September 2017 Newsletter
A year's worth of stories
The 2017 issue of Rapport Magazine is now available online and in print form. It features stories about Schulich Scholarships recipients, educational leaders including Dr. Bertha Garcia, student activism, MS research, the value of social media in education, the negative impact of pseudoscience and so much more...
Research feature: Why you don't look at your feet when you walk
Stephen Lomber, PhD, and a team of researchers at Western’s renowned Brain & Mind Institute are learning from the walking habits of cats by pinpointing a part of the brain involved in acquiring and maintaining the memory of obstacles in our environment...
Ann and Mitt Romney join Leaders in Innovation
On November 15, Ann and Mitt Romney will join scientists, trainees and community members for the 2017 Leaders in Innovation Dinner. Ann was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1998 and has since become a champion for those fighting the disease. This event sold out last year, so purchase your tickets early...
Creating a culture of CQI
Continuous quality improvement - three words that are framing the way forward for the Doctor of Medicine program and accreditation - and words you are sure to hear more often. Learn more about what work is underway to support the outcomes of the MD program's last accreditation and the preparations being made for the next evaluation in 2023...
Strategic Plan Refresh Update
During the summer months, Directors from the School’s administrative teams have been taking a look at the School’s strategic plan and moving forward with the refresh of the document which began under Dr. Margaret Steele’s leadership...
Dean's Video Newsletter - Indigenous Strategic Plan
In this edition of the Dean's Video Newsletter, Dr. Michael J. Strong addresses plans across the University and School to respond to the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. With education and health care as major themes in the report, Dr. Strong explains the important role of medical schools in addressing issues impacting Indigenous health...
Profiles of Excellence: Hanif Ladak & Sumit Agrawal
Hanif Ladak, PhD, and Dr. Sumit Agrawal are a true example of translational research - the basic science and clinician duo have taken principles of math and computer engineering and are using them to create computer models which improve patient outcomes in hearing science...
Celebrating your achievements
Congratulations to Walter Siqueira, Jacob Aguirre-Butcher, Matt Berg, David Edgell, Mithu Sen, Hanbo Chen, the Virgin Pulse Global Challenge top steppers and teams, Melissa Schorr, Linda Wang, Erik Mandawe, Joseph Chin, Alan Getgood, Patrick Lajoie, Lena Palaniyappan, Aaron Fenster, Amanda Sauvé, Terry Peters, Anthony Tang, Flora Jung, Emaad Mohammad, Hunster Yang, Dante Capaldi, Tavis Apramian and more...
Giving hope to ALS patients: Dr. Brittney Parlett, Resident Alumna
Residency brings many unexpected challenges. For Resident Alumna, Brittney Parlett, it was her husband Jeff Perreault being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Instead of giving up hope, Dr. Parlett excelled in her residency, cared for her husband and raised money for ALS research...
Discovering the art of surgery: Tavis Apramian, MD/PhD Candidate
Tavis Apramian, an MD/PhD Candidate, has discovered, through his research, that surgeons more closely resemble artists than previously thought. With variations in surgeons' practise, he has shown that medical education varies in this specialty...
CIHR Foundation Grants awarded to Robarts researchers
Congratulations to Dr. Lena Palaniyappan and Aaron Fenster, PhD, recipients of a total of $3 million in research funding as part of the Foundation Grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) announced in August...
R.E.A.L. Life Perspectives: St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital
In the first installment of R.E.A.L. Life Perspectives, we follow faculty member Dr. Robert Black, surgical resident Dr. Kerollos Wanis, and nurse Jackie Moore on the surgical ward at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital (STEGH)...
Resident Spotlight: Dr. Faizal Haji, PGY6, Neurosurgery, Clinical Neurological Sciences
In his last year of the Neurosurgical Residency program at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry, Dr. Faizal Haji says the great mentors he has encountered over the years, and at all levels of education, have helped him to realize his potential and accomplish new feats...
Welcome to the School's newly appointed decanal leaders and faculty members
A recap of the School's newly appointed decanal leaders and faculty members from June to September 2017...- Homecoming Weekend: Pseudoscience Expert Panel Discussion
Dive into the facts vs. fiction of evidence-based medicine with a stellar panel of clinicians and researchers focusing on pseudoscience and its effect on human health. Featuring Drs. Jennifer Gunter, Marina Salvadori, Mark Speechley, Saverio Stranges.... - In the media: Have researchers found a way to reverse pot's harmful effects?
Steven Laviolette, PhD, and Justine Renard, PhD, made national headlines this month for their latest research identifying the mechanism in the brain responsible for the negative psychiatric effects of THC on the adolescent brain... - Register today for the 2017 J. Allyn Taylor International Prize in Medicine Symposium
The day includes presentations by experts in the fields of diagnosis, treatment and prevention of multiple sclerosis, a panel discussion moderated by André Picard, health columnist with The Globe and Mail, and a keynote lecture by the 2017 J. Allyn Taylor International Prize in Medicine recipient, V. Wee Yong, PhD... - Celebrating White Coat with the MD and DDS Classes of 2021
We welcomed the incoming Medicine & Dentistry Classes of 2021 to Western on August 29. Students received their white coats to mark the start of a new professional identity... - Your September desktop background download is now available
A special thank you to Marc Lawrence, BMSc'18, for the September desktop background... - Robarts takes centre stage at See the Line
Robarts scientists Rob Bartha, PhD, Arthur Brown, PhD, and Greg Dekaban, PhD, along with trainees from their labs, presented current concussion projects and showcased the Institute's world-class facilities as part of See the Line on August 16... 
Tweets of the month
Catch up on the best 140-character thoughts from our faculty, staff and students, including tweets from Alison Allan, Stephen Wetmore, Family Medicine, George Kim and more...
Tips and tricks: Internal Brand Package
The use and adherence to the School's brand identity plays a crucial role in helping to create a unified and recognizable brand. The new Internal Brand Package includes the most current branded resources...
Upcoming events
The History of Medicine Office is pleased to present the 2017 Visiting Speaker Series, featuring Jeffrey Baker, MD, PhD, Duke University. Dr. Baker will present "Autism and Its Transformations – The History of a Contested Diagnosis" on October 3...
