For content submission forms, deadlines, and the monthly vs. quarterly structure and schedule of the 2022 Family Matters Newsletter relaunch, click here.

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

I want to start this issue by recognizing the substantial contributions that Dr. Lee Green has made to the Department of Family Medicine over the past 10 years. He led the charge in the development of the Patient Centred Medical Home and the establishment of metrics that allow us to review what we have done and how we can continually improve. Even though
Family Medicine is currently facing a number of challenges, we have a strong foundation on which we can move forward. We have an excellent team including enthusiastic educators and researchers who are motivated to determine the best way forward. Currently, we are in the midst of recruiting new admin, a number of new faculty, and looking at models to support our
community and rural colleagues during a difficult season. Ideally this will be an opportunity for Family Medicine to unite towards a common goal of recruiting, training and retaining family physicians in Alberta in order to optimally support the health needs of all.

CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS & EVENTS

TTCxFSD Google Sheets Session

Friday, August 19, 2022
10:00 am to 11:30 am (virtual)

This 90 minute session will be an overview of Google Sheets; its uses versus other spreadsheet programs, discuss the functions and formulas available to it; learn how sharing sheets works; and cover some useful hints and tips about viewing data in communal worksheets. We’ll also have an opportunity for some Q&A for people who need a bit more specific assistance.

Register here.

Getting to Win-Win in the Workplace

Tuesday, September 6, 2022
1:00 pm to 2:00 pm (virtual)

This session presented by Lynn Kirkland is the forth and final (for now) session in the Communication & Collaboration series of sessions for workplace wellness. Stay tuned for more details and learning objectives.

Register here.

11th Annual PEIP (Practical Evidence for Informed Practice) Conference

October 21-22, 2022 Hybrid event: Double Tree Edmonton and live webcast

The PEER team (that brings you Tools for Practice) is happy to announce our 11th Practical Evidence for Informed Practice (PEIP) conference. Our rapid-fire format (20 minute talks) summarizes the evidence on clinically relevant primary care topics in an entertaining fashion. This event and the speakers continue to be free from industry support. 2022 topics include:

Weighing in on weight – slimming down the evidence
Old tricks for new people – Evidence + Experience in Pediatrics
When Should a Drug Approval = Your Approval?
Anemia for the clinician
Myths of Medicines
What’s New, What’s True and What’s Poo – updates on the latest evidence in primary care … and much more!

We have a great line up of fantastic speakers: including a mix of your favourites (Mike Allan, James McCormack, Jessica Kirkwood, Tina Korownyk) and some great new PEIP presenters (Menaka Pai - Hematology, Hamilton Ontario; Adam Keough – Sport Medicine, Edmonton)

For more information or to sign up for the program mail out, click here.

NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Family Medicine Resident Scholarship Award

Congratulations to Dr. Linda Lam, recipient of the 2022 Family Medicine Resident Scholarship for the University of Alberta by the Foundation for Advancing Family Medicine (FAFM).

I am honoured that the DOFM nominated me for the 2022 CFPC Family Medicine Resident Scholarship for the University of Alberta. During my time here as a resident I have found role models and mentors that have supported my journey to be a compassionate and competent physician that is grounded in the communities that I work alongside. I look forward to starting my career in Edmonton as a family physician providing primary care to inner-city and refugee populations.

Welcome: Andreas Seiler

The Faculty & Staff Development Program is pleased to introduce Andreas Seiler, the department's new Education Administrator. Andreas will facilitate in-person and hybrid events while providing photography and cinematography assistance for medical education projects in the Media Room. With his background in sport performance and movement analysis, Andreas enjoys running Edmonton’s trail networks while often getting distracted by native plant and wildlife.

Media Room Booking Process

University Terrace's media room 1-40 is now managed by Andreas Seiler, the Faculty & Staff Development Program's Education Administrator. Andreas is available to assist with requirements in the realm of digital media education tools. As the media room and its capabilities are in high demand, please contact Andreas (ajseiler@ualberta.ca) to book room 1-40 and any associated support services—cinematography, photography, post-production editing— for your teaching, learning, or research presentation materials.

FACULTY & STAFF DEVELOPMENT

Congratulations to our Winners

Thank you to our winners of the June PD Bingo Challenge: Kat Pederson, Abbie Murison, Andreas Seiler, Bora Kim and Allison Alberto have each been awarded a Family Pass to the University of Alberta Botanic Garden.

To register for a chance at August's PD Bingo Challenge prize, click here to register for the challenge and get your Bingo card.

Faculty & Staff Development Suggestion Box

Your professional development matters, your feedback matters. Let us know what you think, we love to hear it!

SPOTLIGHT

Andrea Gruneir: Research Program Co-Director

This August will mark eight years with the Department of Family Medicine for Dr. Andrea Gruneir. While the department is lucky to have her, Andrea herself feels lucky to have great colleagues and friends she can cite as her favourite aspect of working for the DoFM.

What is the most valuable skill or experience you've gained from being in your current role so far?

I've learned a lot since coming to the University of Alberta, but I would definitely say an area I've gained the most from is partner engagement. Through one of my collaborations, I have had a chance to work closely with a number of people either living with dementia or caring for someone with dementia and it has really been a wonderful experience. It also led to some work looking at how we understand priorities for research in the area, which really helped to strengthen our understanding of each other's interests and needs.

Are there any special projects you are currently planning or working on that you can share?

I am involved in a number of projects but my favourites are the ones where I learn about new methods. I am just wrapping up a qualitative study—which is completely new to me—where we talked to long-term care home residents and their care partners. I learned so much in the process. It was also a new application of the specific method in the setting so our team, led by Charlotte Jensen, has had the chance to write quite a bit on how to use the method for the nursing home population.

In her spare time, Andrea enjoys reading. She is part of a book club with three other academic women. After having met each other at a different university and now living in different places, these virtual gatherings are the highlight of Andrea's month.

Anything else you'd like to share about yourself or about your work?

If you ever looking for someone to read your manuscript or grant proposal for feedback, let me know! I love learning more about what everyone is working on and I really enjoy giving feedback.

Spotlight Nomination

Nominate a faculty or staff member for future inclusion in a Family Matters spotlight! The spotlight process has been streamlined to make participating in both the nomination and the spotlight more convenient and efficient.

HEALTH CARE PROVIDER AND TEAM RESOURCES

Invitation for Family Physicians to Participate in a 5-Minute Survey

Family Physicians caring for for patients with chronic illness, disability or frailty are invited to take a survey aimed at better supporting family caregivers.

Direct questions to Dr. Jasneet Parmar (jasneet.parmar@ahs.ca) or Dr. Sharon Anderson (sdanders@ualberta.ca).

Complete survey here.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Brooks HL, Salvalaggio G, Pauly B, Dong K, Bubela T, Taylor M, and Hyshka E. "I have such a hard time hitting myself, I thought it'd be easier": Perspectives of hospitalized patients on injecting drugs into vascular access devices. Harm Reduct J. 2022 May (accepted). Click here to read.

Neufeld, A., Babenko, O., Lai, H., Svrcek, C., & Malin, G. (2022). Why do we feel like intellectual frauds? A self-determination theory perspective on the imposter phenomenon in medical students. Teaching and Learning in Medicine. [Epub first]. Click here to read.

Babenko, O., & Lee, A. (2022). Competence is essential but not sufficient. Medical Science Educator. Click here to read.

Babenko, O., & Gruneir, A. (2022). Fostering collaborative research culture through Research Development Rounds. Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions, 42(1), 4. Click here to read.

Babenko, O. (2022). Which mastery mindset is it? Education in the Health Professions, 4:134. Click here to read.

Ding, M., Koppula, S., Szafran, O., Au, L., & Babenko, O. (2021). Mindsets of early-career family physicians trained in competency-based education. PRiMER (Peer-reviewed Reports in Medical Education Research), 5:39. Click here to read.

Salvalaggio G, Hyshka E, Brown C, Pinto A, Halas G, Green LA, et al. A Comparison of the COVID-19 Response for Urban Underserved Patients Experiencing Healthcare Transitions in Three Canadian Cities. Can J Pub Health (2022). Click here to read.

Kraut R, Sadowski C, Youngson E, Faulder D, Korownyk C, Bakal J, Garrison S. 119 Antihypertensive deprescribing in long-term care: a randomized controlled trial (OptimizeBP) BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine 2022;27: A26-A27. Click here to read.

Suthaker N, Kraut R, Hoffart K. 63 The utility of routine point-of-care prenatal urine dipstick screening at a primary care clinic in Edmonton, Canada BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine 2022;27:A9-A10. Click here to read.

Kraut R, Ding M, Babenko O. 153 Fracture risk estimation with FRAX®: is the bone mineral density test necessary? BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine 2022;27:A36. Click here to read.

L'Heureux T, Parmar J, Dobbs B, Charles L, Tian PGJ, Sacrey LA, Anderson S. Rural Family Caregiving: A Closer Look at the Impacts of Health, Care Work, Financial Distress and Social Loneliness on Anxiety. Healthcare. 2021;10(7). Click here to read.

Parmar J, L’Heureux T, Anderson S, Duggleby W, Pollard C, Poole L, Charles L, Sonnenberg L, Leslie M, McGhan G, Huhn A, Sereda S, Marion C, Tarnowski G, Mah J, Melenberg D, Weir C, Pooler C, MacLachlan N, Brémault-Phillips S, Tian PGJ, Sacrey LA. Optimizing the Integration of Family Caregivers in the Delivery of Person-Centered Care: Evaluation of an Educational Program for the Healthcare Workforce. BMC Health Services Research. 2022 Mar 18;22(1):364. Click here to read.

Kraut R, Lundby C, Babenko O, Kamal A, Sadowski CA. Antihypertensive medication in frail older adults: A narrative review through a deprescribing lens. AHJ Plus: Cardiology Research and Practice. 2022; 17. Click here to read.

Dr. Jasneet Parmar's Department of Family Medicine and Jamie Stewart's, Academic Technologies Department Caregiver Centered Care Education for the Health Workforce is featured in the May 22 edition of Canadian Paramedicine. Click here to read. (page 42).

NEXT IN FAMILY MATTERS...

Submit your:

Time-sensitive announcements and invitations
Spotlight nominations and "Family Medicine in the News" pieces
General updates and requests (process changes, deadlines, etc.)

via the August Monthly Newsletter Submission Form