Well deserved recognition, event recaps and reviews, CHANGE in Parkland County and much more in this issue. Family MattersYour updates from the University of Alberta Department of Family MedicineMarch 2018 Message From the Chair
As I was sitting down (in Yiwu, Zhejiang Province, China - but that’s a tale for another day) to write this, I was racking my brain for what’s new in March. Not much... but on reflection I realized I should be grateful for that! With so much transformational change going on, having no new directions for a month is a bit of a relief. We have good things happening, so it’s a good time to just keep on keepin’ on. March in Alberta is a good month for that anyway. So the new clinic project is in full swing, the AMHSP changes are rolling along (albeit on what sometimes appears to be as potholed a road as Edmonton is known for), the research strategic planning process is nearing conclusion, the official residency accreditation report will be in soon, and UME is pressing ahead with their growing influence in the curriculum. Another very enjoyable FREzER and a Grand Rounds both amusing and informative added some color to March, and Dr. Louanne Keenan added another important award to the Department’s impressive collection, and we turned in a very good show at ASA again. Read through this month’s newsletter for the details, and keep on keepin’ on. Louanne Keenan Receives Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Award
Dr. Melanie Currie named Edmonton area Physician of the Year A heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Melanie Currie, who has been named Physician of the Year by the Edmonton Medical Zone Staff Association (EZMSA). Dr. Currie practices out of the Westgrove Clinic in Spruce Grove, and is a clinical lecturer with the Department of Family Medicine. You can read more about Dr. Currie here. Grand Rounds RecapThank you to our speakers for the March 15, 2018 Grand Rounds, Dr. Tina Korownyk, Joey Ton, PharmD, and Igor Yakovenko, PhD. Medical Marijuana: The Risks and the Realities provided valuable information for primary care providers to consider when approached about the use of cannabis for medical conditions or general recreational use. A thank you also goes out to event MC Dr. Karenn Chan as well as volunteers Dr. Roshan Abraham, Lindsay Mercer and Sandy Boychuck. Resources for health care providers and patients can be found at the links below. Simplified Guidelines for Prescribing Medical Cannabinoids in Primary Care Additional resource are available on the Canadian Public Health Association website, as well as the Department of Family Medicine Grand Rounds webpage. Tina Korownyk and Joey Ton kick things off with a bit of myth-busting. FREzER Follow-up
CHANGE is Underway in Parkland School Division Watch the video to find out more, or check out the CHANGE Health website. Memorial Composite High School in Stony Plain, Alberta began the 2017-2018 school year with a new faculty member: Dr. Doug Klein. Dr. Klein and his team will work to create proactive health programming for students at the school. This initiative is part of the Alberta CHANGE program, which is in turn part of the national CHANGE (Canadian Health Advanced by Nutrition and Graded Exercise) Health program. Funding Opportunity for Clinical Research: Alberta Innovates PRIHS CompetitionThe Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Health System (PRIHS) competition from Alberta Innovates and AHS has now launched. A combined pool of $7 million in funds is available. This competition is focused on supporting health research and innovation projects that will adopt and implement evidence to maintain or improve quality of patient care and services while substantially reducing costs in the healthcare system. The Expression of Interest submission deadline is April 27, 2018 at 3:00 pm MST. At this stage, the call is to identify and describe a problem that is relevant to Albertans and preventing them from receiving the most appropriate and efficient health care. Research Services Office Funding Fair Are you a member of the research community looking to learn more about funding for your research? Then the Research Funding Fair is for you. Research Services Office (RSO) together with the School of Public Health, Faculty of Nursing and Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine are providing our UAlberta research community with opportunities to learn what funding opportunities and research support resources exist for you. Watch RSO’s website for more detailed information leading up to May. Email rsoevent@ualberta.ca with any questions. RESEARCH GRANTS AWARDEDBuilding Citizen Engagement in the Translating Research in Elder Care (TREC) Program Optimizing health care services and engagement for patients with substance use disorders and social marginalization in Edmonton through applied research RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONSVisit the Department of Family Medicine Recent Research Publications webpage. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTGeriatric Medicine 2018: Mind, Body, Soul Conference This program will be reviewed by the College of Family Physicians of Canada and is awaiting final certification by the College’s Alberta Chapter. 15th Annual Pediatric Emergency Medicine Update University UpdatesFaculty and Staff Website Changes The Human Resources website has changed, with changes to the organization of the content to make it easier for the university’s employees and human resource staff to find the content they require. As a result, information about pay and taxes, employee benefits, support for life events, health and well-being resources, and other useful information can now be found on the Faculty and Staff website. Research Services Office Report to the Community 2018. Learn how the Research Services Office made things easier in 2017 in the RSO’s Report to the Community. |