WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Mark Your Calendars: November 1, 2024

Get ready for an exhilarating Day of Discovery! We're curating a fascinating journey through time with captivating displays. But that's not all—when the stars come out, so do we, at an evening gala featuring a sensational live band! It's more than an event; it's a journey through time and celebration.

Historical Trivia: Our Past Chair

Visit Past Chairs of the Department of Medicine for the answer.

Learn more interesting historical trivia at our 100 Years Celebration.
Or share your interesting memorabilia or stories with us. We would love to hear from you!

We're Hiring!

Meet the Keynote Speakers

Explore the Future of Pulmonary Medicine

Immerse yourself in the forefront of Pulmonary Medicine at the Pulmonary Update, a collaborative effort with the Alberta Respiratory Centre. Join us for an opportunity to delve into the latest breakthroughs and advancements in adult and pediatric Pulmonary Medicine. Elevate your practice, expand your network, and implement cutting-edge insights to transform patient care.

DoM RESEARCH

Department of Medicine Translational Research Implementation Fund (TRIF)

The TRIF is designed to support research to generate preliminary data or pilot data with the expectation that it would be used for future applications, particularly Tri-Council (CIHR). 

Other Research Opportunities

Award: The National Killam Program has three upcoming awards:

1. Dorothy Killam Fellowship (mid-career scholars), VPRI deadline: May 14 
2. Killam NRC Paul Corkum Fellowship (new 2025) (senior career scholars)
    VPRI deadline: May 27 
3. Killam Prize Nomination (senior career scholars), for VPRI deadline, email Priscila Magaldi Netto; sponsor deadline: June 6
4. Webinar: Killam Prizes and Dorothy Killam Fellowships webinar offered by the Global Excellence Initiative (Universities Canada) on May 8 at 12 p.m. 

Two Webinars: Guidance for policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern (STRAC) by Tri-Agencies: May 9 and May 28.

Webinar: CIHR 2024 Question & Answer Session for Trainees and Postdoctoral Researchers in Health Research (June 11)

For more Research events, awards, and funding opportunities, see the Research Events calendar (postings in green).

Research Trainees

Department of Medicine 
Doctoral Recruitment Scholarship

This year, the department is pleased to offer two awards of $20,000 to outstanding prospective PhD students.

More Trainee Opportunities

Studentships: CANTRAIN Master’s and Doctoral studentships. RAS deadline:  May 24.  
•    Master’s: up to $17,500
•    Doctoral: up to $35,000
•    Postdoctoral: up to $42,000

Fellowships: Alberta Innovates Postdoctoral Fellowships in Health Innovation and Enhancement (June 25)

Members' Research Publications

May is the awareness month for Cystic Fibrosis, Hypertension, and Multiple Sclerosis. Here are some related publications.

Cystic Fibrosis

1. Kathryn J. Potter, Valérie Boudreau, Anne Bonhoure, François Tremblay, Annick Lavoie, Maité Carricart, Peter A. Senior, Rémi Rabasa-Lhoret. Insulinogenic index and early phase insulin secretion predict increased risk of worsening glucose tolerance and of cystic fibrosis-related diabetes. Journal of Cystic Fibrosis 2023; 22: 50-58 June 2023 IF 5.2
2. Lam Grace, Patel H, Sharpe H, Li D, Halloran K. Metabolic Complications in Lung Transplantation for Cystic Fibrosis - A Case Control Study. Available online 24 April 2024 IF 4.0

Hypertension

1. Ahmed, Sofia. Corresponding Author. Sex- and Gender-Based Reporting in Antihypertensive Medication Literature Informing Hypertension Guidelines. Journal of the American Heart Association. 2024;13:e030613 Originally published 29 Feb 2024 IF 5.4    

Multiple Sclerosis

1. Klarenbach, Scott. Corresponding Author. Disease-modifying therapy use and health resource utilisation associated with multiple sclerosis over time: A retrospective cohort study from Alberta, Canada. Journal of the Neurological Sciences Mar 2024 IF 4.4 
2. Plemel, Jason. Co-Author. Micro-diffusely abnormal white matter: An early multiple sclerosis lesion phase with intensified myelin blistering. Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology Feb 2024 IF 5.3

See DoM Publications for a complete list of all our division members' research in peer-reviewed journals.

DoM IN THE NEWS

The Angioedema Clinic, led by Dr. Adil Adatia (Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary Medicine), becomes the first fully certified Angioedema Center of Reference and Excellence (ACARE) program in Canada.

The program is a joint initiative of the Global Allergy and Asthma European Network (GA²LEN) and the Hereditary Angioedema International (HAEi) that certifies global centres of excellence in angioedema management. (AHS News)  

• Dr. Ameeta Singh (Clinical Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases)
  • Receives $400,000 from CIHR to improve access to syphilis and HIV testing in a rural First Nations community (U of A News)
  • Rapid test project tackling Alberta’s syphilis outbreak (The Hamilton Spector)

• Dr. Jan Willem Cohen Tervaert (Professor, Division of Rheumatology):
  • House Health Committee calls for a national breast implant registry (The Hill Times)
  • Exposing the risk of breast implants in Canada (The Hill Times)
  • Beauty, at what cost? Concerns raised over risk of "lunch-break" facelifts (Guelph Mercury Tribute)
  • Long-COVID is not a new disease (Medisch Contact in Dutch)
  • Long-COVID patients may benefit from amino acids (De Limburger in Dutch)
     

• Asian Changemakers: How Dr. Monty Ghosh (Assistant Professor, Division of General Internal Medicine) revolutionizes addiction medicine with empathy and innovation (The Griffin Daily News)
   

• Dr. Lynora Saxinger (Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases):
  • Experts urge Albertans to check measles vaccine status after confirmed Edmonton case (CTV News)
  • Breast cancer rates on the rise for young women in Canada, study says (The Globe and Mail)
  • Opinion: Canadians deserve a transparent report into the COVID-19 pandemic (The Globe and Mail)
     
• "Wait and see". Dr. Harissios Vliagoftis (Professor, Division of Pulmonary Medicine) says it's too soon to say how severe this allergy season will be in Alberta. (CTV News)
   
• Dr. Clarence Wong (Professor, Division of Gastroenterology):
  • New procedure puts end to swallowing disorder for Edmonton man (AHS News)
  • Ground-breaking cryogenic procedure strips precancerous cells from esophagus (Page 3 of AHS Research and Innovation 2023; video in Global News). 

DoM EQUITY, DIVERSITY
AND INCLUSION

Parity for Women in Medicine — Still a Work in Progress

According to a recent CMA study, currently over 54% of Canadian physicians under age 40 are women. It is estimated that by 2030, half of all Canadian physicians will be women. Despite this, only 25% of leadership positions in medicine are held by women, with very few being held by women of colour. More women are stepping into leadership roles to bring different perspectives to the way medical care is delivered and taught, yet an overwhelming majority continue to report weekly microaggressions based on gender. Medicine is a profession that is built on pre-existing culture and hierarchical ideas. Ongoing wage gaps, discrimination toward parental leave, lack of consideration of family/work balance and unequal access to mentorship all contribute to disengagement and burnout amongst women in leadership. Women are effective systemic disruptors, with fresh ideas to challenge the norm, and have known positive outcomes with patient care, both in treatment and prevention.  

Visit DoM EDI for a few examples of situations demonstrating the lack of parity that still exists in medicine today. Let's try to even the playing field by being an ally to all women physician colleagues! 

Dr. Neeja Bakshi

HAPPENINGS IN DoM

A.M. (Buzz) Edwards
Lectureship in Clinical Education

Join us for coffee in 2-191 CSB as we livestream this session. 

FACULTY OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY

Dr. Richard Fedorak Memorial Award in Professionalism

2024 Call for Nominations

The Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry's annual opportunity for peers and learners recognizes a faculty clinician who exemplifies professionalism and vocation for service in the medical profession.

In 2023, the Department of Medicine's Dr. Mang Ma was awarded this honour.

• Leadership in Global Surgery (May 17). Effective leaders play a significant role in building capacity, mobilizing resources, advocating for policy changes, and fostering interdisciplinary collaborations necessary to improve surgical outcomes. This event will focus on exploring the role of leadership in advancing global surgical care and achieving health equity for all.
   
• Community Input for Dean Review (May 23, June 3). The FoMD Dean Review Committee seeks your input from the Faculty on the key areas of responsibility held by Brenda Hemmelgarn and the leadership she has provided over the last five years.
   
• Cancer Imaging: Molecules to Patients (June 3-4). This two-day Gairdner Alberta Partnered Symposium will highlight the latest developments in cancer imaging research.

COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES

Microaggressions: Concepts & Impacts (May 10). This workshop is part of the School of Public Health's EDI Fridays and participants will examine microaggressions, understanding their definitions, various forms, and the effects they have on individuals and culture.

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA NEWS

• U of A holds strong in international subject rankings. Five subjects offered at the U of A ranked in the top 50 internationally with 12 more in the top 100.
   
• U of A Giving Day 2024. U of A Giving Day is an annual University-wide event to fundraise as much as possible towards student supports — in just one day! Help enrich our students’ university experience by giving to any of the featured student funds that resonate with you. And the best part is that up to a total of $100,000 will be matched, doubling your impact!

ALBERTA HEALTH SERVICES NEWS

Read the May 2024 MD Culture Shift, an AHS publication created by physicians for physicians.

HELPFUL SUPPORT & TIPS

• macOS updates being rolled out to eligible computers as of May 13 through Kandji. Don’t know if you have Kandji installed? Look for a bee icon in your menu bar. 
   
• Yoga for Peace of Mind (Mondays @11 starting May 13). This free class utilizes meditation, movement and breathwork to cultivate mindful awareness through stilling the mind and training attention. 
   
• Communicating with Impact (May 23). Effective communication is an essential workplace skill that is often overlooked. Whether you are communicating with a colleague, direct report, student, or client, most, if not all of us, can benefit from focusing on our effectiveness.
   
• Public-Facing Resource: Teaching During Global and Geopolitical Crisis.​​​​​This resource provides a variety of strategies and frameworks for supporting students equitably and compassionately. Also enrol in Practices and Strategies for Teaching and Learning During Crisis Redux (May 23). This session will provide a brief overview of the trauma-informed teaching and community care principles that informed its development. 
   
• Starting the Conversation: Introduction to Mental Well-Being (May 28). This free course helps you understand the step-by-step process to becoming aware and connecting with care to ourselves and those in our workplace.