathy Boutis' publications