In this issue:

• Message from the Chair
• AMHSP Tip - Can I take a leave of absence from the AMHSP?
• What You Need to Know
  • Professional Fulfillment and Burnout in Physicians in the DoM, An Exploratory Study
  • DoM 2025 Annual Report: Celebrating our progress and looking ahead
  • 2026 Site Immunizer Campaign
  • Welcome Back Picnic phots
• Happenings in DoM
• DoM News
• ACB: Principles of OCAP
• DoM Research
• Helpful Support and Tips
• FoMD News
• U of A News
• AHS and AMA News

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

AMHSP TIP

Can I take a leave of absence from the AMHSP?

• An absence from the AMHSP is time away from contracted business days for medical, parental, or other personal reasons.
• All absences, planned or unexpected, require approval and must be reported immediately to the DoM AMHSP Arrangement Head or delegate (e.g., DoM Compliance Specialist), including:
  • Reason and dates of absence
  • Clinical service coverage arrangements
• AHS Medical Staff Rules apply to absences longer than six weeks.
• Any unapproved absence exceeding 30 cumulative calendar days during the ISA cycle, prorated to the start date, may result in immediate termination.
• Not considered absences:
  • presenting at CME/CPD, QI or research meetings
  • attending events related to an administrative/leadership role
  • professional development conferences attended as a learner 
    (note, there is no protected time on the ISA for attending conferences as a learner)

More information about absences can be found in the AMHSP Policy, Guidelines and Procedures, Section 3.1: Absence Policy.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

DoM faculty physicians are encouraged to participate in a research project on physician wellness in the department. This 5-min. survey is intended for all Department of Medicine physicians, both academic and clinical (but not for residents or fellows). See original invitation of October 1.

Dr. Karen Kroeker, Principal Investigator
Ethics ID: Pro00168897

DoM 2025 Annual Report

Celebrating our progress and looking ahead

The 2025 Annual Report reflects the many ways our faculty, staff, learners and partners are advancing our academic mission and contributing to excellence in education, research, clinical care and innovation. There is much to celebrate...and much more ahead.

We invite you to explore the 2025 Annual Report and discover the people, accomplishments and initiatives that are shaping the future of the department.

The 2026 Site Immunizer Campaign will run from October 13 to November 6. The immunization carts will be offering both influenza and COVID-19 vaccines.

In addition, Rexall and KEC Pharmacy on-site clinics are scheduled to launch on October 19, 2026, in alignment with the public mass immunization program.

Stay tuned for more information about the roving flu carts in your area.

A big thank you to everyone who joined us for our Welcome Back Picnic! It was wonderful to reconnect with familiar faces, welcome new colleagues, and enjoy some time together outside the office. 

Here are a few photos from a great afternoon of food, conversation and connection!

HAPPENINGS IN DoM

New Public Health Education Series

The Department of Medicine is pleased to offer Let's Talk Health: Conversations with Physicians from the Department of Medicine, a new virtual community education series presented in partnership with Edmonton Public Library.

Making Sense of Vaccines:
Answers to common questions and
misconceptions about adult immunization
Wednesday, October 14  |  6 – 7 p.m. via Zoom
with Dr. Robyn Harrison, clinical professor

Vaccines are one of the most effective tools available to help prevent serious illness, yet many adults still have questions about how they work, how they are tested, and how to make informed decisions about their health.

We encourage you to share this opportunity with your family, friends, patients, colleagues, and community networks.

Missed The Truth about GLP-1 Medications?

Not to worry...you can watch the presentation by Dr. Saifal Anwar. We also posted answers to questions that were not addressed due to time constraints.

Join us in person for coffee and good conversation, or click on links below to register on Zoom.

• Oct. 9, Classroom D - What is new and what remains tricky in the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension? Dr. Branko Braam, professor, Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, U of A
• Oct. 16, Classroom D - A screening of Low Priority (the sequel of Low): Lessons about stigma in healthcare settings told through lived experience, Dr. David Campbell, associate professor, Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Calgary
• Oct. 23, Classroom D - TBA, Dr. Steve Joza, assistant professor, Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, U of A
• Oct. 30, Classroom D - Research Grand Rounds, Dr. Vivian Mushahwar, professor, Division of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Department of Medicine
• Nov. 6, Classroom F - Prevention and Management of Influenza and RSV in Adults, Dr. Michael Ison, Respiratory Disease Branch Chief, Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, NIAID/NIH

See more previous recordings on the MGR Library web page.

Certified for up to 6 Mainpro+ Certified Activity Credits

This one-day course will provide physicians and healthcare professionals with the latest in Diabetes and an approach to common Endocrine problems.  Feel free to share this with others who may benefit. 

Registration is now open

Did you know? Parkinson's Disease (PD) is the fastest-growing neurodegenerative disorder in the world—now surpassing Alzheimer’s disease in growth rate. This course will empower clinicians to provide thoughtful, evidence-based care to people living with Parkinson's disease—and their care partners—through every stage of the illness

DoM NEWS

Research by DoM's Dr. Satyabrata Kar (professor, Division of Neurology) and team reveal nanoparticles as potential new treatment for Alzheimer’s (Folio).

Kudos to Carrie Hlady (MEPC, General Internal Medicine Residency Program) on receiving the 2026 Program Administrator for Excellence Award from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

On September 30, the Department of Medicine stood together in recognition of the children who were taken from their families and communities and the enduring impacts of residential schools.

We wore orange to honour survivors, remember the children who never returned home, and reflect on our shared responsibility to listen, learn and support reconciliation.

Every Child Matters. 🧡

• Dr. Mohit Bhutani (professor, Division of Pulmonary Medicine)

  • Respirologist urges province to remove barriers to COPD treatments (Athabasca Advocate)
     

• Dr. Jan Willem Cohen Tervaert (professor, Division of Rheumatology)

  • Dr. Cohen Tervaert participated in the documentary Inoffensifs, mes implants? which won Quebec's prestigious Prix Gémeaux 2026 for Best Documentary Program. It investigates the health risks, cancer links, and unacknowledged complications associated with breast implants.
     

• Dr. Monty Ghosh (assistant professor, Division of General Internal Medicine)

  • Cognitive testing, intensive housing needed for homeless: Edmonton researcher (Edmonton Journal)

  • Ottawa urged to fund intensive housing for homeless Canadians with cognitive impairments (Globe and Mail)

  • 'We're just stretching resources': Calgary firefighters call for action as overdose calls drastically rise (Calgary Herald)

  • Ottawa’s homelessness crisis is also a cognitive impairment crisis {opinion} (iPolitics)

  • What Canada's wastewater reveals about drug use in 8 cities (CBC)
     

• Dr. Narmin Kassam (professor and chair, Department of Medicine)

  • U of A, Edmonton Public Library team up to counter confusion about health information (Folio)

  • U of A, EPL team up to tackle viral health-care misinformation (CTV News)
     

• Dr. Lynora Saxinger (professor, Division of Infectious Diseases) and Dr. Brian Wirzba (clinical professor, Division of General Internal Medicine)

  • Doctors warn of serious sepsis risks as system struggles with wait times (Edmonton Journal)
     

• Dr. Sebastian Straube (professor, Division of Preventive Medicine)

  • On October 1, 2026, Dr. Straube was elected as Chair of the Board of the M.S.I. Foundation, an Alberta-based health research funding organization.

SCIENCE COMMUNICATION

The Public Physician-Scientist Part 1:

From "Nice Hobby" to Academic Asset:
How Promotion Rules Are Quietly Shifting

"The times they are a-changin'." Funding agencies are making it clear that publicly-funded science needs to be communicated to the communities that pay for it. Knowledge translation and engagement are no longer an afterthought; they are increasingly a focus. If your research or innovations stay trapped in technical jargon, you aren't just missing out on citations and transdisciplinary collaborations; you may be leaving future funding and real-world impact on the table. 

Read more about how science communication and digital savvy are becoming essential tools in the modern academic toolkit.

DoM ACCESS, COMMUNITY
AND BELONGING

Principles of Ownership, Control, Access, Possession (OCAP)

First Nations communities have raised concerns about being the subject of “too much” research, particularly when research is conducted by non-First Nations researchers and the findings are not returned to the community. There are also concerns that research questions may not reflect community priorities or address issues that are important to First Nations peoples. 

For First Nations peoples, collecting information is about more than completing surveys or analyzing numbers. It can involve examining culture, traditions, identity, and lived experiences. The First Nations Principles of OCAP were developed to protect First Nations communities’ right to steward their own information and establish expectations for how First Nations information and data are collected, protected, used, and shared.

If you work with First Nations communities, consider the following principles in your research:

• Ownership: A First Nations community collectively owns information about itself, similar to how individuals own their personal information.
• Control: First Nations, their communities, and representative bodies have the right to control all aspects of research and information management processes that affect them. This can include every stage of a research project.
• Access: First Nations communities should have access to information and data about themselves and their communities. They also have the right to manage and make decisions about access to their collective information.
• Possession: Possession refers to the physical control and stewardship of data and information.

For further information and potential training opportunities, please visit the First Nations Principles of OCAP™ website or watch Understanding the First Nations Principles of OCAP™: Our Road Map to Information Governance.

Read other ACB definitions and topics on the DoM ACB site.

DoM RESEARCH

Trainee + Postdoctoral Scholars
Funding and Awards

• 2026 NSERC Canada Postdoctoral Research Award | Oct. 17. This 

  award provides $70,000 per year for two years to support promising postdoctoral researchers. Applicants apply directly to NSERC, and there is no University of Alberta internal application or adjudication process.
   
• Canada Graduate Research Scholarships – Master's | Dec. 1. Jointly administered by CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC, the program provides $27,000 to high-calibre students pursuing eligible master’s or, in some cases, doctoral studies in Canada. 

Members' Research Publications

• Olagundoye O, Monaghan TF, Gibson W, Wagg A. Prioritising modifiable risk factors for self-management of urinary incontinence in older men: integrating expert consensus with patient readiness. Age and Ageing2026;55(9). doi:10.1093/ageing/afag270
   

• Harris RE, Postnikoff S D, Shukla NK,  Harkness TAA et al. Discovery of a small peptide that increases yeast lifespan by enhancing the function of APCCdh1 in nondividing quiescent cells. ed. Lacefield SGENETICS Published online September 16, 2026. doi:10.1093/genetics/iyag249.
   

• Laforce-van Lierop LMA, Dang R, Narula N, Ingram RJM, Murthy SK, Hoentjen F. The VISION-AI Trial: protocol for a pragmatic randomized controlled non-inferiority trial comparing artificial intelligence-guided colonoscopy to pancolonic chromoendoscopy for neoplasia detection in adults with colorectal inflammatory bowel disease. BMC Gastroenterology. Published online July 17, 2026. doi:10.1186/s12876-026-05046-3 

For more Funding and Award Opportunities, see:

HELPFUL SUPPORT and TIPS

• Navigating Change | Oct. 20. In this workshop, you will explore the personal aspects of change and gain strategies to stay grounded in difficult moments and practical tools to help you manage and adapt to change.
   
• PSPP Pension: Pre-Retirement Session | Oct. 21 (support staff), Oct. 22 (academic/APO/non-union employees). How does PSPP fit into your income picture? This session introduces you to the different income streams available in retirement, a practical look at the PSPP pension formula and how factors like early retirement can affect your benefits. 
   
• Values in the Workplace Wandering Workshop | Oct. 22. Workplace values are a practical compass for smarter team decisions and shared purpose. In this session, you’ll pinpoint the core values driving your choices and design concrete strategies to bring those values to life within your own team.

FACULTY OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY

• FoMD Strategic Planning Town Hall | Oct. 8. Join Dean Hemmelgarn to hear more about our strategic planning process, upcoming engagement opportunities, and how your input will help guide the path forward.
   

• Clinical Faculty Promotion Workshop | Oct.14, 20 or 26. These one hour online sessions will cover the application process, provide a brief overview of criteria for promotion, and answer your questions.
   

• Learn how to help your patients living with obesity I Oct. 21, 28 and Nov. 4,  18 I 6:00-7:30 pm I via Zoom
   

• FoMD Research Nexus | Oct. 28, register by Oct 19. Join the FoMD Office of Research for the annual research fair.

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA NEWS

• Call for Abstracts SPP-ARC Ignites Innovation | Deadline Oct. 25. Striving for Pandemic Preparedness - The Alberta Research Consortium (SPP-ARC) is hosting the 2026 Ignites Innovation Conference, themed "Viral Threats and Medical Countermeasures", Dec. 10-12, 2026 in Banff. 
   
• Glycomics Institute of Alberta 2026 Symposium | Nov. 5-6. This event brings together researchers in glycomics, cancer and chemical biology, and more and includes a public lecture by Nobel Laureate Carolyn Bertozzi.

Update Your Profile, Amplify Your Impact

Your U of A profile showcases your expertise, research, teaching, leadership, and accomplishments to colleagues, learners, collaborators, media, and the broader community. Keeping it up to date ensures your latest achievements are reflected and helps highlight the outstanding work taking place across our Department. We encourage you to take a few minutes to review and update your profile.

To Edit Your Profile:

1. On the U of A Directory, enter your name.
2. When your page pops up, click on Login (top right). Enter your CCID and password. Then you can begin editing. 

AHS and AMA NEWS

Free AMA webinar that support PPIP requirements. The Alberta Medical Association Accelerating Change Transformation Team (AMA-ACTT) offers free, interactive webinars to help physicians meet the Physician Practice Improvement Program (PPIP) requirements by the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta.

• Facing the Drain of Medical Practice | Oct. 8
• Caregiver-Centred Care: Caregivers as Essential Care Team Partners | Oct. 28