WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Location: Corbett Quad, corner of 112 Street and 82 Avenue
Food trucks: Calle Mexico, Starvin Marvin's, and Veggie Delights
Cost: FREE for Department of Medicine members, however you must confirm your attendance by registering.

Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry Town Hall

Department of Medicine Chair Review

Excerpted message from Dr. Tom Stelfox, Deputy Dean, FoMD:

Dr. Narmin Kassam is scheduled to complete her first term as Chair of the Department of Medicine on March 31, 2025. We appreciate her dedicated service during what has been a time of substantial change and challenge.
Dr. Kassam has indicated that she is willing to serve a second term as Chair of the Department of Medicine. The Dean’s Office will therefore, as per University of Alberta Policy, initiate a review of the Department of Medicine Chair. 

We invite you to attend a town hall and participate in the review. Your engagement in this important leadership review process is critical to the success of the Department, Faculty and University.

Sept 6 @ 8 – 9 a.m.
In person: 2-191 Clinical Sciences Building
Attend via Zoom

Scholarship in Medical Education

The Department is pleased to announce TWO new opportunities to support Scholarship in Medical Education:

1. Scholarship in Medical Education Grant. Our new grant is now open for early bird applications. Watch our brief video to learn more.
2. Medical Education Research Assistant (MERA). We have a new research assistant to assist you. Watch our brief video about MERA.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1

Day of Discovery - 08:00 - 14:00

Bernard Snell Hall and BSH Lower Foyer

Celebration Gala Dinner - 18:00 - 23:00

Edmonton Convention Centre, Hall D

Tickets

The Gala Dinner is open to all members of the Department of Medicine, alumni, partners, and supporters. We're pleased to share that we're covering a portion of your ticket cost, allowing you to enjoy this special evening at a reduced price.

Please join us in welcoming the following new DoM members:

• Erin Pearase, Events Coordinator, Internal Engagement & Events Office
• Snigdha Widge, Department Program Support, Office of Research

We also welcome back Ashley Bosch, EA to the Department Chair, from her maternity leave.

DoM RESEARCH

Research News

2023 Kaye Competition Awardees

Congratulations to our members who are recipients of this year's Kaye Competition:

• Comparative Analysis of SCIG versus IVIG in Hematologic Malignancies — Dr. Adil Adatia, Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary Medicine
   
• Fast-track GCA: Developing a KEC Ultrasound Clinic for the Expedited Diagnosis of Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) — Dr. Alison Clifford, Associate Professor, Division of Rheumatology
   
• Prospective Evaluation of Diaphragm Function as a Contributor to Baseline Lung Allograft Dysfunction in Lung Transplant Recipients — Dr. Kieran Halloran, Associate Professor, Division of Pulmonary Medicine
   
• The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Utilization, Pulmonary Exacerbations, Incidence and Mortality in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): A Population-Based Retrospective Database Study — Dr. Grace Lam, Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary Medicine
   
• Vascular Dysfunction as a Primary Mediator of Breathlessness, Fatigue, and Exercise Intolerance in Systemic Sclerosis: A Pilot Study —
  Dr. Mohamed Osman, Associate Professor, Division of Rheumatology

CIHR to roll out multi-factor authentication for ResearchNet on Sept 18. Learn more.

Faculty Funding and Awards

1. CIHR Project Grant: Institutional deadline: Sept 10 at 10 a.m. MT. (this is last day to submit in ResearchNet). 
   • RAS review deadline was Aug 14
   • Sponsor: Sept 11
2. NSERC: Discovery Grant: RAS: Oct 22
   • Sponsor: Nov 1
3. CIHR Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes (INMD) Early Career Researcher Partnership Prize: RAS: Oct 25
   • Sponsor: Nov 1
4. AHS Health System Access Drop-In Sessions for Researchers: 
   Researchers and trainees seeking clarification and guidance on the AHS research administration processes can drop-in on Sept 19 and Oct 17,
   8 a.m.-12 p.m., 1-3:30 p.m. at FoMD Office of Research (HMRC 2-13).

For more Research events, awards, and funding opportunities, see

1. DoM Research Events calendar (postings in green)

2. RAS Calendar

Trainee Funding and Awards

1. CIHR: Fellowship Program: RAS: Sept 25
   • Sponsor: Oct 2
   • Value: up to $60,000 per year (up to 5 years)
2. FoMD Awards:
   • 75th Anniversary Graduate Student Award: Oct 1
   • Dean's Doctoral Student Award: Oct 1
   • Graduate Student Recruitment Studentship: Oct 1
   • Endowed Studentships
3. 2025 Canada Graduate Scholarships — Doctoral program: GPS Application Submission Deadline (via applicable CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC portal) is Oct 3 at 11:59 p.m. MT.
   
   GPS has a specific application process for each NSERC/SSHRC/CIHR competition in correlation with the applicable tri-agency portal. Students are to refer to the GPS website which will be updated soon. Students may start preparing an application through the appropriate tri-agency portal until further details on the university process are posted.
    
4. NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowships: Deadline: Oct 17
   • Value: $45,000 per year (2 years)
5. NERC Postgraduate Scholarships – Doctoral: Deadline: Oct 17
   • Value: $21,000 per year (3 years)
6. AbSPORU Graduate Studentship: Deadline: Oct 23
   • Value: $30,000 per year (3 years)

Members' Research Publications

September is Arthritis Awareness and International Pain Awareness Month. Here are some recent publications by our members.

1. Ye C, Zweck E, Ma Z, Smith J, Katz S. Doctor Versus Artificial Intelligence: Patient and Physician Evaluation of Large Language Model Responses to Rheumatology Patient Questions in a Cross-Sectional Study. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2024 Mar;76(3):479-484. doi: 10.1002/art.42737
    
2. Xiao ATY, Turk T, Deol K, Zhang S, Aref HAT, Campbell A, Jones A, Yamamoto SS, Dennett L, Kolewaski L, Sadowski CA, Yacyshyn EA. Evidence for the use of cannabis-based medicines in osteoarthritis: a scoping review. Clin Rheumatol. 2024 Aug;43(8):2375-2390. doi: 10.1007/s10067-024-07001-7.

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

DoM IN THE NEWS

Dr. Vanessa Meier-Stephenson (Assistant Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases) to lead a trial testing the safety and efficacy of a hepatitis C vaccine developed in the laboratory of Dr. Michael Houghton, Nobel Laureate.

A study involving Dr. Jason Plemel (Associate Professor, Division of Neurology) and Dr. Valerie Sim (Associate Professor, Division of Neurology) yields significant insight into a major driver of Alzheimer’s Disease. 

• Dr. Monty Ghosh (Assistant Professor, Division of General Internal Medicine)
  • Opioid deaths decrease in March, April: Alberta government (CityNews)
• Dr. Saba Riaz and Dr. Robert Gniadecki (Senior Research Author and Professor, Division of Dermatology)
  • Various comorbidities linked to mortality in patients with psoriasis (Physician's Weekly)
• Dr. Lynora Saxinger (Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases)
  • Mpox is now a global public health emergency. Do I need to worry?
     (CBC News)

Residency Awards

Congratulations to our members who received the following residency awards:

DoM EQUITY, DIVERSITY
AND INCLUSION

Use Gender-Neutral Language

Language matters in fostering an inclusive environment. It is a way to communicate belonging. Subtle words or phrases indicate who belongs and who doesn't. The use of gender-neutral language, both verbal and written, can help build a psychologically safe culture. Gender-neutral language prevents discrimination against a particular sex, gender identity, or social gender, and it does not perpetuate gender stereotypes. 

There are some easy ways to incorporate gender-neutral language into one's work and social life. The pronouns "they/them" can be used to describe someone's gender identity when their gender identity has not been made clear.  Although someone may look like a "man" or a "woman", it doesn't mean they want to identify that way. Using the pronouns "they/them" in policies can be an effective way to ensure documents are inclusive. Rather than saying "hey guys" when referring to a group of people, consider using alternative wording such as "friends", "folks", or "everyone". Although this may seem like a small change, everyone will feel included when being addressed this way.  

Other options for addressing a group with gender-inclusive language include "guests", "participants", "faculty members", "students", "distinguished guests", etc. 

For more guidance on using gender-neutral language, the United Nations has published guidelines in six languages. 

The Government of Canada also has recommendations on the use of gender-neutral language.

Dr. Lindsay Bridgland

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

HAPPENINGS IN DoM

Presented by the Division of Pulmonary Medicine in partnership with the Alberta Respiratory Centre

Medicine Grand Rounds begins on September 13.

• Sept 13 - State of the Department, Dr. Narmin Kassam
• Sept 20 - Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), Dr. Monika Oliver
• Sept 27 - Dean Befus Lecture: Dr. Paul O'Byrne, McMaster University
• Oct 4 - Research Grand Rounds: Dr. John Ussher, Department of Pharmacology

Sabbatical for Academic Faculty Members

Now is the time to consider a sabbatical opportunity for the upcoming academic year. Submit an application by September 15 for a sabbatical time between July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026.  

Want to see more events?  Visit the DoM Events web page to see what else is upcoming.

Anything to share?

If you have news or information to share with the department, submit your announcement below, and we'll help spread the word!

FACULTY OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY

Faculty Annual Report (FAR)

Important reminder: The FAR submission deadline is September 30.

Appointment: CVRI Director and
AHS Chair in Cardiac Sciences

Congratulations to DoM's Dr. Evangelos Michelakis on being appointed as Director of the Cardiovascular Research Institute and AHS Chair in Cardiac Sciences for a five-year term. Dr. Michelakis is Associate Chair of DoM Research and Professor in the Division of Cardiology, as well as Canada Research Chair in Applied Molecular and Mitochondrial Medicine.

• Medical humanitarian response of MSF during emerging and re-emerging disease outbreaks | Global Health Rounds (Sept 17 @ 12 p.m.). Dr. Getahun W. Lemma will share the existing challenges of the outbreak response of MSF/Doctors Without Borders in different parts of the world ranging from limited access to vaccinations to the associated public health implications. Disease outbreaks of interest will be the recent Mpox outbreak in Africa, the controversial risk of polio in Palestine, and lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. 
   
• Hurtig Lecture on the Future of Canada: Canada's Role in Shaping Our AI Future (Sept 19 @ 7 - 10 p.m.). 
  A panel of U of A experts, moderated by Geoffrey Rockwell, will explore the implications and innovations of AI in arts, computing science, the labour force, health, and medicine. Panelists include Dr. Nidhi Hegde (Dept of Computing Science), Dr. Ross Mitchell (Dept of Medicine), and Dr. Nicole Denier (Dept of Sociology), who will provide unique cross-disciplinary insights.
   
• Minds that Matter: Gairdner Symposium (Oct 21) featuring Dr. Pieter Cullis (2022 Canada Gairdner International Award, UBC) and Dr. David Julius (2021 Nobel Prize Winner, University of California San Francisco). 

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA NEWS

• U of A Days (Sept 19-22) celebrates the enduring impact of our alumni on the University of Alberta community. This four-day event will feature a mix of alumni-focused activities and signature events open to the public, showcasing the best of U of A’s academic and cultural achievements. From engaging presentations and campus tours to family-friendly games and performances, there’s something for everyone.

• Green + Gold Fridays. Every Friday, express your U of A pride with Green + Gold. Whether it's your favourite green tee, head-to-toe U of A wear or a subtle touch of gold with a lapel pin, show your spirit in a way that feels good to you. 

• Reduce your Google Workspace storage by January 31, 2025. All university Google Workspace users must reduce their storage across Gmail, Drive and Photos, due to the discontinuation of unlimited storage by Google. 

• Travel Management Tip: when booking a HAP hotel, ensure you send them a copy of the completed HAP form BEFORE you arrive. Otherwise, the hotel reserves the right to charge you when you checkout.

ALBERTA HEALTH SERVICES NEWS

GIM Challenges

In Alberta, internal medicine physicians are working at an unsustainable rate and are constantly being asked to do more, with less. They can’t keep up much longer. Edmonton Zone internal medicine appears completely overrun with no capacity for new patients. This is happening as we head into respiratory virus season. The need is urgent.

Why are things so bad right now?  Watch this interview with Dr. Troy Pederson, AMA's Section of Internal Medicine President, on the current situation and solutions that are needed.

HELPFUL SUPPORT & TIPS

• Human Resource Development Fund (HRDF) is now open to support staff for training opportunities between Oct 1 - Dec 31.
   
• Building an Inclusive Vocabulary: Transgender and Disability Studies through Film (Sept 3 @ 4 p.m.) - a workshop.
   
• PulseCheck Innovation Day (Sept 5 @ 2-5 p.m. MT). This event aims to improve healthcare professionals' working environments, promote their well-being, and accelerate the development of innovative solutions in this domain. The day includes keynote speeches and a “PitchDeck” session, where the local innovators will present their ideas to enhance physician wellness to a panel of experts.
   
• LinkedIn Lessons: avoiding lunacy, gaining literacy, and leveraging your LinkedIn profile to find opportunities (Sept 12 @ 12 p.m.).
   
• Managing Time Authentically (Oct 15). This workshop is for faculty and staff who want to take control of their time and use it in a more holistic, authentic way. You will engage with specific tools, tips and techniques to help you determine your priorities and discuss what is standing in your way of setting and maintaining appropriate boundaries. 
   
• The Science of Happiness (Oct 17). Scientific studies have shown that 50% of our individual differences in happiness are determined by our genetic make-up, 10% by our life circumstances, and 40% by our intentional activities. This micro-session introduces “happy habits” to increase levels of happiness and well-being.