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Dal DoM logo (2022 version)

DoM Monthly Newsletter


November / December 2022

Coming soon ... a formal introduction about our new logo!

In this update:

View previous updates

The SHORT Report

Member Updates

  • Welcome / Farewell
  • Recruitment
  • Divisional Survey / Searches

Intentions vs. Impacts

  • Communication Tip from Diane LeBlanc, Basia Solarz and Brennan Dempsey

Continuing Professional Development Updates

  • A Focus on EDI and Clinical Pearls at Medicine Matters 2022
  • DoM Teach the Teachers 2023 – Registration Open

Education Office Updates

  • Dr. Ian Epstein – Reflections on a Decade of Leadership in Postgraduate Medical Education
  • Dr. Lori Connors becomes Program Director for Core Internal Medicine Residency Training Program
  • Dr. Alexa Smith steps down as Saint John Site Director
  • Dr. Aaron LeBlanc becomes Saint John Site Director
  • Dr. Joffre Munro becomes Assistant Clerkship Director
  • Appointments of Drs. Epstein and Samantha Gray, Assistant Deans of Professional Affairs
  • Fond Farewell - Nina Nedic
  • Medicine Subspecialty Match

Research Office Updates

  • Research Evening held on December 1, 2022
  • Deadline for DoM Research Awards extended to January 23, 2023
  • Call for Abstracts - Research Week 2023

Awards

  • Dr. David Haase is the recipient of the 2022 Dr. John Savage Memorial Award for Faculty Leadership in Global Health
  • 2022 Faculty of Medicine Awards for Excellence in Medical Research
  • Olga Theou, PhD, receives Dalhousie University President’s Research Excellence Award
  • Dr. Stephanie Snow and Dr. Matt MacGillivary receive 2022 DMAA Awards
  • Dr. Matt MacGillivary receives RDOC Outstanding Volunteer of the Year
  • Making Waves Award Program 2022 – Recipients Announced
  • Call for Nominations: Dr. G. W. Archibald Gold-headed Cane Award in the Medical Humanities
  • Call for Applications: Dr. F. Ian Maclean Memorial Prize

In the Media

  • Dr. Alexandra Legge and Dr. Janet Roberts partner with Arthritis Research Canada for a new centre at Dalhousie University
  • Pandemic put added pressure on patients
  • Leah Cahill, PhD, and research team cautions readers to check authors’ credentials before buying a nutrition book
  • Part of QEII redevelopment pushing forward amid Halifax Infirmary stall
  • Action for Health: Dr. Chad Williams and the new endoscopy room at DGH

Nova Scotia Health

  • Business Productivity Services - Ask a Trainer
  • Reminder: Record your Immunizations

Upcoming Events

  • Dec 31 - MANDATORY LMS Modules Due Annually
  • Feb 6 - Mar 6, 2023 - Fountain of Health Course (up to 18 credits)
  • Feb 21 - Teach the Teachers 2023
  • Apr 18 - 21 - DoM Research Week 2023

Quick Reference / Recurring Content

FEATURE

INTERVIEW

Epstein

Dr. Ian Epstein – Reflections on a Decade of Leadership in Postgraduate Medical Education

THE SHORT REPORT

Hi everyone,

It has been a busy fall! This newsletter is a culmination of highlights over the past two months. While we continued to be stretched in many directions and are feeling the weight of COVID and Influenza upon us this holiday season, I am proud that we have begun to take some steps to regain a sense of community by slowly introducing in-person events while still adhering to our NSH safety protocols.


On September 30, our Executive Committee held an in-person retreat to launch the important culture and conflict work we will be doing over the next year (see updates from our conflict experts below). On November 4, the Continuing Professional Development Committee held Medicine Matters at the Atlantica Hotel. The program focused on important EDIA discussions and clinical pearls in three different areas. Dr. Trudy Taylor recaps highlights of the event in this newsletter. Research Evening was held in-person at the Atlantica Hotel on December 1. Dr. Melissa Andrew and the Research Committee hosted an informative evening and presented awards.


We have several department members who have received awards from Dalhousie University and Nova Scotia Health. Please take some time to review the award winners listed in the newsletter below and join me on congratulating them on their achievements. There’s still time to nominate a colleague for the DoM Cross-Appointed Faculty Research Excellence Award and the DoM Research Staff Excellence Award. The deadline for nominations is January 23, 2023. Details are under the Research Updates section of the newsletter.


We have welcomed several new staff and said goodbye to others over the past two months. One of my favourite things to do as department head is to get to know new physicians and help them to integrate into our large department. As division heads, team leads and colleagues, we each have an important role in helping our new members feel welcome in the Department. I encourage each of you to reach out to our new physicians and staff members and take a minute to get to know them better or offer a helping hand. It’s the little things that make all the difference.  


The education office is going through a transition in leadership. I would sincerely like to thank Dr. Ian Epstein for his decade of service as Internal Medicine Program Director. Your leadership and commitment to resident education and wellness is inspiring. During Ian’s leadership our program has grown significantly; we successfully rolled-out our Competence by Design program and were the first university in Canada to build EDIA criteria into our CaRMS application process. Thank you to Dr. Alexa Smith who is completing her leadership term as the Saint John Site Director. Congratulations and welcome to Dr. Lori Connors who has been selected as the incoming Program Director. Her term officially starts on January 1. A shout-out to Dr. Aaron LeBlanc who is transitioning from Associate Program Director (Halifax site) to Site Director in Saint John. On the undergraduate side, Dr. Joffre Munro has been selected as the DoM Assistant Clerkship Director. Dr. Epstein and Dr. Samantha Gray from Saint John will be taking on important work for Dalhousie Medicine in the newly created Office of Professional Affairs. We wish you all continued success in your new roles.

Dr. Christine Short

Dr. Short

In 2023 we will begin negotiations for our next AFP contract. Alana Patterson and Maureen Connolly joined us at our November department meeting and provided information about the process and answered questions. If you missed it, check out the recorded conversation and send along any questions or feedback to me or to Doctors Nova Scotia directly.


As the holidays near I wish you all health and wellness in 2023. I hope you will all support each other to find some time with family and friends away from the pressures of the healthcare system. I can’t wait to see what we will do together to improve the system in 2023!

Stay well everyone,


Christine



Christine Short, MD, FRCP(C), FACP

Associate Professor & Head/Chief, Department of Medicine

Dalhousie University / Central Zone, Nova Scotia Health

AFP process and information session

November 9, 2022


Link to recorded conversation


Passcode: s=1CNAwN

Starts at: 13min:40sec


Questions/feedback?

Send to Dr. Short or to Doctors Nova Scotia directly.

Holiday Greetings

MEMBER UPDATES

WELCOME

We welcome the following members to their new positions:

  • Dr. Sherry Hu, Division of Neurology, effective November 1, 2022


  • Dr. Matthew Miles, Division of Digestive Care & Endoscopy, November 1, 2022


  • Dr. Scott Lee, Division of General Internal Medicine – short locum from November 11-17, 2022.


  • Dr. Daniel van Zanten, DGH Internal Medicine, effective November 30, 2022


  • Dr. Lilia Panamsky, DGH Internal Medicine, effective December 1, 2022


  • Dr. Kate Green, DGH Internal Medicine, effective January 2, 2023


  • Dr. Nicolas Berbenetz, Division of Cardiology – changed from locum to 1.0 FTE effective January 3, 2023


  • Dr. Roxana Astani, Division of Medical Oncology – locum from January 4 – April 30, 2023


  • Dr. Wasan Wahab, Division of Neurology – locum from January 23 – May 26, 2023


  • Amanda Collins, Education Program Assistant, Division of Medical Oncology


  • Ashley Doucette, Team Lead, Division of Neurology


  • Katelyn McLeod, Administrative Assistant, Division of Hematology


  • Brian Quick, Administrative Assistant, Division of Cardiology

FAREWELL

We say farewell and best wishes to:

  • Nina Nedic, DoM Undergraduate Medical Education Coordinator, has moved to the Department of Family Medicine.


  • Jocelyn Jaques, Administrative Assistant, Division of Geriatric Medicine


  • Kaitlyn Henderson, Administrative Assistant, Division of Geriatric Medicine, has moved back to Calgary.


  • Jenny Pierce, Team Lead, Division of Neurology, has moved to another position outside of Nova Scotia Health.


  • Dr. Duane Sheppard leaves Dartmouth General Hospital on December 31, 2022.


  • Dr. Costa Apostolides leaves the Division of Geriatric Medicine on December 31, 2022.

RECRUITMENT

Opportunities exist in the following areas:

Please contact Heather Fraser, Physician Resource Office, at Heather.Fraser@nshealth.ca if you have any questions.


Application deadline: December 31, 2022

DIVISIONAL SURVEY / SEARCHES

Call for Interest

 

The Department of Medicine has the responsibility to complete divisional surveys and searches. These provide an opportunity to review the operations and performance of a Division’s clinical care, education, and research mandates, and may evolve into a divisional search if a leadership role vacancy is identified. Committee work will include reviewing documentation about the division, conducting interviews and informing reports / recommendations.


Faculty members are requested to volunteer to participate in one the upcoming survey/search committees. To be considered, please complete the short online form: http://surveys.novascotia.ca/DoMSurveyCommittees


Please contact Heather.Fraser@nshealth.ca if you have any questions.

INTENTIONS VS. IMPACTS

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.


Sometimes when we offer feedback, there is a mismatch between our intentions and the impact our words have.


In most cases, people communicate with good intent - they seek to help us grow, to understand new information, and to build relationships and teams. However, good intentions do not ensure a positive impact, nor do they protect the communicator from consequences if an impact is especially negative.

Express impact

It can be helpful to offer feedback with this dynamic in mind. Clearly stating one's intent at the outset of a conversation can be a helpful way of setting limits and expectations. And when we are negatively impacted by someone, we can share that as well. A statement such as "I'm sure you were trying to stick to our agenda, but when you cut me off during that meeting, I felt like you didn't care about my input regarding this problem."


While sharing impact can be difficult, it can - and should - lead to reasonable requests for behaviour change to preclude the negative impacts. This is also true in terms of diversity and inclusion. For example, even when a person's intentions are good, microaggressions have a negative impact. Sharing these negative impacts should lead to improved communication as people align their intentions with the impact their words have on others.

CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT UPDATES

A Focus on EDI and Clinical Pearls at Medicine Matters 2022


by Dr. Trudy Taylor, Chair, Continuing Professional Development Committee

Anderson with Divine

Dean David Anderson with keynote speaker Ann Divine. Photo credit: Daniel Abriel

Department of Medicine members gathered on November 4 for our Annual Medicine Matters event at the Atlantica Hotel Halifax. As our first foray back into the world of in-person events, the day was a resounding success. While maintaining COVID precautions, attendees could enjoy learning and socializing with their colleagues.


The day started with a plenary talk from Ann Divine, Founder and CEO of Ashanti Leadership, who discussed a strategy for creating change within organizations through an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) lens. Attendees spent the remainder of the morning rotating through small group break-out sessions. In one session, attendees learned about harm reduction approaches to reduce barriers to care, facilitated by Dr. Tommy Brothers, GIM and CIP resident, and Landon “Morty” Morton, an Outreach Support Worker at Mainline Needle Exchange. In the second session, members learned about microaggressions and allyship and then had the opportunity to practice communication skills in role-playing scenarios where microaggressions occurred, facilitated by Drs. Hayam Hamodat, core internal medicine resident, and Yasmeen Mansoor, pediatric nephrology fellow/former core pediatric resident at Dalhousie. Finally, the third session afforded extended time to discuss organizational change through the EDI lens with our plenary speaker.


To start the afternoon, Drs. Nick Forward and Sam Searle debated Dr. Allen Tran and special guest Dr. Hailey Hobbs, a former core internal medicine trainee at Dalhousie and current Critical Care physician at Queen’s University, who joined us virtually. Unintentionally, this pitted four former core internal medicine trainees from the same graduating class and made for a lot of fun. The resolution was “Be it resolved that all administrative and academic meetings should be held virtually moving forward.” Although it was almost too close to call, a high-tech clap-o-meter smartphone application helped us declare our debate winners. Congratulations to Drs. Forward and Searle, who successfully argued the negative side of the debate.


A trio of small group break-out sessions rounded out the afternoon with a high-yield clinical focus. First, Dr. Jeff Ratushny, a community colleague in Bridgewater and former core internal medicine resident at Dalhousie, taught attendees about a high-yield approach to shortness of breath with his usual enthusiasm. Next, Dr. Alison Dixon discussed very useful clinical pearls in her session on a high-yield approach to shortness of breath. Finally, Dr. Chinmoy Chowdhury led a highly interactive and fun session on a high-yield approach to abdominal pain with some fantastic educational cases.


Thank you to all our speakers, attendees, and organizers for a highly educational day!


DoM Teach the Teachers – Registration Open

February 21, 2023 – Online

On behalf of Dr. Trudy Taylor and the Continuing Professional Development Committee, you are invited to register for Teach the Teachers 2023.


This half-day virtual event will take place on Zoom on Tuesday, February 21, 2023 from 12:30 – 4:30 pm.


The theme of this year’s event is “Assessment and Feedback in the Competency Based Medical Education (CBME) Era.” The plenary speaker, M.J. Clark, M.A., APR, Fellow PRSA, Vice President, Integrated Leadership Systems, will start off the afternoon with her talk “Mastering Performance Reviews and Structured Feedback.”


The remainder of the afternoon will be spent in interactive small group sessions. Full program details will be shared in the coming weeks.

qrcode-TeachTeachers2023

Please scan the QR code with your phone's camera


or click on the link to register: 


http://surveys.novascotia.ca/TeachtheTeachers2023

Registration deadline: February 15, 2023


If you have any questions about the program, please contact Trudy.Taylor@nshealth.ca or Isha.Seth@nshealth.ca.

Clark

M.J. Clark

M.A., APR, Fellow, PRSA, Vice President, Integrated Leadership Systems


Photo courtesy M.J. Clark

EDUCATION OFFICE UPDATES

Dr. Ian Epstein – Reflections on a Decade of Leadership in Postgraduate Medical Education

As Dr. Ian Epstein, division of Digestive Care & Endoscopy, wraps-up his two-terms as Internal Medicine Residency Program Director on December 31, he reflects upon his journey and offers insights and advice to residents and administrators.


On December 1, Dr. Epstein started a new chapter of his career as Assistant Dean of Professional Affairs for Dalhousie Medicine in Nova Scotia in the new Office of Professional Affairs.


Dr. Epstein will continue with his current role as Co-division head of the Division of Digestive Care & Endoscopy. On behalf of the Department of Medicine, thank you for all you have done to advance resident education over the last decade. We wish you continued success!

Epstein

Dr. Ian Epstein

Photo courtesy Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University

Isha Seth: When did you start your role as Internal Medicine Residency Program Director?


Ian Epstein: I was appointed the incoming Program Director in October 2012. From October 2012 through February 2013 I shadowed Dr. Darrell White who was the Program Director at that time. My term officially began on March 1, 2013. Dr. Lori Connors has been appointed the incoming Program Director. Her term officially begins on January 1, 2023. Dr. Connors has been working with me since November and I will continue working with her through her transition period.


IS: How many residents have you seen graduate through the program?


IE: Over a period of 10 years, with an average of 20 residents graduating core internal medicine each year, I’ve seen approximately 200 Internal Medicine Residents go through our program!


IS: Looking back over your last ten years, what advice would you give to current residents and program directors? 


IE: Just enjoy the ride. Don't try to prejudge it too much. Don't try to control it too much. The volume of work that you have to do in a Residency program; whether you're a resident, a faculty, a program director or a program administrator, is so immense, and the surprises and challenges and variables are constantly changing and shifting. The best approach is to try to stay organized, but also not to try and control everything. Try not to have rigid expectations when it comes to patient outcomes, patient diagnoses, the hours of work, the nature of the work, the intensity of the work. As a program director also try not to have rigid expectations about the curriculum. Try to make micro adjustments as you go and move towards getting better. 


It's a tough 3 years doing core IM residency, and then 2 to 3 more years more for sub-specialty. It can be exhausting, but when you look back on it, you have learned so much and you've established the template for the kind of doctor you're going to be for the rest of your career. When you're in the middle of it, you sometimes lose that perspective.


IS: What advice to you have for Dr. Lori Connors who will be officially starting her role on January 1?


IE: I think the key to my success, or at least my longevity, in the role was 2 things:


  • Remember to put people first. This means putting the residents first, but also the patients they are looking after; as well as their coworkers, the teams, and everybody involved in the program. Be constantly and deliberately people centered. Start every conversation, and make every decision from that place, always starting with your residents.
  • Trust your team. I lean heavily on the whole team, especially Katie [Barkhouse], Amanda MacKay, Emike Ibeagboade, Alicia Mason, Dr. Alexa Smith in Saint John, Dr. Aaron LeBlanc and heavily on the postgrad office at Dalhousie. Dr. Andrew Warren during his 10 years as Postgraduate Dean was an immense help. It’s about empowering and trusting people you work with because you can’t direct a program with 200 over graduates over 10 years spread across 3 provinces all by yourself. That’s impossible! Thank you to the team. Katie [Barkhouse] was there for the whole 10 years. She deserves a lot of credit. The team is making a difference: including past team members too including you [Isha], Sophie [Montreuil], Meegan [Dowe], Magnus [McLeod] and Eric [Grant]. 


IS: Tell me more about your new role that you will start on December 1 – Assistant Dean of Professional Affairs (DMNS).


IE: The role is Assistant Dean for Dalhousie Medicine Nova Scotia. Dr. Samantha Gray, who is also in our department, is the Assistant Dean for Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick. The two of us will work together to try to build that office from scratch. There is an acknowledgement and understanding that the working environment for doctors, medical residents and medical students/clerks is challenging. No field is immune to its pressures and biases. Medicine is not different in that way. We are reckoning now in our profession with record levels of burnout and concerning trends where people regret having gone into medicine and difficulties associated with that. With poor physician wellness, along with high rates reported of harassment, sexism, and racism it is a challenging workplace. Dalhousie launched a working group about two years ago to look at the learning environment. Andrew Warren and Carolyn Thomson led this work. One of the recommendations from the working group was to have a new office in the medical school to focus on professionalism in the learning environment. We need to move towards a future where we are able to get along, and have a positive, healthy, professional experience at work. Manitoba has an office of professional affairs. A few other medical schools have something similar or are coming on-board. Dal has decided to fund and launch a new Office of Professional Affairs and Sam and I have been tasked with building that up. It’s exciting because it is a logical extension after my 10 years as program director. I pride myself in putting people first and treating people well and caring about their experiences. It’s about the students, the residents, the faculty, and all of our co-workers. It may seem an ominous task to take on something so massive, but I don’t think we need to solve every problem in the first few weeks. It’s a long-term task to create policies and processes that will be new and that can tackle this in different ways than we’ve tried before. The office plans to work with people in the hospital setting, not just the university. We will be providing education for people so they can have their own tools. We will be a resource for people and a place for people to come. It is not about policing or revisiting older ways of doing things. We plan to work closely with the Faculty Development Office.


It's very front of mind for me as a program director. For 10 years, I lived in a bubble as a program director. I sometimes assume every doctor I work with, and every nurse I work with, thinks about the experience of the learners all the time like I do. A lot of people have no idea the kinds of micro and macro aggressions people are facing day to day, nor what kind of a toll that takes on people when they go home at the end of the day, nor how it contributes to some of the problems we have with burnout in our profession. I always say, the work is hard enough. You don't need to make it harder.



IS: What other thoughts would you like to share about your 10-year tenure as program director?  


IE: It is bittersweet. Many people would not be surprised to hear me say that since graduating from medical school, I have spent 13 of those 18 years involved in this program in one way or another. It is hard to walk away. Ten years feels right; there’s an accomplishment in that. There are challenges coming ahead and new leadership and a new direction is always good.  


The bittersweet part comes because it's been such a huge part of my life. I'm proud of what we've accomplished. I'm proud of having done a full decade. I'm very touched by the outpouring of kind words I've received from residents in the last few months. But the sweet part is the realization that it's not necessary to fix everything and make it perfect in leadership roles. It's embracing the concept of the continuous quality improvement cycle. You need someone who's new and energetic every 5 to 10 years to refresh that and take that on. I've gone through a lot of problems over the 10 years, and I feel like we've successfully tackled them. The pandemic, the launch of Competence by Design, the move of the Royal College Exam from subspecialty to core medicine, adopting new accreditation standards, and grappling with fall out of duty hour changes from when it went from noon post-call to an 8 a.m. post-call day. That was all in my tenure. Any one of those would be a generational shift, and I've had to do them all within 10 years. 


I am excited to take the energy into a new office. I am looking forward to extending some of the work that I've enjoyed most as PD, which has been trying to help our residents and faculty work through tense situations. There will be outreach components to my new job as well. I am proud of the outreach we have done, with increased distribution of the program into communities across P.E.I., New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The Saint John distributed campus launched in 2007 during Darrell White’s tenure. During my tenure we launched a NS Regional Stream where residents spend up to half a year in Cape Breton. This coming July 1 we are launching a regional stream for New Brunswick where Residents will spend up to half the year in Moncton. The groundwork for this all came during my 10 years. I am very proud of that. We’ve put a lot of effort into building that program and have added other sites like Summerside, Miramichi, Truro, Bridgewater, and Yarmouth. We had Amanda [MacKay] join the team as our regional education coordinator, which was a brand new role in 2020. My new role will also allow me to do more outreach into other departments. I haven't gotten to know surgeons and psychiatrists and anesthetists as much, outside of niches where we collaborate in Halifax or Saint John. Where my new role is a Faculty of Medicine appointment, and although Samantha Gray and I are both members of the Department of Medicine, our work will be across the entire faculty, and we are excited for the work ahead.


Dr. Lori Connors becomes Program Director for Core Internal Medicine Residency Training Program

Connors

The Department of Medicine and the Dalhousie Internal Medicine Residency Program are pleased to announce Dr. Lori Connors as the incoming Program Director starting on January 1, 2023.



Dr. Connors is an Associate Professor, Clinical Immunologist, and Allergist with the Division of General Internal Medicine. Dr. Connors completed her internal medicine residency at Dalhousie University and is committed to resident education and wellness. Dr. Connors has been actively involved in several leadership roles within the undergraduate portfolio: Unit Head of the Skilled Clinician 2 and 1, Assistant Clerkship Director, and a term as Program Director of the Pediatric Clinical Immunology and Allergy Program at the IWK. Dr. Connors holds a Master of Education from Acadia University and a passion for medical education. We are excited to welcome her to the role! 


Dr. Connors has started to transition into her new role and will work with Dr. Ian Epstein and the education office to take over the reins. She was involved with the internal review which took place in November. On behalf of the residents and education office, we would like to thank Dr. Ian Epstein for his tremendous contributions to medical education and his leadership for the past 10 years.

Photo credit: Studio Umlah

Smith

Dr. Alexa Smith steps down as

Saint John Site Director


We wish Dr. Alexa Smith all the best as she steps down from her role after a 4 year term as Saint John Site Director for the Core Internal Medicine (IM) Residency Training Program. Alexa has been a strong leader for the SJ site, guiding the program through incorporation of Competence by Design (CBD), Internal Review and the pandemic.

LeBlanc

Dr. Aaron LeBlanc becomes

Saint John Site Director


Our Associate Program Director Dr. Aaron LeBlanc will be taking the Site Director reins from Dr. Smith on January 1, 2023. Aaron is an IM graduate and past chief resident of the Saint John program. We are excited to welcome him into his new role. Dr. LeBlanc will keep his Competence Committee Chair role along with his Associate PD role for the interim. The call for Associate PD Halifax is out – if you have any questions, please contact the core education office team.

Munro

Dr. Joffre Munro becomes

Assistant Clerkship Director


~~From Dr. Christine Short, Head of Department of Medicine and Dr. Bakhtiar Kidwai, UMEC Chair of Department of Medicine~~


Please join us welcoming Dr. Joffre Munro as the new Assistant Clerkship Director for the Department of Medicine.


Working alongside Clerkship Director Dr. Nick Forward, Dr. Munro will help oversee the Dalhousie Undergraduate Clerkship Program for medical students in the final two years of clerkship completing their clinical rotations in the Department of Medicine. The position largely deals with Multiple Choice Question examinations and databank maintenance, exam reviews and student remediation planning and implementation.


Dr. Munro joined the Department as a fulltime member of the Division of General Internal Medicine in April 2021. Prior to this Dr. Munro was the Internal Medicine Clerkship DMNB Site Director for three years. In Saint John Dr. Munro also served as the Education Lead for the MTU and the Division of General Internal Medicine in Saint John, NB. He has sat on various education committees including the Undergraduate Medical Education Committee (Halifax), DoM Education Committee (Halifax), Saint John IM Residency Program Committee, and Heads of Teaching Committee (Saint John).



Dr. Munro brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to this role. Congratulations Dr. Munro!

Appointments of Drs. Ian Epstein and Samantha Gray, Assistant Deans of Professional Affairs


~ A message from Dr. David Anderson, Dean of Medicine, Dalhousie University and Dr. Jennifer Hall, Associate Dean, Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick~ 


On behalf of the Faculty of Medicine, I am pleased to announce the establishment of the Office of Professional Affairs (OPA), and the appointments of Dr. Ian Epstein, Assistant Dean of Professional Affairs (DMNS), effective December 1, 2022, and Dr. Samantha Gray, Assistant Dean of Professional Affairs (DMNB), effective November 1, 2022.

 

Reporting to the Senior Associate Dean, Faculty of Medicine, the Assistant Deans will work collaboratively to provide academic and administrative leadership to support the creation and maintenance of healthy learning environments within the Faculty of Medicine by addressing learner mistreatment and promoting professionalism. They will oversee outreach and education activities, working to promote the OPA’s services, and serving as a resource on healthy learning environment and professionalism.

 

The Assistant Deans will co-chair the OPA Advisory Committee, whose mandate is to support of the Faculty of Medicine’s commitment to the promotion of a healthy learning environment and professionalism among faculty, staff, and learners. The committee will make recommendations and provide key information and materials to the OPA. The Assistant Deans will also update and maintain Faculty of Medicine policies and procedures on learner mistreatment. 

 

Dr. Ian Epstein is an assistant professor in the Division of Digestive Care & Endoscopy in the Department of Medicine here at Dalhousie. Originally from Toronto, Dr. Epstein graduated from Dalhousie Medical School, then completed Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology training at Dalhousie in 2007 and 2009, respectively. He has been a faculty member in the Division of Digestive Care & Endoscopy since 2009, the same year he started his clinical practice. His clinical interests include Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and functional bowel disorders. He is a dedicated teacher and is currently finishing his second term as Program Director for Dalhousie’s Internal Medicine Residency training program. He is also co-division lead for the Division of Digestive Care & Endoscopy, and Vice-Chair of the Internal Medicine Specialty Committee at the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada. Dr. Epstein has been recognized for his exceptional work and is a recent recipient of the Young Alumnus of the Year Award from the Dalhousie Medical Alumni Association, the Stephen Couban Outstanding Faculty Residents Choice Award from the Department of Medicine, and Outstanding Physician of the Year Award from Crohn’s & Colitis Canada. 

 

Dr. Samantha Gray is an associate professor in the Division of Medical Oncology in the Department of Medicine at Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick. She graduated from Dalhousie Medical School and went on to complete her Internal Medicine residency in 2010, and her Medical Oncology subspecialty training in 2012, both at Dalhousie. She has been a faculty member in the Division of Medical Oncology since 2012, and a resident advisor in the Internal Medicine Residency Program since 2015. She completed her Master of Education in Adult Education in 2017 and has been actively involved in teaching at both the Undergraduate and Postgraduate Levels at Dalhousie. She has been actively involved in the transition to Competence by Design for Internal Medicine Postgraduate Training program in Saint John and has been an Academic Advisor since 2019. Since 2020 she has been the Site Director for Medical Education in the Saint John Area for Horizon Health Network in New Brunswick. She is the recipient of the Excellence in Medical Education award from the Department of Medicine, and most recent recipient of the 2022 Academic Advisor of the Year with the Department of Medicine. Please join us in welcoming Dr. Epstein and Dr. Gray to their new roles.

Nedic

Fond Farewell - Nina Nedic


A fond farewell to our friend Nina Nedic (Undergraduate Education Coordinator) who isn’t moving too far from medical education but has left the Department of Medicine December 2, 2022 to pursue a site program administrator role for the Department of Family Medicine. We wish her all the best in this exciting opportunity.

Congrats

Medicine Subspecialty Match


Congratulations to Internal Medicine and Subspecialty Residents on the Medicine Subspecialty Match.


Results were announced early in November. We wish each of you continued success in your respective specialties.

RESEARCH OFFICE UPDATES

Research Evening held on December 1, 2022

Research Evening 2022, held at the Atlantica Hotel, had a good turn out to introduce our newest department researchers. Presenters included:


Dr. Mary Ellen Macdonald, J & W Murphy Foundation Endowed Chair in Palliative Care

  • Public Health Palliative Care: researching death, dying and grief


Dr. Shane Journeay, Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

  • Occupational Medicine & PM&R Research: bridging work


Dr. Julie Zhu, Division of Digestive Care and Endoscopy

  • Research in Hepatology: finding opportunities


Research Excellence Awards were awarded to:


  • Dr. Jennifer Jones, Associate Professor, Division of Digestive Care and Endoscopy
  • Dr. Stephanie Snow, Associate Professor, Division of Medical Oncology
  • Dr. Amy Trottier, Assistant Professor, Division of Hematology


Dr. Shelly McNeil won Mimi’s cooking basket from Bird’s Nest Cafe on Barrington Street. Stay tuned for more research excellence awards at Research Week April 18-21, 2023.


Research Evening 2022

Dr. Melissa Andrew, DoM Research Director (left), with Dr. Amy Trottier, recipient of the DoM Research Excellence Award (Assistant Professor).


Award recipients not pictured:

Dr. Jennifer Jones

Dr. Stephanie Snow


Photo credit: Isha Seth

Research Evening 2022

Dr. Christine Short, Department Head, (second from left) with Research Evening presenters Dr. Mary Ellen Macdonald, Dr. Julie Zhu, and Dr. Shane Journeay.



Photo credit: Isha Seth

Deadline for DoM Research Awards Extended to January 23, 2023


Please see attached guidelines and nomination information for the Department of Medicine Research Awards:

Awards

DoM Cross-Appointed Faculty Research Excellence Award (PDF)

(one award may be presented)

Awards

DoM Research Staff Excellence Award (PDF)

(up to two awards may be presented)

The deadline for nominations for these awards is noon on Monday, January 23, 2023.


Please submit nominations to DoMResearch@nshealth.ca


Note: Nominations are now closed for the DoM Faculty (primary appointment) Research Excellence Awards.

Call for Abstracts - Research Week 2023

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


DoM Research Week will take place the week of April 18-21, 2023. It is anticipated the event will include in-person and virtual components.


The DoM Research Committee invites you to submit an abstract for consideration for DoM Research Week 2023. Please share with your trainees and research groups as needed.


Late submissions will not be accepted. 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.

Research Week 2023 Call for Abstracts

DoM Research Staff Excellence Award (.DOCX)


Please complete the attached abstract submission form and return it to DoMResearch@nshealth.ca by

Monday, February 6, 2023.

AWARDS

Dr. David Haase (retired DoM member) is the recipient of the 2022 Dr. John Savage Memorial Award for Faculty Leadership in Global Health


The Dr. John Savage Memorial Award for faculty leadership in global health was started in 2003 in memory of Dr. John Savage, a friend and colleague of the Dalhousie Medical School and ambassador of the need to promote healthy communities worldwide. Dr. Savage served as a physician, Premier of Nova Scotia, and Mayor of Dartmouth. He had a long-standing commitment to global health, particularly in West Africa with the Nova Scotia Gambia Association. This award is given to a faculty member who exhibits outstanding leadership and humanitarian contributions to global health.


Dr. David Haase is the Co-Chair of PLANS and a retired physician and faculty member, with a commitment to equitable health care and increasing diversity of health professionals. Dr. Haase has been a mentor to many students and faculty members in the Faculty of Medicine, is one of the original members of the Health Association of African Canadians, and has played a crucial role in supporting the African Nova Scotian community through the COVID-19 pandemic. As a physician, mentor, and educator, Dr. Haase has had a significant positive impact on the African Nova Scotian community, Dalhousie University, and the province of Nova Scotia as a whole, making him the perfect recipient for the Dr. John Savage Memorial Award.

Faculty of Medicine Awards for Excellence in Medical Research


Six faculty members have recently been recognized by the Faculty of Medicine for their incredible contributions to the research community. Congratulations to the 2022 recipients including:


Department of Medicine:

Dr. Amanda Vinson, Division of Nephrology, recipient of the Faculty of Medicine Award for Excellence in Patient-Oriented Research


Dr. Kenneth Rockwood, Division of Geriatric Medicine, recipient of the Faculty of Medicine Award for Career Excellence in Research Mentorship

Olga Theou, PhD, receives Dalhousie University President’s Research Excellence Award


Congratulations to Dr. Olga Theou, Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine and Faculty of Graduate Studies, for receiving the Emerging Investigator Award – one of the President’s Research Excellence Awards. Dr. Theou’s accomplishments were celebrated at Dal’s 2022 Legacy Awards that took place at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium on November 7, 2022.


See the recipients of this year’s Legacy Award: https://www.dal.ca/news/2022/11/10/dalhousie-legacy-awards-2022.html

Dr. Stephanie Snow and Dr. Matt MacGillivary receive 2022 DMAA Awards


The Dalhousie Medical Alumni Association Honoured Recipients of 2022 Alumni Recognition Awards on November 25, 2022. Dr. Stephanie Snow (MD ’05), staff medical oncologist at the QEII and associate professor in the Faculty of Medicine, received the 2022 Young Alum of the Year Award. Dr. Matt MacGillivary (MD ’18), Clinical Dermatology and Cutaneous Science Resident, received the Resident Leadership Award, Royal College Specialties and Subspecialties.


https://www.dal.ca/news/2022/11/18/dal-medicine-s-alum-of-the-year-improves-the-lives-of-transplant.html

Dr. Michael MacGillivary receives RDoC Outstanding Volunteer of Year Award


Four RDoC volunteers were announced as RDoC Outstanding Volunteers of the Year at the June 11, 2022 meeting of the Board of Directors. Through their efforts, each of these exemplary individuals has played a key role in advancing RDoC’s work on behalf of our members.


Mike is originally from North Sydney, Nova Scotia and has a BSc (Hons) Biology and an MSc Biology from Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick. He worked for 3 years as a marine biologist before entering into medical school at Dalhousie University, Halifax campus. He is now at Dalhousie completing a Dermatology residency (PGY4).


Mike has served as a member of the RDoC Board since 2019. During this time he has served as a member of the Governance and Nominating Committee, the Succession Planning Task Force, the Executive Director Search Committee, and the Awards Committee. He has also represented RDoC as a member of the Canadian Medical Association’s Virtual Care Task Force and the Royal College Assessment Committee. 


Mike says “the major highlight for me was meeting and collaborating with residents from across the country to tackle a myriad of issues related to resident education and wellness. It has been a true privilege to work with such a diverse and talented group of people over the last three years.”


To future volunteers, Mike says, “I would offer the following two pieces of advice: 1. Have an incredibly open mind and be willing to listen, learn and engage. I have learned so much about leadership, governance, finances, and the power of collaboration. 2. Buy into the RDoC brand and display those traits not only when representing RDoC, but also when caring for patients. One of the pillars of the brand is a solutions-oriented approach, it’s amazing how far this will go in any situation.”


Congratulations Mike!


Presented June 2022

From:

https://residentdoctors.ca/awards/2021-2022-rdoc-outstanding-volunteers-of-the-year/

Making Waves Award Program 2022 – Recipients Announced


Every day throughout our organization employees, physicians, learners, and volunteers deliver high quality care and services in all areas of our province.


In 2019, as a means to celebrate some of these dedicated and hardworking individuals, Nova Scotia Health launched the Making Waves Award Program. This program recognizes exemplary efforts and contributions across the organization and includes notable contributions in the area of quality improvement.


Congratulations to all Making Waves Award Program winners including these DoM winners:

Leadership Excellence Award – Physician Leader

Dr. Steven Soroka

Senior Medical Director,

Renal Program and Pharmacy Services

Outstanding Researcher Award

Dr. Melissa Andrew

Geriatric Medicine Research,

Department of Medicine

Call for Nominations:

Dr. G. W. Archibald Gold-headed Cane Award in the Medical Humanities

Presented each year to a physician faculty member who:

  1. Exemplifies a humanistic approach to clinical care and stimulates learners to engage with arts and humanities in their personal and professional life.
  2. Integrates scholarly work related to the humanities into their professional life, and acts as a mentor in scholarship and/or research in the medical humanities.
  3. Serves as an effective role model in the medical humanities.


Nominations will be received from any medical trainee, faculty or staff member of the Faculty of Medicine by January 31, 2023.


Submit nomination letter outlining how the individual meets the above criteria, a maximum of three additional letters of support, and an abbreviated 2-page CV (font size 12) to: medhuman@dal.ca

Call for Applications:

Dr. F. Ian Maclean Memorial Prize


A new prize has been established to honor Dr. F. Ian Maclean. The Dalhousie Society for the History of Medicine and the family are honoured that this prize commemorates his memory.


Dr. Maclean began his career in science as an undergraduate in the University of Toronto in 1947, eventually retiring in 1995 as an Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at Dalhousie University. He was a popular and conscientious teacher, devoting considerable energy to the introductory courses in biochemistry that he taught in the School of Nursing.


The prize recognizes the accomplishments of a Dalhousie Medical or Nursing student (undergraduate, graduate or resident) who demonstrates excellence in a scholarly project related to the history of medicine.


Submissions through but not limited to videos, presentations, papers, etc.

Submit to: medhuman@dal.ca

Deadline: January 31, 2023


IN THE MEDIA

Dr. Alexandra Legge and Dr. Janet Roberts partner with Arthritis Research Canada for a new centre at Dalhousie University

Arthritis Research Canada continues to expand with a new centre at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. With this announcement, Arthritis Research Canada is pleased to welcome to the team, Dr. Alexandra Legge as a Research Scientist and Dr. Janet Roberts as a Clinician Investigator.

Read more on Arthritis Research Canada

Pandemic put added pressure on patients

Canadian lung cancer patients are surviving longer thanks in part to innovative new drugs but, like many other Canadians living with cancer, face obstacles in receiving the treatment they need to fight the disease, says Dr. Stephanie Snow, president of Lung Cancer Canada.


November 16, 2022

Read More - The Globe and Mail

Leah Cahill, PhD, and research team cautions readers to check authors’ credentials before buying a nutrition book

News Researchers are warning buyers to read the fine print, particularly when it comes to an author's qualifications, when browsing the nutrition book aisle. Publishers usually don't check the credentials of nutrition authors, said Leah Cahill, an associate professor in the Department of Community Health and Epidemiology at Dalhousie University, in a recent interview.


November 21, 2022

Read more on SaltWire

Part of QEII redevelopment pushing forward amid Halifax Infirmary stall - Halifax | Globalnews.ca

While the biggest part of the QEII redevelopment project is on hold indefinitely, another key piece is moving forward. The Community Outpatient Centre in Bayers Lake will feature primary care, 17 exam rooms, 24 dialysis stations, orthopedic assessment and rehab. Colton LeBlanc, Nova Scotia's minister responsible for health-care redevelopment projects, says the project will increase the QEII's capacity.


Dr. Christine Short is the QEII Redevelopment Senior Medical Director. Watch her interview and read the full article on Global News.


December 1, 2022

Read more on Global News

Action for Health: Dr. Chad Williams and the new endoscopy room at DGH

A new endoscopy room at Dartmouth General Hospital means more Nova Scotians will be screened and treated for colon cancer earlier. Dr. Chad Williams, Gastroenterologist, explains the importance of the new endoscopy room.


December 7, 2022

Watch video on YouTube

NOVA SCOTIA HEALTH

Business Productivity Services - Ask a Trainer

Do you have questions about how to use these applications?


  • Excel
  • LMS
  • OneNote
  • Outlook
  • PowerPoint
  • SelectSurvey
  • SharePoint
  • Teams
  • Word
  • Other

Step 1:

Go to NSH Intranet: https://intra.nshealth.ca/Pages/Welcome.aspx



Click IT Training and Resources

IT Training and Resources

Step 2:

Click "Ask a Trainer"


Complete the form and a team member will respond to you.

Ask-a-Trainer-logo
Preparing for immunization

Reminder:

Record Your Immunizations


Received your Influenza immunization in community from a Primary Care Provider or Pharmacist? Record your immunization with OHSW reporting.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Dec 31

Reminder: MANDATORY


Complete your Learning Module System (LMS) modules - due Dec 31 annually


https://elearning.nshealth.ca/


  1. Sign in
  2. Go to My Learning (see image below) to complete mandatory courses
  • Please use Microsoft Edge to receive credits.
Weekly
Fountain of Health logo

Fountain of Health Course

(up to 18 credits)

"5-Minute CBT"


Instructors:

Dr. Michael Vallis &

Dr. Keri-Leigh Cassidy

In this 18-hour CME-accredited course, you will learn to apply the THRIVE © Approach to Wellbeing and jumpstart your own self-care and wellbeing, as well as your patients. Deepen your understanding of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) - based tools to apply to yourself and your practice.  


Course dates: February 6 – March 6, 2023

5-Week Online Course for Clinicians; schedule below


Register: https://bit.ly/3Q5KL5v by January 20; Space is limited


Questions: info@fountainofhealth.ca


Accredited for physicians up to 18 hours MainPro+ Credits.

conference

Educationally cosponsored by Dalhousie University Continuing Professional Development


View poster [PDF]



Additional resources: https://fountainofhealth.ca/clinicians-corner

DoM Teach the Teachers February 21, 2023

DoM Teach the Teachers 2023


Tuesday, February 21


More details listed above


Register: http://surveys.novascotia.ca/TeachtheTeachers2023

Register by February 15, 2023

DoM Research Week April 18 - 21, 2023

DoM Research Week 2023


Dates: April 18 - 21, 2023


It is anticipated the event will include in-person and virtual components.

QUICK REFERENCE /

RECURRING CONTENT

COVID-19 Protocols at Nova Scotia Health

Guidelines

NSH is no longer using the Tier system! Please make sure you review the new COVID 19 Guidelines effective Nov 21, 2022 and share with your teams.


View new guidelines

COVID-19 Hub

More info: https://covid19hub.nshealth.ca/covid-19

Mental Health & Well-Being


Doctors Nova Scotia: Professional Support Program


Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP)


Canadian Psychological Association


LifeSpeak (Nova Scotia Health)


Nova Scotia Mental Health Crisis Line

  • 1-888-429-8167


Nova Scotia Crisis Text Line

  • Text – NSSTRONG to 741741


Online Wellness Sessions (NSH Library Services)


Nova Scotia Health’s Mental Health and Addictions Program (MHAP) has free e-Mental Health and Addictions tools available to all Nova Scotians including health care workers and physicians. These tools include:



Mindwell U - free online support that takes just five minutes a day, and can be accessed anywhere and on any device. This service is available in English and French. https://app.mindwellu.com/novascotia



Therapy Assistance Online (TAO) – free and private online resource that includes interactive activities and videos for people having challenges with their mental health. This service is available in English and French. https://www.taoconnect.org/



Wellness Together Canada – mental health and substance abuse support that contains free online resources, tools, apps and connections to trained volunteers and qualified mental health professionals when needed. https://wellnesstogether.ca/en-CA



Togetherall – free and safe online peer-to-peer mental health community that empowers individuals to anonymously seek and provide support 24/7. It is available to all youth and young adults aged 16-29, providing an inclusive and supportive place to connect with others with real lived experience with common mental health concerns. To sign up go to togetherall.com and use your Nova Scotia postal code to register. https://togetherall.com/en-ca/


For more online tools, and how to register, visit MHAhelpNS.ca/tools.

Department of Medicine

DoM Grand Rounds


YouTube Playlists

DoM Grand Rounds Sept 2022 - June 2023

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlLxbpWu5dHES-kHHYhxYG-rX3IIEoLSN


Summer Grand Rounds 2022

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlLxbpWu5dHFh7sS52v8qlfJEwchYcVW8


DoM Grand Rounds Sept 2021 - June 2022

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlLxbpWu5dHGA9ngjTJ7CApcBtkmK1Pt3


Summer Grand Rounds 2021

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlLxbpWu5dHGHrLmpOBwzO2cGicepkmn9


Videos are unlisted on the Department of Medicine YouTube channel, so you must have the link to view. All recordings are copyright.

DoM Research

Resident Research

https://sites.google.com/view/domresidentresearch


The page was initially developed for the resident group but it’s also useful to faculty and their research teams. DoM Research wants to ensure that the link is easily accessible to anyone in the department.

Nova Scotia Health

COVID-19

http://www.nshealth.ca/coronavirus


https://covid19hub.nshealth.ca/covid-19

PPE Videos

Donning & doffing: PPE used for droplet and contact precautions


Donning, doffing, and storage of healthcare procedure masks

Library Services

COVID-19 resources for health care providers

https://library.nshealth.ca/?group_id=15444

Occupational Health Safety & Wellness

OHSW Reporting Forms

https://ohswreporting.nshealth.ca/Kics/formlist.php


  • Do you have symptoms of COVID and need help with OHSW?
  • Phone 1-833-750-0632




Spectrum MD App

(Antimicrobial Stewardship)

https://spectrum.app/nsha/


Nova Scotia Health logo needs to be visible in 8the upper left corner of the home screen to ensure you are accessing local content.

Zoom for Healthcare

https://nshealth.zoom.us/

Additional Links

Dalhousie University

Faculty of Medicine

https://medicine.dal.ca/

Doctors Nova Scotia

doctorsns.com

Nova Scotia

novascotia.ca/coronavirus

Personal Directive

https://www.legalinfo.org/forms/personal-directive

Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia - Complete online then download or email document. Once signed and witnessed, it is valid.

When you take care of yourself, you take care of others.

DoM-Dal-NSH logos