Message from the Chair

What You Need to Know

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Faculty Annual Report (FAR)

Continuing faculty members (tenure-track, tenured, special continuing and FSO) and Clinical faculty on the AMHSP (including clinical faculty with a TRAS appointment) must use the FAR system to complete their 2022-2023 annual report by September 30. Although the system closes on September 30, it is best to complete FAR before meeting with your Division Director. 

The links are now open for booking meetings with the Chair. See these memos for how to book a meeting:

• instructions for U of A faculty members with a continuing appointment (tenure-track, tenured, special continuing and FSO appointments)
• instructions for Clinical faculty on the AMHSP

For more information on FAR, go to the FoMD Faculty Development Merit and Promotion
page, which includes links to an intro video and the FoMD FAR Manual. 

Healthy Community Guidelines - just released by Dr. Karen Lee (Division of Preventive Medicine) and U of A Housing for Health. Use these strategies to improve the health and wellbeing of residents living, working, and playing in your cities, towns, communities, and projects.

Education:

Applications are now open for the Provost's Award for Early Achievement of Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. Deadline for submission: Sept 4 at 12 p.m. MT.

Research: 

News

• New guidelines for Equipment Purchases and Placement in Core Facilities or Other Research Spaces.
   
• Congratulations to these recipients of the CIHR Project Grant Spring 2023 Competition:
  • Padma Kaul, project title: The Diabetes and Cancer Outcomes in a Real-world Setting (DISCOURSE) Study
  • Mohammed Osman, project title: MUC16 (CA125) mutations promote fibrosis and autoimmunity in systemic sclerosi

Upcoming Grants

• Frontiers in Research Fund - Exploration Competition
  Pre-Application Deadline: August 15
  RSO Deadline: October 10
  Sponsor Deadline: October 17
   
• CIHR Fall 2023 & Spring 2024 Project Grant - Registration Deadline for Fall 2023: August 17. Hosted Webinar: August 23. Please email Gareth Corry if you have any questions.
   

• CIHR Operating Grant: Clinical Trials Project competition - LOI Deadline: August 22
  Hosted webinar: August 2

• 2023 Support Staff Research Enhancement Award - Nomination Deadline: August 31
  This prestigious award aims to recognize exceptional support staff members who consistently contribute to the research success of their respective Faculty/Department/Unit and the University as a whole.

• Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships Program (2023-2024)
  Application deadline: September 20

• CIHR Fellowships Competition - Sponsor Deadline: October 5 

For a complete listing of Research News and Deadlines, please visit the Research News web page.  

• Dr. Ross Mitchell (Division of General Internal Medicine) says his "mini ChatGBT" can read and summarize doctors' note from free-format texts very quickly, saving hours of time.
   
• Congratulations (correction) to our following members:
  • Dr. Sita Gourishankar (Division of Nephrology) on being named to the permanent role of Kidney Transplant Medical Lead with Alberta Health Services.
  • Dr. Justin Weinkauf (Division of Pulmonary Medicine) on his appointment as the Lung Transplant Medical Lead with Alberta Health Services.

Publications:

• Click here for a list of more recent Department of Medicine Publications.
• To include your publications, please email the DoM Office of Research at domreas@ualberta.ca

• Share Your Suggestions About Pulse - Do you have any suggestions or fresh ideas for improving the Pulse Newsletter? We would really appreciate your input! Please share your feedback with us.
   
• Chair's Executive Assistant - Ashley Keysers is the Interim Chair's EA while Ashley Bosch is on maternity leave. You can continue to use eachair@ualberta.ca to reach the Chair’s EA or by phone at 780-248-1861. 
   
• DoM Staff Contact List - Here is our newly updated list.
   
• DoM Website - You can now use uab.ca/dom instead of www.ualberta.ca/department-of-medicine/. 
   
• Divisional Web Pages - For changes or updates, email domcom@ualberta.ca.
   
• DoM Social Media - We are ramping up our social media presence. Please provide us with your social media handles so we can tag you when appropriate. Participation is voluntary. Be sure to tag @ualberta_dom on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. 
   
• Meeting Rooms - To book 13-126 CSB, email domevent@ualberta.ca.

The DoM Medicine Grand Rounds will begin again starting September 8 at 8 a.m. 

In Case You Missed It

• Friday, June 23, 2023 - Dr. Vijay Daniels - Faculty Annual Reporting System - A Walkthrough and Discussion
   
• Friday, June 16, 2023 - Dr. Robert Pauly - Psychological Safety in the Clinical & Academic Workplace. Is it too much to expect?

If you missed other Medicine Grand Rounds and want to watch them, visit this page. 

As per the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, attendance can be logged up to 8 weeks following a presentation.

Register today for this hybrid presentation.  View this poster on web.

• MD Program Recruitment
  • Tutors and facilitators are needed for the Fall Term:
    • Year 1: Foundations of Medicine; Endocrine System
    • Year 2: Gastroenterology and Nutrition; Reproductive Medicine and Urology; Musculoskeletal System 
  • For Discovery learning, you can view the schedule here. You can sign up for sessions up to and including the midpoint evaluation, from after the midpoint evaluation to the final evaluation, or the entire block.
  • For small group sessions, you can view the schedule here.
  • To sign up contact Kimberly (ume.recruitment@ualberta.ca).
  • As a reminder, the MD Program would greatly appreciate it if you would fill out their Intake Form. You will only need to complete this form once.
• For upcoming Faculty Development Workshops, visit the calendar here. 

• New Onboarding Program. If you have transitioned to a new role or are brand new to the U of A, visit the Onboarding Program website for some helpful resources, such as orientation, workplace safety, and information for supervisors. 

• eFax of Prescriptions to Community Pharmacies - AHS is introducing a more direct way to provide patient prescriptions to community pharmacies. 

• Read the July & August 2023 MD Culture Shift - Issue 23
   
• Register now for Trauma Informed Leadership training on MyLearningLink

Support Resources: 

• This Campus Security landing page has many resources about safety and security. 
• Campus Deliveries Online - track the status of your campus deliveries once they’ve been processed at the Distribution Services Centre.
• U of A Learner and Faculty Resources
• Unconscious bias training, Indigenous cultural safety training and trauma-informed approaches (external)
• Giving Recognition in the Workplace - Nominate a colleague today.

Mental Wellness Resources:

• ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) on August 2.  ASIST teaches participants to recognize when someone may have thoughts of suicide and work with them to create a plan that will support their immediate safety.
• Human Resources, Health, Safety and Environment
• Physician and Family Support Program (AMA)
• AHS Employee & Family Assistance Program (AHS- login required)
• Mental Health Supports for Students
• Consult a Physician about Mental Health Support
• WHO Resources