News: Faculty wellbeing program launches amidst COVID-19 pandemic

On April 9, the Schulich Wellbeing Program launched. Based on a Peers for Peers model, the Program will provide support for clinical and dentistry faculty in London and Windsor.

Drs. Terri Paul, Bill McCauley and Andrea Lum are the faculty leads for the Program. As Interim Assistant Dean, Faculty Equity Wellbeing, Dr. Paul will oversee the areas of wellness, equity, harassment/intimidation and mentorship. Dr. Bill McCauley is the Assistant Dean, Professional Affairs, and his portfolio includes the areas of professional behaviour, contracts, conflicts, promotion and ARCs. Dr. Lum will provide oversight to this Program, as well as all aspects of faculty affairs in her role as Vice Dean.

Importantly, the wellbeing team also includes 17 representatives from clinical departments, as well as Schulich Dentistry and the Schulich Medicine - Windsor Campus. The departmental leads will be the first contact for faculty and they will navigate pathways for further assistance and access to needed resources for their peers, as well as enhancing the flow of communication between faculty and the School.

A wellbeing program was always part of Dr. Lum’s plan as she mapped out new directions for the Faculty Affairs portfolio, however, it was advanced much more quickly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In just three weeks, Dr. Lum developed the Program and terms of reference for the Committee, worked with departments to identify leads and received approval from the School’s senior leadership. She also formally presented the Program to the joint London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph’s Health Care London Medical Advisory Committee.

“I’m grateful for the enthusiastic response that I have received to requests for representatives from the departments and from our Senior Leadership Council to approve the Program. I feel optimistic that this will serve as a positive way forward to support clinical teams now and into the future,” said Dr. Lum.

Departmental representatives confirmed to-date include:

  • Dr. Amy Rice, Anesthesia & Perioperative Medicine
  • Dr. Mary Jenkins, Clinical Neurological Sciences
  • Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Osman, Dentistry
  • Dr. Susan McNair, Family Medicine
  • Dr. Laura Foxcroft, Medicine
  • Dr. Joanne Howey, Medical Imaging
  • Dr. Shannon Arntfield, Obstetrics & Gynaecology
  • Dr. Maria MacDonald, Oncology
  • Dr. Al Proulx, Ophthalmology
  • Dr. Brian Rotenberg, Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery
  • Drs. Rod Lim and Doris Yuen, Paediatrics
  • Dr. Meg McLachlin, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
  • Dr. Ricardo Viana, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
  • Dr. Michelle Marlborough, Psychiatry
  • Dr. Leslie Scott, Surgery
  • Dr. Rasna Gupta, Windsor Campus

Departmental representatives can be contacted by phone or email.

For more information on additional resources, please visit the Office of Faculty Affairs website.