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Chair's Message

On behalf of the Department of Family Medicine, I would like to extend a warm welcome to our incoming residents as they start their training this month. 

We hosted our new residents at an Orientation on June 29^th and provided an overview of the program. Dr. Ed Seale, our PG Director and Kim Rozon, Education Manager, were available to provide information and insights on what to expect as the residents begin their training. Later in the day, the new residents were excited to participate in a Postgrad Bootcamp, where they had an opportunity to attend 4 workshops of their choice. Led by Dr. Shauna Bassel and other faculty members, residents learned about effective clinical documentation, handover pearls, consent, declaration, prescribing and much more. The residents had many questions during the “Ask me Anything” panels.

It was an amazing opportunity for new residents to meet each other along with members of the department while enjoying a day of learning and socializing.



Our units also held site-specific orientations and gave a warm welcome to many new faces.

With the arrival of summer, we would like to remind faculty and staff about some important upcoming events:

On Monday, September 25^th, in honour of Truth and Reconciliation week, our department is hosting a half-day event: Department of Family Medicine’s Learning Circle in Recognition of the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. This will be the first part of the ABC Leadership series. Event information and registration will be coming soon!

Planning is underway for our Annual Faculty Retreat. We welcome faculty to attend from Friday, October 27^th – Sunday, October 29^th at the Fairmont Montebello, and join in the Annual Departmental Assembly, Part II of the ABC Leadership series, educational and poster sessions, and a Halloween-themed dinner party, along with numerous leisure activities! Registration will open soon.

The Department of Family Medicine is continuing its ongoing recruitment efforts for physicians interested in a full-time career in an Academic Family Health Team at Bruyère, Riverside and Montfort. If you have a passion for advancing the discipline of Family Medicine, are interested in broadening your involvement within primary care, and thrive in an inter-disciplinary environment, please consider applying. Please share these job postings with your networks. They will be posted until the positions are filled.

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer.

Congratulations are in order for 2 of our residents that placed 1^st and 2^nd in this year’s Practice-Based Learning Program (PBLP) Family Medicine Residents Award. The purpose of this award is to recognize an outstanding scholarly project by FM Residents in the area of small group learning through research, quality improvement, or education program development. A heartfelt congratulations to the following University of Ottawa winners:

• Top Winners: Drs. Mariela Fleury de Marquez and Leila Badr (nominated by Dr. Alan Ng, Assistant Professor)
• 2nd Place: Drs. Sean To and Jonathan Zeng

Star Tools - Looking for New Recruits!

Our family doctors have a variety of hidden talents! Over the years, many of you may have come to know of Star Tools, with its current and former members.

The Star Tools began their "career" by winning a talent contest at the Queensway Carleton hospital in 1978, posing as a 50-60's Rock’n’roll band.  They were then asked to perform again at a fundraiser, and before long, they were performing at the Press Club, then at RnR dances throughout the Ottawa Valley and Western Quebec, always in support of charities. They were featured in a 2 page photo article in the National Enquirer and many other magazines and newspapers. To date, they have helped to fundraise over $3 million.

In support of the Diefenbunker, Canada's Cold War Museum, they put together an album of oldies called "Blastorama" and sold all 500 CDs in the ealy 2000s.

More recently, they put together a short collection of songs (including one referring to Covid 19 for NAPCRG, which had to be held virtually). However, the pandemic otherwise forced them to hang up their guitars, and they are only now putting things back together.  

Several members have retired from the band, leaving in place Dr. Bill Hogg (drummer), Dr. Doug Mirsky (guitar), Dr. Ray Dawes (bass) and Dr. Barry Bruce (lead vocals). 

They are recruiting now, hoping that there are other physicians who would consider auditioning for a vocal and/or instrumental role.

If you are interested in continuing the tradition, please contact Dr. Barry Bruce at 1team4health@gmail.com. 

uO Medical Choir

On December 1^st, 2022, the Community Wellness Pitch, Singing for the Soul, represented by Dr. Erika Tanner, won 1^st Prize at the DFM’s Dragons’ Den. The prize consisted of a $2,500 grant that was used to found the uOttawa Medical Choir. Recruitment and choir practices began in January 2023 with a core group of faculty and residents meeting weekly.

The choir’s hard work culminated in a special performance at the June 2^nd New Faculty Orientation, to the surprise and delight of those in attendance.

“We completed our season performing a concert of six pieces including Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen, The Lion Sleeps Tonight with featured soloist Eoghan OShea, and Fireworks by Katy Perry. Our esteemed accompanist on piano and guitar was Alan Ng. We thank our medical student members for their soprano and alto leadership and beautiful voices and hope to welcome new voices next season.” – Dr. Erika Tanner

Mark your calendars for the first rehearsal of the choir’s second season that will be taking place on Thursday, September 14, from 6:00-7:30pm, at 600 Peter Morand, Room 103. For more information, please contact: erika.lee.tanner@gmail.com.