In this issue:

• Message from the Chair
• AMHSP Tip: How many half days are within a year? 
• What You Need to Know
  • Annual Review with the Chair
  • Transitions in Medicine Session 3, June 3
  • Sabbatical
  • Welcome to the DoM
  • DoM Apparel Sale
  • New portal for faculty expertise and scholarly works
• Happenings in DoM
• DoM News
• ACB: The Story Behind the Pride Flag
• DoM Research
  • Me2 Majumdar Research and QI Day Awardees
  • DoM Translational Research Implementation Fund
• Helpful Support and Tips
• FoMD News
• U of A News
• AHS and AMA News

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

AMHSP TIP

How many half days are within a year?

Annual Allocation of Half Days

The standard definition for a 1.0 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) across all arrangements is established at 2,300 hours per fiscal year. This figure is derived from 230 service days, calculated at 10 hours per day, which equates to a total of 460 half days annually.

Accountability for Non-Service Days

The remaining 135 days (270 half days) of the calendar year are allocated as follows:

• Annual Vacation Leave: 20 days (4 weeks)
• Weekends: 104 days (52 weeks)
• Statutory Holidays: 11 days

Note: Initial AMHSP agreement calculations preceded the formal recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30.

Clinical service delivery by a practice group remains a requirement during weekends and statutory holidays, as determined by the respective practice group's schedule.

Read other AMHSP tips on the AMHSP site.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Memo: Completing the Faculty Annual Report (FAR)

As part of the updated Collective Agreement under Article A2.05, academic faculty members assigned to the ANNUAL and EVEN cohorts are required to complete an Activities Report through the FAR portal for the current reporting cycle 2025-26. 

Now open to all FoMD members

Going on leave, sabbatical or retiring?

If you supervise students, run grants, or hold active research ethics protocols, stepping away from your PI role requires more than just setting a "last day" date for your leave.

This session is designed to answer the operational questions — the ones that impact payroll, compliance, students, and ongoing projects — so you can plan ahead and avoid last-minute surprises.

This is your opportunity to step away from the everyday, pursue bold ideas, and return with fresh perspectives that inspire innovation, discovery, and growth.

Please join us in welcoming the following new staff:

• Dr. Jennifer Jacquier, clinical associate professor, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, jacquier@ualberta.ca.

Back by popular demand!

Need a gift idea? DoM apparel will be on sale from June 15 to 29:

• Crew Neck Sweater (forest green or black) - $33 ea + GST
• Men's Polo (forest green or black) - $34 ea + GST
• Women's Polo (forest green or black) - $34 ea + GST
• Full Zip Hoodie (forest green or black) - $42 ea + GST

Watch for more information about how to order.

HAPPENINGS IN DoM

New Public Health Education Series Launching This September

The Department of Medicine is pleased to launch 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.

Designed for a general audience, this free, monthly series will provide practical, evidence-based information on common health topics and questions. Sessions will feature DoM physicians sharing what they want the public to know about their area of expertise, helping participants better understand their health, and navigate the information they encounter online and in the media.

If you would like to be a speaker in this series, please send an email to Andrea Cliff (cliff1@ualberta.ca) with your name and a brief description of your topic.

INAUGURAL WEBINAR:

The Truth About GLP-1 Medications:
Separating Facts, Myths, and Headlines
Wednesday, September 9 | 6–7 p.m. via Zoom
with Dr. Saifal Anwar, associate clinical professor

Our inaugural webinar will explore the realities behind GLP-1 medications, like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro, including common misconceptions, potential benefits and risks, and what current medical evidence tells us about these increasingly talked-about therapies.

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

That’s shorter than reading the whole newsletter.🤣

Have you noticed the changes we've made? Your voice matters.
Thank you to those who have already completed our survey! 

Classroom D - 2F1.04 WMC, University Hospital

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

• June 5 - Research Grand Rounds: Trustworthy Evidence Synthesis and Practice Guidance for Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity. Dr. Arnav Agarwal, assistant professor, Division of General Internal Medicine, DoM, U of A
• June 12 - TBA. Dr. Lynora Saxinger, Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, DoM, U of A
• June 19 - A.M. Edwards Lecture. Dr. Teresa Chan, Founding Dean of Toronto Metropolitan University's Medical School 
• June 26 - summer break (no MGR until September 11)

In case you missed it:

• Dr. Muhammad Mamdani: Artificial Intelligence - Separating Hype from Reality
• Dr. Philip Wells: My Perspective on Two Topics That Need More Research: Subsegmental PE and When to Extend Therapy for VTE
• Dr. Lihi Eder: Percy Russell Lectureship - Obesity and Psoriatic Disease: A Causal Link?
• Dr. Quentin Dureand-Moreau: Shifting Away from Fuzzy Concepts: From Worker Wellbeing to Psychosocial Risk Prevention
• Dr. Janis Miyasaki: Grief and Dying in Hospital

See more previous recordings on the MGR Library web page.

Kick-start the Semester

Spend some time reconnecting with colleagues, sharing summer highlights, and welcoming new members to the team.

Venue: Corbett Quad, corner of 112 Street and 82 Avenue
Food Trucks: Satay Madura, Starvin Marvin's and Veggie Delights
For Whom: Free for DoM faculty, residents, staff and learners, however you must complete the registration to reserve your attendance. 

Registration is now open

Join us for an opportunity to delve into the latest breakthroughs and advancements in Adult and Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine.

"It was a great educational program - Thank you!"
- 2025 participant

Registration is now open

This one-day course will provide physicians and healthcare professionals with the latest in Diabetes and an approach to common Endocrine problems. 

DoM NEWS

• Congratulations to Dr. Ainslie Eberhart (associate professor, Division of Nephrology) on receiving the 2026 Canadian Society of Nephrology Clinical Nephrology Teaching Award.

• Kudos to Dr. Monty Ghosh (assistant professor, Division of General Internal Medicine) on receiving the inaugural 2026 Health Services and Policy Research (HSPR) Impact Award.

We are delighted to recognize and thank these DoM members for their many years of outstanding service and commitment. 

• Dr. Liam McCoy (resident, Division of Neurology)
  • Embracing the use of AI in health care (Global News)
     
• Dr. Jan Willem Cohen Tervaert (professor, Division of Pulmonary Medicine)
  • Advocates slam Health Canada's new voluntary breast implant registry, MP 'deeply disappointed' (CBC)
  • Fibromyalgia (BBC Women's Hour, 30- and 45-min mark)
     
• Dr. Quentin Durand-Moreau (associate professor, Division of Preventive Medicine)
  • A thesis to shed light on the burnout of French-speaking teachers (French CBC)
     
• Dr. Monty Ghosh (assistant professor, Division of General Internal Medicine)

  • Wider mix of substances being discovered in Calgary drug supply, agencies see overdose spike (CBC)

  • Mixed opinions on whether to expand involuntary care in the N.W.T. for addictions (CBC)

  • Wastewater surveillance for drugs pitched to Ottawa city council (Ottawa Citizen)
     

• Dr. Grace Lam (assistant professor, Division of Pulmonary Medicine)
  • The long shadow of long COVID (Canadian Affairs)
     
• Dr. Vivian Mushahwar (professor, Division of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation)
  • U of A researchers receive $1.5M to explore frontiers in health and energy (U of A News)
     
• Dr. Lynora Saxinger (professor, Division of Infectious Diseases)
  • Fewer Albertans dying due to COVID-19, statistics show. But experts warn the risk isn’t gone (CBC)
  • What COVID-19 taught us about containing the hantavirus outbreak (CBC)
  • Hantavirus spread: Doctor explains what you need to know (CBC)
  • Hantavirus has no cure. Here's where researchers are at with treatments and vaccines (CBC)

DoM ACCESS, COMMUNITY
AND BELONGING

The Story Behind the Pride Flag

The Pride flag was created in 1978 by Gilbert Baker, an artist and gay rights activist in San Francisco. It was designed as a symbol of 2SLGBTQ+ pride, representing hope, solidarity, belonging and the ongoing fight for equality.

The original Rainbow Pride flag featured six coloured stripes. Over the years, the flag has evolved to better represent people of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions and sex characteristics, including intersex individuals.

Each colour on the Pride flag carries symbolic meaning:

The blue, pink and white chevron represents the trans community, while the black and brown stripes were added to increase representation for racialized communities within the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

The most recent version, the Intersex Inclusive Pride flag, was developed in 2021 and first raised on Parliament Hill in 2024. A purple circle on a gold background was added to symbolize wholeness, completeness and the potential of intersex individuals.

As we recognize Pride Month each June, the Pride flag continues to serve as a powerful symbol of inclusion, diversity, resilience and the ongoing commitment to equality for the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

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

DoM RESEARCH

Research News

The 2026 Me2 Majumdar Research and QI Day was a great success thanks to all your support. Visit the website to see the keynote recordings, Research Day awardee details, and some glimpses from the event.

The Researcher’s Guide to Using Generative AI in Research Grant Development. Read about the Generative AI Tools and Gemini Gem chatbots (Narrative CV Assistant, Narrative CV Reviewer & EDI Assistant) that can assist with your grant development.

Faculty Funding and Awards

DoM Translational Research Implementation Fund
Deadline: Monday, August 3

Up to one $30,000 award and up to two $20,000 awards are available.

• BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Awards | Jun. 30. Award value: $640,000.
   
• NSERC: Discovery Grants | NOI: Aug. 4. The Discovery Grants support development and sustainability of diverse, high-quality research in natural sciences and engineering (NSE) at Canadian universities, fosters research excellence and strengthens the research training environment.
   

• NFRF-Exploration 2026 | NOI: Aug. 18. This competition supports high-risk, interdisciplinary projects with transformative potential. Award value: $200,000/2 years.
   

• Alzheimer's Association and Brain Canada Foundation (AA/BCF) |
  RAS: Sep. 4. The grant program explores critical questions to advance our understanding of VCID and its contributions to AD/ ADRD pathogenesis. Sponsor deadline: Sep. 14.

Trainee + Postdoctoral Scholars
Funding and Awards

Application Deadline: June 11

The Department of Medicine Graduate Program is accepting applications for the Doctoral Recruitment Scholarship. This year, the department is pleased to offer one award of $25,000 to an outstanding prospective PhD student.

• SSHRC/NSERC/CIHR: Canada Research Training Awards-Research Travel Supplements | RAS: Jun. 3. Sponsor: Jun. 10.
   

• Graduate Travel Awards | opens Jun. 5. The Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies (GPS) offers graduate travel awards to support graduate students who travel in the interests of disseminating their research results or developing their research.
   

• HEART Platform Clinical Research Fellowship | Jul. 15. The Heart Failure Efficacy and Research Trial (HEART) Platform is a multicentre, randomized clinical trial designed to improve outcomes for patients with heart failure. Offered by the Canadian VIGOUR Centre, this 12-month fellowship provides funding support (up to $50,000) to full-time, thesis-based graduate trainees (Master's or PhD) and medical residents at the U of A.
   

• 2026/27 Alberta Innovates Graduate Student Scholarships | Jul. 23. This scholarship supports academically superior graduate students undertaking full-time research education at an Alberta university, leading to a research-based Master's or Doctoral degree.

For more Funding and Award Opportunities, see:

HELPFUL SUPPORT and TIPS

• Professional Expense Reimbursement Webinar | Jun. 10 @ 1:30 p.m. Got burning questions about your Professional Expense Reimbursement (PER)? This session will cover everything you need to know, including who can claim, which expenses qualify; how to file, modify and view your claims; and tracking your balance/history. Join the Google Meeting.
   
• Human Resource Development Fund for Support Staff | now open. Support staff can now apply for funding to attend learning opportunities between July 1 to September 30, 2026.
   
• Switch your U of A Wifi Connection today: eduroam. The UWS connection will expire Aug. 15. Log in with your email CCID@ualberta and password.

FACULTY OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY

•  Office of Lifelong Learning (L3)

  • Pessary Care in Clinical Practice: A Hands-On Workshop I Jun. 8. 
    Kipnes Academy, U of A.

  • Dare to Lead™ Program I Tuesdays, from Oct. 6 to Nov. 17. 
    On Zoom; early bird registration open.

  • Beyond the Basics: Performing endometrial biopsy and IUD insertion in your office- Hands-on Workshop I Sep. 15. Kipnes Academy, U of A 

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA NEWS

• WCHRI Director Candidate Presentation: Dr. Padma Kaul | Jun. 10. Venue: L1-190, Kipnes Academy (lower level/basement floor) and virtual.

New Faculty Expertise Scholarly Works Portal

From Dr. Verna Yiu, provost and vice-president (Academic)

The University of Alberta has a new portal to showcase the expertise and scholarly works of its faculty members. These types of portals are becoming the de facto standard for research-intensive universities to communicate the scholarly activities and impacts of their faculty to their communities, prospective graduate students, potential research partners and organizations.

Faculty members: please update your U of A Profile page, which merges data into the new profiles at https://experts-aims.srv.ualberta.ca.

Read the full memo from Dr. Verna Yiu.

AHS and AMA NEWS

Important AHS Resources - note: please contact the microbiologist on-call before testing for either condition. Feel free to share this with other physicians.

• IPC Interim Recommendations Hantavirus Andes (ANDV) Strain

• Viral Hemorrhagic Fever - Information for Health Professionals

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 | Jun. 11

A Culture of Accountability: Culture starts with us | Jun. 17. Presented by Dr. Henriette Fortin and Erica Battram. Hosted by the AHS Provincial Medical Leadership Educational Series.