Medical marijuana, CFPC student scholarships and awards, a chance to have your Type 1 diabetes questions answered and more in this issue! Family MattersYour updates from the University of Alberta Department of Family MedicineFebruary 2018 Message From the Chair
There’s a lot happening in the Department – a theme that seems to permeate these newsletters! We are indeed in a time of transformation. This month I want to call out one of those transformations, the launch of the new clinic at Grant MacEwan University. We’ve done a lot of work on it over the last month, and it’s on track to open July 2nd. The new clinic is transformational in several ways, but I want to call out one of those in particular: its dedication to the Medical Home model of advanced, team-based, systematic primary care. The Medical Home is what primary care transformation across Alberta aims for, and Alberta has some exemplars that have made a lot of progress toward it. Our new clinic is ambitious, aiming to leapfrog to the next level and provide an example for even the best in the province. What would such a leading example look like? At a conference in Washington DC I attended this month, I saw a presentation that really brought the vision to life. It was from a group of practices in Connecticut who’ve done it and been successful with it (despite the pervasive under-funding of primary care in the US). They shared a video that is worth watching. You’ll see it on their website at https://www.cipci.org/future. Though it looks almost unbelievably futuristic, it’s not blue sky! They’re really practicing this way. Moreover, when they asked how many other people had clinics that ran like this, about half a dozen hands went up in the room of about 80 people. And look at their large panel size. Scary? Surprisingly, no. They go home earlier, they don’t work harder than other docs, and their physician and staff happiness scores are great. So are their patient outcomes and satisfaction. Plus they’re significantly more cost-effective than traditional practices. That’s what can be done with efficiency! That’s our aim at MacEwan, and then when we replace our other clinics one by one with our learnings from MacEwan. Of course this won’t happen Day 1 at MacEwan, it’s a stepwise process, but it’s helpful I think to see what “there” looks like. In times of change such as these, people are anxious about the future, about knowing what to expect. It’s said that the best way to predict the future is to create it. A good strategy for our Department, I think. Family Medicine Team Receives CIHR GrantCongratulations to Andrea Grunier (PI) and the research team for the Practical Approaches to Longitudinal Monitoring for Quality of Care Near the End of Life in Nursing Home Settings project, recent recipients of a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) grant. Cannabinoid Guideline ReleasedA Simplified Guideline for Prescribing Medical Cannabinoids in Primary Care was released on February 15, 2018. The development of the guideline, which was created by a committee of 10 individuals and peer reviewed by 40 other health care practitioners, was led by Evidence-based Medicine program Director Dr. Mike Allan. The guideline was published in Canadian Family Physician. In addition to the guideline, supplementary materials including patient handouts have been made available. Medical Marijuana: The Risks and the RealitiesFamily Medicine Grand RoundsThe topic of our March 15, 2018 Family Medicine Grand Rounds will be Medical Marijuana: The Risks and the Realities. Please join us for this timely discussion. March 15, 2018 CFPC Medical Student ScholarshipsThe College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) is offering the following awards to medical students in the class of 2019. If you are interested in pursuing a career in family medicine please look into this scholarship option. These scholarships recognize outstanding medical students in their 2nd last year of study (graduating class of 2019) who have an interest in family medicine as a career. Students have been invited to apply for these scholarships by midnight on April 13, 2018. One student from each Canadian medical school will be selected to receive this $10,000.00 scholarship. A selection committee coordinated through the Department of Family Medicine comprised of student, resident and faculty representatives will collaborate on the selection process. Two letters of support from faculty members, one of which is a family physician, are required. Applications can be submitted to Erika Siroski by email at erika.siroski@ualberta.ca or by fax to 780-492-8191, not the dean’s office as specified in the PDF. If you have any questions about applying, please contact Erika at 780-248-1977. CFPC Medical Student Leadership Awards The CFPC is offering the following awards to medical students in the class of 2018. If you are interested in pursuing a career in family medicine please look into this award. Applications deadline is April 13, 2018. These awards recognize the leadership abilities of outstanding medical students in the graduating class of 2018. One student from each of the 17 Canadian medical schools will be selected. A selection committee comprised of student and faculty representatives is asked to collaborate on the selection process. Award recipients will be invited to attend the Family Medicine Forum 2018 in Toronto, November 14-17, 2018. Students have been invited to apply to for these scholarships by April 13, 2018. A letter of support from a faculty member addressing the nominee’s skills as a leader must be included. These letters are an important component in the selection process and should include sufficient information to support the nominee’s demonstrated interest in family medicine and skills in areas of leadership, academic and/or research achievement, communication skills, publications, and non-medical/community interests. Applications can be submitted to Erika Siroski by email at erika.siroski@ualberta.ca or by fax to 780-492-8191, not the dean’s office as specified in the PDF. If you have any questions about applying, please contact Erika 780-248-1977. Type 1 Diabetes Questions? Answered Type 1 Diabetes Questions? ANSWERED. March 15, 2018 6:30PM – 8:00 PM | Alberta Diabetes Institute Join us for a FREE public information session for an opportunity to have your questions about Type 1 diabetes answered by diabetes experts. For more info and to REGISTER visit the Alberta Diabetes Institute website. 2018 GI for GPs Registration is Now Open Saturday, April 21, 2018 Practical Evidence for Informed Practice (PEIP) 2018Mark your calendars for PEIP 2018! October 19-20, 2018 Remember, PEIP has sold out every year so be sure to visit the conference webpage for updates as they come available to save your seat! But you don't have to wait for the conference to get up-to-date on the price of prescriptions. The Price Comparison of Commonly Prescribed Pharmaceuticals in Alberta 2018 is now available for download from the ACFP website! You can also pick up your paper copy at 6-60 University Terrace (6th floor, 8303 - 112 St., Edmonton) 2018 Summer Institute Call for Abstracts You are invited to submit abstracts for poster and/or oral presentation for our third annual AbSPORU Summer Institute: Keys To Collaboration. We will select a limited number of abstracts for oral presentation. Before accessing the official online form, please review the following content in our call for abstract document: themes, important dates, abstract content, submission details, presentation detailsand conference information. Still have questions? Email them to spor.training.ab@ualberta.ca The Summer Institute Team More information on the 2018 Summer Institute will be announced shortly. Dates will be May 14-16 at the Best Western Plus Village Park Inn in Calgary. http://bit.ly/2ke4Tn8 Research Publications & PresentationsVisit the Department of Family Medicine Recent Research Publications
Professional DevelopmentCancerControl: Strengthening Linkages Wokshop Date Announced! Medical Disorders and Pregnancy LeadFM: Alberta Family Medicine Leadership Conference Family Medicine in FolioFaculty of Medicine & Dentistry The History of Medicine presents: Featuring Stephen E. Mawdsley, PhD, FHEA Wednesday, March 14, 2018 Free admission. All are welcome! RESERVE YOUR TICKET (registration is welcome but not required to attend) University Updates2018 CAFA Distinguished Academic Award Nominations Recognizing an academic staff member, or group of staff members, who through their research and/or other scholarly, creative or professional activities have made an outstanding contribution to the wider community beyond the university. 2018 CAFA Distinguished Academic Early Career Award Nominations Recognizing an academic staff member at an early stage of his or her career, who through his or her research and/or other scholarly, creative or professional activity has made an outstanding contribution to the wider community beyond the university. For more information and to nominate a colleague(s), visit the CAFA website. Save the Date: RSO Research Administration DayPlease mark your calendars for the Research Services Office's upcoming Research Administration Day (RAD) on June 6, 2018. Whether you are new to research administration or just want to learn more, RAD is for you. Past topics have included introduction to research administration, immigration, purchasing and eligibility of expenditures. This year's theme is "Keeping it Simple: Best Practices in Research Administration" and will align with several topics discussed at the sessions. Date: Wednesday, June 6, 2018 |