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Chair's Highlights


February 2024


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Message from the Chair


We are pleased to announce that Dr. Lissa Bair, a Lecturer with our department, is the new Enhanced Skills Family Practice Director of Global Health, and Dr. Veera Mirdavoudi, Assistant Professor, is the new Faculty Development Director. We look forward to their many contributions and welcome them to their new roles.

 

We would also like to inform you of several leadership positions which are now open: Postgraduate Director; Director of Indigenous Health, and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) (*new role as part of our commitment to prioritizing support for our Indigenous populations and EDI); Full Time Academic positions are available at the following teaching sites: Bruyère Family Health Team, Riverside Family Health Team, and the Montfort Academic Family Health Team (ESFAM). We encourage you to consider applying as these are exciting opportunities to have an impact on our program and to contribute at the leadership level.

 

February is also when we look ahead to recognize our departmental members through our Department of Family Medicine awards. 2024 nominations are now open! Please visit our Awards and Recognition webpage to review the process and to nominate a faculty or staff member. Please note, in alignment with our social accountability mandate, a new faculty award for Equity Diversity and Inclusion has been introduced. 

 

In recognition of Black History Month, we have highlighted the incredible work of some of our faculty who are involved at both the local and international level. These dedicated family doctors are leading the way in their communities, and we are proud to share their contributions as we learn and reflect this month on the history of Black communities in Canada. 

 

Please note that on Tuesday, February 20, from 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm, Dr. Denice Lewis, Assistant Professor and Director of Curriculum & Academic Day, and Dr. Lissa Bair, will be giving a virtual session on implementing a Formal Antiracism Curriculum for Family Medicine. No registration is required. Click here to join the session. For more information, please contact the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at edifom@uottawa.ca.


Also, the annual Journées Montfort conference will be taking place on April 11-12, 2024. This is an opportunity for reflection and discussion for all healthcare professionals wishing to contribute to the continuous improvement of medical practices, health teaching and research in French. For more information, click here.

 

Lastly, on behalf of the department, I wish everyone a happy Family Day weekend.

Global Impact: A Conversation with Dr. Hugues Loemba

Recently, our communications team met with Dr. Loemba, Associate Professor, to learn about his work on HIV and his role during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Loemba has been a member of our department since 2008 and has been fundamental in his role as a primary preceptor and clinical teacher for residents throughout the years. He is currently the main Medical Consultant at the Occupational Health Clinic at the Montfort Hospital where he continues his work in virology and HIV care.

Dr. Hugues Loemba always knew that he wanted to be a doctor. Originally from the Republic of Congo, he followed his dream to pursue medical education after earning a scholarship to study in Kiev, in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (now Ukraine). He graduated in 1986 in General Medicine, with specialist training in Epidemiology. Throughout his medical studies, Dr. Loemba volunteered as an intern in the virology and microbiology laboratory, which fuelled his passion for the study of viruses.

 

In 1986, while he was studying in Kiev, the Chernobyl nuclear disaster took place along with the start of the HIV pandemic, both of which shaped his career trajectory. After graduation, he returned to the Republic of Congo and joined the fight against HIV/AIDS and the resurgence of Tuberculosis (TB). Dr Loemba was shortly thereafter appointed as the Physician in charge of HIV/AIDS and TB cases at the Military Hospital of Brazzaville, where he worked as a civilian doctor.

 

In 1993, he was offered a scholarship by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) to pursue graduate studies in virology in Canada. In 1995, he completed a Master of Science Degree (M.Sc.) in Virology and Immunology at the Institut Armand-Frappier-INRS, in Laval, during which he worked on the Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) virus, which belongs to the COVID-19 broad family of viruses (large family of Nidovirales virus). He studied the immune response to the structural proteins of the PRRS virus. His work on the humoral immune response to the PRRS virus has helped in the development of a vaccine against this virus, a cousin to the COVID-19 virus.

 

Dr. Loemba pursued his graduate studies in virology at McGill University's AIDS Centre, carrying out in-depth research into HIV and its variants, in particular, anti-viral drug-resistant mutants of the HIV subtype C virus. His work culminated in a Ph.D. in Experimental Medicine from McGill University in 2001, under the supervision of the renowned Dr. Mark Wainberg. While completing his Ph.D. studies in Virology, Dr. Loemba passed all Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examinations required for International medical graduates (IMG) to practice in Canada.

 

The COVID-19 Pandemic 

Dr. Loemba’s work with the PRRS virus and HIV variants equipped him with the specialized knowledge required to assist in the fight against COVID-19. “I studied the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRSS) virus, a virus of the same broad family as the coronavirus; my work helped produce a vaccine against it. Both PRRS and SarsCov2 viruses are similar in shape, genomic organization, and replication strategy, so I had the background needed to understand what we were dealing with when the COVID-19 pandemic arrived.”

 

Global Health Impact 

In 2016, in partnership with La Fondation Marie Madeleine Gombes, a local Congolese humanitarian organization, Dr. Loemba founded the HDL Laboratory, a cutting-edge lab powered by solar panels and includes a Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) component in Pointe-Noire, the Republic of Congo.

 

The HDL Laboratory was established to conduct research on HIV/AIDS and to assist local physicians in the lab monitoring of HIV infected patients. Little did Dr. Loemba know that 4 years later there would be a new pandemic, COVID-19, and the lab would be requisitioned by the government to assist the local public health as a COVID-19 reference PCR testing centre in Pointe-Noire, and in the southern region of the Congo. This lab was crucial for PCR testing during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it continues to remain vital today, on a global scale, to the research of the COVID-19 virus, HIV/AIDS, and other co-morbidities. It also solidified the important collaboration between Canadian and Congolese scientists.

 

In Dr. Loemba’s words: “The completion of this project gives me the feeling of having done something useful for international scientific collaboration as well as something good for the people of my hometown of Pointe-Noire. I wanted to share my knowledge and to help improve infectious diagnostics and access to care for the local population by providing them with useful, inexpensive, and high-quality bio-molecular virology tests required for optimizing HIV care.”

 

Advancements in COVID-19 using Artificial Intelligence (AI)

In partnership with US scientists involved in exploring applications of artificial intelligence in health care, Dr. Loemba is currently working alongside a Californian-based start-up that has been developing an AI device that can rapidly diagnose the presence of the COVID-19 virus in patients through soundwaves captured from within the chest. Phase 1 & 2 trials have been completed, and the project will soon be transitioning to the Phase 3 trial.

 

In parting, Dr. Loemba shared these words for our next generation of learners: “For young dreamers, I say never let anyone put you aside and discourage you from pursuing your dreams. When I look back at my journey, I could not have imagined I would graduate in medicine in Kiev, Ukraine, with honours in a language that is not native to me; I could not have imagined I would be able to return to the Congo just 2 months after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster and join in the fight against the HIV/Aids pandemic, a health disaster; I could not have imagined I would get a scholarship to come to Canada and create a career for myself. Stay focused, stay determined, absolutely resilient and always aim for your dreams.”

Moving the Needle on Health Equity - Supporting Our Local Communities

Dr. Denice Lewis, Assistant Professor and Director of Curriculum & Academic Day, is leading our curriculum renewal by addressing gaps and inequities in our curriculum and driving this crucial shift in training:


“We are taking a philosophical approach to education that focuses on a strong sense of belonging in our profession along with activities to increase preparedness in effective training environments.

In addition to our locally identified needs, we will incorporate the CFPC's training priorities which include training to full scope, exposure to caring for underserved populations, and strengthening existing curricular elements regarding home and long-term care, addictions and mental health, emergency and acute care, Indigenous health, health equity and anti-racism, virtual care and health Informatics.”


Dr. Lewis also shared an update on the direction of the department’s work toward health equity: “Our department is leading the way in formally exploring health inequities in the training we provide. To that end, Dr. Wooltorton, myself and invited preceptors (so far Dr. Kristine Whitehead and Dr. Oussama Outbih) continue to lead the blended learning anti-racism modules and workshop in the central academic day curriculum for PGY-1 residents. Our residents have proven to be open, engaged, thoughtful and truly interested in caring for the whole person by trying to understand all of their social determinants of health. The sessions have provided our learners a place to discuss topics, clinical and educational experiences that are not often explored in their training. And we hope they will carry what they learn back to their clinical placements. We encourage you to join us in delivering this content during one of our workshops as we are always looking to build capacity among our teachers to be able to teach a wide variety of our curriculum. Take a moment this month to brainstorm how you can apply some anti-racist principles to the work that you do in your local environment.”

Dr. Doug Gruner, Associate Professor, has spent close to 25 years working to improve healthcare for refugees. In 2008, to address the need for better access to medical care and support for refugees (medical assessments, filling out forms, language support, etc.), he helped create what is now the Ottawa Newcomer Health Centre (ONHC).

Housed on Argyle Avenue in Ottawa, the ONHC has evolved to where it is today through numerous partnerships over the years, through recognition from the government that more funding is crucial to meet the increasing demands on healthcare, and with the collaborative support of a team of doctors and nurse practitioners. In its infancy, the previous Reception House could not fully support the needs of refugees; someone with a cold would be redirected to the ER. Fast forward to 2024, the Centre can now accommodate the many different health needs of newcomers. Dr. Gruner is optimistic about how the system has evolved and how the ONHC has matured to provide robust and strong support for newcomers, but he stresses the ongoing need to continue advocating for government support as the demand on our healthcare system continues to grow. The challenge remains of how we can continue to provide evidence-based, timely access to care, and meet the needs of the increasing number of unattached patients within our region, many of whom are newcomers to Canada.

Dr. Lissa Bair, Lecturer and our new Enhanced Skills Family Practice Director of Global Health, works at the Centertown Community Health Center, a non-profit clinic in Ottawa. The clinic supports refugee claimants and newcomers who do not have access to OHIP but are covered by interim federal healthcare. Over the years, the clinic has seen a large volume of newcomers, notably from sub-Saharan African countries.


“It’s my favorite clinic. I always say that if I could work there every day, I would.”

Dr. Bair mentions that a lot of newcomer-related work is very limited in terms of funding and space, so they do what they can within the limitations. She would like people to know that there are many newcomers to Canada, and there will be more to come. This is a population in need of help and resources in a time where resources are limited. This is a call to action for everyone, and Dr. Bair encourages us all to play our role in serving this population.

Faculty Update

Congratulations to five of our faculty members who are this year’s 2024 Ottawa Awards' nominees for Ottawa's Family/General Practitioner of the Year. Included in the nominations are Dr. Lina Shoppoff, Assistant Professor, Dr. Victor Sandu, Lecturer, Dr. Vanessa Murley, Assistant Professor, Dr. Alykhan Abdulla Assistant Professor and Dr. Kathleen Kelly, Assistant Professor.

 

These faculty members have been chosen by the public – by their colleagues, patients, family, and friends – for their impactful work. Votes can be made through Faces Magazine. Scroll down the page to: Category – Health & Wellness-Family/General Practitioner should you wish to cast a vote. Voting remains open until March 7, 2024. Winners will be announced March 8, 2024, at the Brookstreet Hotel. Tickets are available for purchase here.

Faculty Evaluation Report Update

The 3rd annual Faculty Evaluation report was sent out through one45 on January 15, 2024. This initiative was presented at the Departmental Assembly in 2021 and was developed by Dr. Kendall Noel, Assistant Professor and Director of Evaluation. This report provides supervising physicians with 3 years’ worth of anonymous data submitted by Family Medicine residents (PGY1 and PGY2). On behalf of the Department and the residents, we want to thank you for your ongoing engagement in teaching and participating in resident education. For questions or concerns regarding the report or one45 please send an email to Kim Beaubien: pgy2dfm@uottawa.ca.

Research Update

Join the Department of Family Medicine’s MainPro+ Certified Family Medicine Grand Rounds (FMGR), via Zoom, on Thursday, February 22, 2024, for presentations from Dr. Douglas Archibald, Research and Innovation Director, and Dr. Michael Kirlew, Assistant Professor. For more information, view the FMGR poster, the Family Medicine Grand Rounds research page, or contact Miya Ismayilova: Mismayil@uOttawa.ca.


Call for Participants

Dr. Parisa Rezaiefar, Associate professor, is a co-investigator in a study to assess how primary care providers diagnose and care for women who experience urinary incontinence in Ontario. Dr. Rezaeifar would like to hear perspectives from healthcare professionals. For more information, click here.

FMF 2024 - Call for Abstracts

This is an opportunity to share your work, ideas and research at FMF 2024. Do you have any colleagues whom you believe would make excellent presenters? FMF is looking for fresh and engaging sessions.

 

Submission Deadlines: 

  • Call for sessions and workshops: Closed February 9, 2024 – 11:59 p.m. (ET)
  • Call for free-standing papers and posters: April 5, 2024 – 11:59 p.m. (ET) 
  • Call for Big Ideas Soapbox: April 26, 2024 – 11:59 p.m. (ET) 

 

For more information and to submit your abstract, visit the FMF website: https://fmf.cfpc.ca/abstracts/. If you have any questions, contact: dmckay@cfpc.ca 

International Conference on Deprescribing - Call for Abstracts

Abstracts are being accepted for the International Conference on Deprescribing (ICOD2) that is taking place on September 26 and 27, 2024, in Nantes, France. The Canadian Medication Appropriateness and Deprescribing Network (CADeN) is extending funding to support the participation of up to 2 students/trainees from Canadian academic institutions at ICOD2. Abstracts must be submitted to ICOD2 by February 29th, 2024, and applications for travel support submitted to CADeN by March 14th, 2024, 11:59PM EDT. Follow this link for information and application guidelines.

ACFAS 2024

Registration is open for the 91st Association francophone pour le savoir (ACFAS) Congress, which is being held from May 13-17, 2024. The ACFAS Congress is the largest multidisciplinary scientific gathering in the French-speaking world, bringing together an average of 6,000 participants from Canada and abroad. Register now to attend. If you are interested in presenting your work, consult the program.

Upcoming Events

Faculty Orientation & Faculty Development Half-Day

Save-the-Date: The New Faculty Orientation & Essential Teaching Skills 1 will be taking place on Friday, June 7, 2024. Stay tuned for registration information.

 

2024 Update on Chronic Pain and Addiction for Primary Care

Registration is open for the 2024 Update on Chronic Pain and Addiction for Primary Care course taking place virtually, on Friday, February 23, 2024. The course will give participants the opportunity to network virtually through plenary sessions and an online meeting hub. For registration and more information, click here.


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