Our vision of equitable and inclusive Family Medicine

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2021, Vol. 1 | Pour accéder à la version française de ce bulletin, cliquez ici.

COVID-19 UPDATES: Faculty of Medicine | uOttawa | Book a COVID-19 test

Message from the Chair

Family Medicine has an important role to play in promoting inclusion and equity in our communities of teachers, learners, researchers and patients. Truly effective primary care must identify and eliminate health inequities and barriers to access. Regardless of where you live, what language you speak, your age, race, culture sexual and gender identity, different abilities and disabilities - we all benefit from the care a family doctor provides. This is part of what makes a career in family medicine so exciting and rewarding. The DFM is committed to a vision of equitable and inclusive primary care, where our diversity is celebrated for making us stronger. From our recent discussions around our Strategic Plan, it is clear that we all share this vision. I hope you enjoy reading some stories from our department that highlight our work in this area. This includes the announcement of Dr. Lise Bjerre as the new uOttawa and Institut du Savoir Montfort Chair in Family Medicine, whose mandate includes a focus on our Francophone communities. Dr. Jonathan Fitzsimon's work in Renfrew County ensures that residents of a large, rural area have access to fast and quality healthcare services. Dr. Denice Lewis has proposed an anti-racism curriculum that address biases in how and what we teach future family doctors. We have also provided a list of tips to help make the ways we teach and work online more accessible and inclusive - many thanks to Dr. Peggy Kleinplatz for her input on these recommendations.

Do you have any other ideas or resources to share that can help achieve our vision of equity and inclusion? As always, I would love to hear from you.

STORIES IN FAMILY MEDICINE

Introducing the first-ever uOttawa and ISM Chair in Family Medicine

The Department of Family Medicine, the Institut du Savoir Montfort and the Fondation Montfort are proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Lise Bjerre to the new position of University of Ottawa and Institut du Savoir Montfort Chair in Family Medicine.

Read the announcement

Get to know Dr. Bjerre

My New Year's resolution? Be kind to myself

Dy: Dr. Julia Buthmann

New Year's Resolutions are (most often) based on the assumption that we are doing poorly and need to be more serious and self-disciplined in order to be better. So what if this year, we make our resolution about being compassionate to ourselves?

The Renfrew County Virtual Triage and Assessment Centre: an effective COVID-19 response and so much more

In March 2020, the Renfrew County Virtual Triage and Assessment Centre (VTAC) was launched to enhance access to necessary healthcare services during the pandemic for residents of the rural county. The DFM’s Dr. Jonathan Fitzsimon, clinical coordinator for the VTAC, recognizes the VTAC model as one that could readily translate to other remote, rural and under-serviced communities.

Promoting anti-racism in the Family Medicine curriculum

Our duties as physicians and medical educators include both a recognition of societal systemic racism and a commitment to promoting anti-racism in the ways we teach, conduct research and provide care. At the DFM Departmental Assembly on December 4, Dr. Denice Lewis, the DFM’s Postgraduate Curriculum and Academic Day Director, presented “A proposed post-graduate anti-racism curriculum.”

How to be more inclusive when working online

As we increasingly rely on web-based tools to teach, learn and communicate, it is important to consider what challenges and systemic barriers these tools may present to participants. We must always aim to be as inclusive as possible in our communications – just as our audiences are diverse, so are their needs and abilities.

Here are some tips

DEPARTMENTAL UPDATES

UNDERGRADUATE

Happy New Year to everyone!

Congratulations to our students recognized at the Faculty of Medicine Awards in Education.

Marijke Cowick, our Francophone coordinator, has returned from leave. Thanks to France Simonyi who worked with us over the past year.

POSTGRADUATE

The second CaRMS candidate webinar was on January 19.

CaRMS 2022 will also be virtual! Join our working group to ensure another successful match. Contact Kim Rozon.

View the presentation of the Resident Wellness Curriculum Survey and some ideas for resident wellness.

FACDEV

Become a DFM mentor!

Please complete our survey to express your interest in participating as a mentor (note: you are not making a firm commitment!).

There are many benefits to becoming a mentor - discover the top five reasons to become a DFM mentor.

Read more updates from our programs

8 IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS

1) Become a DFM Mentor

You are all already informal mentors to many colleagues and learners. We are now collecting a list of possible formal mentors to support DFM members. Please complete our survey to express your interest in participating as a mentor (note: you are not making a firm commitment!).

2) Join the DFM Community of Practice

Join your fellow DFM colleagues that are already part of a community supporting research and scholarship. The DFM Research Community of Practice (CoP) is a newly established group of DFM faculty members, residents and staff who share interests in family medicine, want to engage in collective learning, and collaborate on projects, grant applications, knowledge-sharing and creation, and much more! The group meets the first Thursday of every month from 10:00-11:30 am. Please contact Dr. Maddie Venables, Maddie.Venables@uottawa.ca / (613) 562-6262 ext. 2936 for more information.

The next meeting is Thursday, February 4 from 10:00 am-11:30am. Join online or dial (613) 209-3054; Meeting ID: 812 6023 6190; Password: 825576

3) We're Hiring!

The DFM is seeking a Full-Time Academic Physician, based at the Ottawa Hospital FHT (Riverside). Review of applications will continue until the position is filled. Contact hrdfm@uottawa.ca / 613-899-2576.

4) Reduce potentially inappropriate medications in your elderly patients

Join the SPIDER study, a national initiative that aims to reduce potentially inappropriate medication in elderly patients. There is no cost to you for participating, and the College of Family Physicians of Canada has certified our Launch Collaborative workshop for up to 9 MainPro⁺ credits.

5) Connect with Dr. Yoram Singer, visiting scholar

The DFM is pleased to welcome Dr. Yoram Singer, a family and palliative care physician who has joined the department for the next six months from Ben Gurion University at Beer Sheva in Israel. With nearly 40 years of experience in clinical work, teaching and research, Dr. Singer is interested in connecting with any DFM members who wish to share their knowledge and experience. Tune in to his presentation at Family Medicine Grand Rounds next Thursday!

6) Nominate your colleagues for a 2021 OCFP Award

The OCFP awards celebrate family medicine and the contributions of Ontario's family doctors. View the awards. Deadline: February 28. Contact: 1-800-670-6237 / ocfpspare@ocfp.on.ca.

7) Attend the OCFP Family Medicine Summit

The OCFP Family Medicine Summit (formerly the Annual Scientific Assembly or ASA) is being held virtuall over two days on January 30 and February 27. The DFM's Dr. Taylor Lougheed, Dr. Reena Dhatt and Dr. Andrea Moser are presenting. You can learn more and register online.

8) Get published in The Conversation Canada

The Conversation Canada is a daily independent online publication, delivering analysis and explanatory journalism from the academic and research community directly to the public. Visit their website, or check out their guide to getting started. To learn more, watch this recorded session with the Faculty of Medicine from November 2020.