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Friday, November 17, 2023 - Medicine Matters

On behalf of Dr. Trudy Taylor and the Continuing Professional Development Committee, we look forward to your participation in Medicine Matters on Friday, November 17, 2023. Itinerary to follow closer to the date. Hope to see you there.

Time: 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Location: Collaborative Health Education Building (CHEB)

Contact: Tammy.Zoccole@nshealth.ca

Thursday, November 23, 2023 - DoM Research Evening

Please join us for Research Evening on November 23, 2023. This event will include dinner and presentations.

The Commons Room has a maximum capacity of 120, so please RSVP early to ensure you have a seat! Please let Dariush know (domresearch@nshealth.ca) if you have any food restrictions or allergies.

Time: 6 - 9 p.m.

Location: Commons Room at the Atlantica Hotel (1980 Robie St., Halifax, NS B3H 3G5)

RSVP: domresearch@nshealth.ca

Nov 30 - Dec 2

Central Zone Players Holiday Show 2023

Special recognition goes to Dr. Gord Gubitz, a dedicated and energizing member of the department, for his ongoing involvement with Central Zone Players. Dr. Gubitz is Head - Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University / Nova Scotia Health as well as Clinical Lead - NS Health MAiD Access and Resource Team.

The Central Zone Players are back with a brand new original holiday show for you: 

It’s A Treasure Chest Christmas!

'The Treasure Chest' is a worn-out community hall that has been recently purchased by Jacques Le Pénombre in yet another holiday money-making scheme. Come and find out what happens when his one-of-a-kind patrons don’t get what they were promised. Who will walk the proverbial plank? Join us as we hoist our sails on another fun-filled, action-packed, holiday-themed musical production!

Do not miss out.

Show Times:

November 30th - December 2nd at 7:30pm, with a 2pm Matinee on Saturday, December 2nd.

Location:

Alderney Landing Theatre in Dartmouth, NS

Cost:

Ticket Price is $17.50 plus fees

Tickets ON SALE NOW!! Click the link to grab yours! 

https://alderneylanding.ticketpro.ca/en/pages/CZP?aff=alt

AND… 

Celtic Corner has yet again offered 10% off to ticket holders to our show for the run from Nov. 30th - Dec. 2nd! We are thankful for their partnership. They are located at 69 Alderney Dr, Dartmouth - right across the street from the Alderney Theatre.

AND...

The Wooden Monkey (Dartmouth location) has offered 15% off to ticket holders to our show, It’s a Treasure Chest Christmas, for the run from Nov. 30th - Dec. 2nd! We are also thankful for their partnership. They are located at 40 Alderney Dr, Unit #305, Dartmouth - inside Alderney Landing! They are above the ferry terminal, in the same building as the Alderney Theatre.

Thursday, November 30, 2023 - CMA Award Nominations Due

Nominate a colleague for a Canadian Medical Association (CMA) Award by November 30.

https://www.cma.ca/get-involved/awards/how-nominate-someone-cma-award

Friday, December 1, 2023 - DNS Award Nominations Due

Nominate a colleague for a Doctors Nova Scotia (DNS) Award by December 1.

https://doctorsns.com/news-events/annual-conference/achievement-awards/categories

Thursday, December 7, 2023 - DoM Holiday Celebration

Hope you can join us for refreshments and holiday cheer in celebration of the festive season.

Time: 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Location: Prince George Hotel

RSVP: Tammy.Zoccole@nshealth.ca

December 31 - Learning Management System (LMS)

Mandatory learning courses to be completed annually online through Nova Scotia Health.

https://elearning.nshealth.ca/

(Login to view your course list; complete by December 31 annually)

Mini Medical School 2024: SAVE THE DATE

The Mini Medical School will hold it's 18^th season beginning January 24 weekly until March 13, 2024.

There will be 8 virtual, complimentary, up-to-date, and evidence-based sessions from clinical experts at Dalhousie Faculty of Medicine.

Join over 1000 attendees across North America and beyond. Please tell your friends about this wonderful program.

Stay tuned for further details.

https://medicine.dal.ca/departments/core-units/cpd/programs/mini-medical-school.html

DoM NSH SharePoint Site - DoM Contacts List

In order to be informed about staff changes and current staff members, please visit the Department of Medicine NSH SharePoint Site. The site is updated on an ongoing basis. For any questions or changes, please contact Anne Veinotte, anne.veinotte@nshealth.ca.

https://novascotia.sharepoint.com/sites/Health-DeptMed/

(NSH login required; DoM members only)

September

• Suzanne Marshall joined the DoM as our Manager in the Education Office. Suzanne has a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Education, and a Master of Education degree all from Memorial University. She has a wealth of experience to bring to this role including her most recent job as the Administrator for a large Canadian not for profit organization. Suzanne has worked as a recruiter for international teachers, responsible for all facets including qualification assessments, interviewing, facilitation of visa applications and facilitating recruitment events. Suzanne is also an educator and taught junior high school for 7 years in St. John’s as well as Korea. Suzanne's contact information is suzanne.marshall@nshealth.ca or 902-473-2253.

October

• Please join me in congratulating Ify Ezemenari (pronounced: ai - phee) on her promotion to the Manager role in the department. Ify has been working with us as the Assistant Manager since April and we are excited to work with her in this new role. Ify will continue to work closely with Cara Yee and me (Denise Hatchette) to support and develop our administrative teams and processes. Recruitment is currently underway for the Assistant Manager role and I will advise once that is filled. Ify brings a wealth of experience to this role. Prior to joining NSH, Ify was an HR business partner and advisor to two local companies where she developed new programs to grow recruitment activities and find operational efficiencies. Originally from Lagos, Nigeria, Ify holds a BSc in Mathematics and has worked in a variety of human resource, customer service and program administration roles. Ify currently lives in Halifax with her husband and three children. She is a high-energy morning person and enjoys cooking from scratch, doing crafts with her daughter, taking long walks, and supporting her children in their various sport activities!  Ify will be responsible for the following divisions: Dermatology, Infectious Diseases, General Internal Medicine, Neurology, Geriatrics, Digestive Care and Endoscopy and Endocrinology. Ify’s contact information is Ify.Ezemenari@nshealth.ca or 902-240-4095. Congratulations Ify!

Recently started

• Maureen Iloduba, Administrative Assistant, Digestive Care & Endoscopy

• Siony Neale, Administrative Assistant, Digestive Care & Endoscopy left the Division for another opportunity at the end of October.

In the September newsletter, the following members were reported as starting academic only appointments in August 2023. Please note these corrected start dates:

• Dr. Jason MacDonald – appointment started July 2017 (recently renewed)
• Dr. Andrew Baird – appointment started January 2020 (recently renewed)
• Dr. Remigius Agu – cross appointment started January 2021
• Dr. Baroudi Fashir – appointment started September 2022
• Dr. Najala Orrell – appointment started September 2022
• Dr. Shruthi Peechara – appointment started November 2022
• Dr. Erin Westby – appointment started May 2023
• Dr. Eslam Abdellah – appointment started July 2023

In the October newsletter, Dr. Bashar Moghrabi was listed as Division of Cardiology but should have been listed with General Internal Medicine (appointment renewal, started July 2020).

The following announced appointments were renewals instead of new appointments:

• Dr. Nicole Maillet-Lebel (started July 2019)
• Dr. Alaa Mohamed (started July 2020)
• Dr. Maude Landry (started September 2020)
• Dr. Pierre O'Brien (started July 2020)

Connie Tone retired from the Department of Medicine as our Billing Manager on March 31, 2021. We are very sad to say that Connie has passed away.

Connie was an incredibly hard worker who did tremendous work for the DoM. Connie had many talents and skills, she was funny, kind and brave. She will be deeply missed. 

Here is the link to her obituary:

https://walkerfh.com/tribute/details/3380/Connie-Tone/obituary.html

Dr. Chris Gray is finishing his second term as the Director of Education for the DoM. I want to thanks Dr. Gray for his leadership in this role over his terms. Dr. Shelly McNeil, our Deputy Department Head Academic will be absorbing this role as part of her portfolio.

Dr. Shelly McNeil completed her medical education and internal medicine residency at Dalhousie University followed by a three-year fellowship in Infectious Diseases at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Dr. McNeil returned to Dalhousie in 2000 and is currently Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics and Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Nova Scotia Health Authority. Dr. McNeil is a Clinician Scientist and Deputy Director of the Canadian Center for Vaccinology where her research focuses on immunization policy and program evaluation, the evaluation of the epidemiology of vaccine-preventable diseases in adults with a focus on the elderly, assessment of the effectiveness of vaccines in the prevention of serious outcomes in adults and clinical trials of new vaccines targeted at adolescent and adult populations. She is the Principal Investigator of the Serious Outcomes Surveillance Network of the Canadian Immunization Research Network (CIRN), past Chair of Immunize Canada and a past member of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI). Dr. McNeil is currently the Senior Medical Director of COVID Planning and Implementation for Nova Scotia Health and was recently appointed the of Deputy Department Head Academics for DoM.

We are happy to announce that Dr. Harrison Petropolis has accepted the position of Interim MTU Director. Dr. Petropolis is an enthusiastic and dedicated medical educator and we are really looking forward to the opportunity of working with him in his new role. 

Dr. Petropolis is currently in a locum position as an assistant professor with the Department of Medicine in the Division of Digestive Care and Endoscopy. He is very involved in the medical school as an elective supervisor, lecturer, and a highly ranked tutor. Dr. Petropolis is currently an active member of the Department of Medicine Undergraduate Medical Education Committee, DC&E Residency Program Committee as well as the Canadian Association of Gastroenterology Artificial Intelligence Workout Group. 

Outside of the hospital, Dr. Petropolis is an avid cyclist and despite a busy clinical practice and while managing his son’s basketball team, he was able to cycle over 10,000 km in 2022 and is on track to break that record in 2023. 

We would like to acknowledge the hard work and many accomplishments made on the MTU by Dr. Nabha Shetty during her tenure as MTU Director. The MTU has evolved and expanded over the past 3 years and we look forward to continued progress as we strive to maintain an excellent teaching environment for our learners and continue to provide outstanding clinical care for all our patients.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Petropolis to the role of Interim MTU Director.

Sincerely,

Drs. Christine Short, Steven Gruchy and Shelly McNeil

To help further the work of the strategic plan, we are focusing on strengthening our toolkit to improve culture and conflict in our workplace. Content submitted by Diane LeBlanc, Basia Solarz and Brennan Dempsey.

Managing Fight or Flight Responses

Working in healthcare is undeniably stressful, often triggering intense emotional reactions.

This is often the case with leadership in the healthcare system as well. While it's important to regulate our emotions, our instinctive fight or flight responses - evolved to handle threats - can sometimes take over. In the past, this response helped our ancestors survive by fleeing or hiding from predators. In the present, it kicks in when we sense workplace threats and our bodies flood with stress hormones making us hyper-alert. Continuous exposure to these stressors can lead to health issues like hypertension, which makes it crucial for leaders to manage these responses effectively.

There are evidence-based methods to reduce this risk and help people control their emotions in high-pressure situations. Improving emotion regulation not only promotes personal well-being but also protects our ability to think rationally, leading to better decision-making when responding to stressful situations. For instance, practicing mindful observation enhances our awareness of non-verbal cues, such as facial expressions. Regular mindfulness sharpens our ability to stay present, allowing us to discern even subtle emotional signs. This enables us to actively listen, ask relevant questions, and express empathy, which can reduce fight or flight reactions.

Fostering a supportive team environment is equally vital. Open discussions about challenges and shared experiences can alleviate emotional burdens. Peer support and mentorship programs create avenues for physicians to learn from each other, enhancing their ability to navigate complex situations. Additionally, integrating training programs focused on emotional intelligence and non-verbal communication skills equips healthcare professionals to interpret cues and situations accurately, even amidst stress-induced fight or flight responses.

Thank you to our goblins, ghosts and spooktacular department members who participated in our Halloween costume contest.

Three administrative groups (pictured below) will receive a pizza party for their participation and best costumes! The department will contact the winning teams.

Winners of the 2023 DoM Halloween Costume Contest

Dr. Taylor receives

Young Alum of the Year Award

The Dalhousie Medical Alumni Association presented Dr. Trudy Taylor, Rheumatologist, with the DMAA Young Alum of the Year Award in October 2023.

"You have provided tremendous support in our community and education system, and we want to celebrate and thank you for your contributions."

This award recognizes a Dalhousie Medical School graduate in the first ten years of their career who has made a significant contribution to Dalhousie Medical School, other medical schools, or their community. This contribution can be in clinical practice, teaching, research, or public service.

Congratulations Dr. Taylor!

Dr. Kaiser receives

Dr. Robert Volpé Distinguished Service Award

Dr. Stephanie Kaiser, Professor of Medicine, was very honoured to have received the 2023 Dr. Robert Volpé Distinguished Service Award at the Canadian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism Annual Conference.

"Awarded to a senior member of CSEM (Canadian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism) who has made a significant contribution to the Society and the discipline of Endocrinology in at least two of the following areas: research, education, or clinical service."

This year also marked the 50^th anniversary celebration of the CSEM which held the first meeting in January 1973. Our own Dr. Carl Abbott was one of the founding members of the CSEM and Dr. Robert Volpe was the first President of the CSEM.

Stephanie M Kaiser, MD, FRCPC

Professor of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology

Dalhousie University/QEII HSC

Great Achievements in Cardiology!

1000 TAVR cases completed

Congratulations to the Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) Team for completing 1000 transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) cases on October 17, 2023.

It has been a tremendous multidisciplinary team effort. The program has successfully faced and worked through multiple challenges. It has been truly a team effort to work through a significantly high risk patient population with multiple co-morbidities and to achieve excellent results which are comparable to any center.

Congratulations to all the team members. Well done!

Ata ur Rehman Quraishi MBBS, FCPS, FACC

Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University

Head, Division of Cardiology

Dr. Charles Kerr Award

Congratulations to Dr. Karen Ho for receiving the Charles Kerr Award (pictured above) from the Canadian Cardiovascular Society Academy!

The Dr. Charles Kerr Award was created in 2017 in honor of Dr. Charles Kerr who passed away the same year. This new annual CCSA award seeks not only to honor the memory and actions of Dr. Kerr as a humanitarian but to acknowledge those residents who personify his ideals and embody the same commitment to helping others. It is given annually to up to three residents that epitomize Charlie’s goals for the cardiovascular community and strive to embody his legacy through encouraging and advocating for those in need of assistance or support.

https://ccs.ca/dr-charles-kerr-award/

Women in Cardiovascular Medicine/Science Mentorship Award

Congratulations to Dr. Ratika Parkash for receiving the Women in Cardiovascular Medicine/Science Mentorship Award at the Canadian Cardiovascular Society on October 26, 2023.

This award is in recognition of women in cardiovascular medicine/science who are outstanding mentors to junior women in cardiovascular medicine/science.

Shared on behalf of:

Ata ur Rehman Quraishi MBBS, FCPS, FACC

Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University

Head, Division of Cardiology

New App - YourHealthNS

Launched November 1, YourHealthNS is a new app that helps Nova Scotians better navigate the healthcare system – it is a one-stop shop to book services, navigate care, and find information easier and faster.

Key features of this first-of-its-kind app for Nova Scotia include:

• home screen that can be personalized with information most important to the individual
• ability to book blood tests, X-rays, flu shots and COVID-19 vaccine appointments
• search tool to find the nearest health services
• predicted emergency department wait times
• access to vaccination records
• access to free, same-day virtual care
• the option to chat with a care navigator to help find the best service or information needed and, if appropriate, direct people to a virtual care visit.

For more information about YourHealthNS: https://www.yourhealthns.ca/

Excerpts from:

https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20231101001

Download PDF

Image from virtual tour

DoM Research Week 2024 - Call for Abstracts

Open to all DoM Faculty, Residents, Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students, Research Fellows, and Research Staff

The DoM Research Committee invites you to submit an abstract for consideration for DoM Research Week 2024. Please share with your trainees and research groups as needed. 

1. Please complete the Abstract Submission Form
2. Return it to DoMResearch@nshealth.ca by Monday, January 15, 2024.

As noted on the form, please keep the body of the abstract no more than 20 lines of text (Times New Roman, size 10, within the form margins), as this is the maximum amount that will be displayed in the abstract booklet. Late submissions will not be accepted.

DoM Research Week will be taking place in the week of April 8 - 12, 2024.

It is anticipated that this event will have in-person and virtual components.

Kindest regards, 

Dariush Bakhtiari, PhD

Research Program Administrative Coordinator | Department of Medicine

Quality Summit – Central Zone Update

In October, four in-person quality summits were held across the province - one in each zone. The Central Zone Quality Summit took place on October 3, 2023 at The Lord Nelson Hotel.

The Quality Summit is a key part of creating a culture of quality improvement in Central Zone and across NS Health. Presenting teams are at various stages of their quality improvement journey and implementation of their initiatives. There were a total of 10 oral presentations, with participant teams and audience members from a diverse background ranging from physicians, allied health, and health administration.

Those interested in more information or who wish to participate in next year’s Quality Summit are directed to: https://intra.nshealth.ca/summit/SitePages/Home.aspx

Dr. Ferhan Siddiqi

Director of Quality; Chair, DOM Quality Improvement Steering Committee

Mental Health & Well-Being

Department of Medicine

Nova Scotia Health

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