February 2015 Newsletter
Chair’s Message
This is the first edition of our Newsletter for the calendar year, so I'd like to start by wishing each of you the very best for 2015. As we start off 2015, I want to celebrate and thank our community-based faculty – family physicians, outside of the tertiary care centre, who provide teaching both in the classroom and in the practice setting. You are the face of family medicine for our learners at all levels and I sincerely thank you for your efforts.
Postraduate Program Update
The CaRMS recruitment days that took place on January 16th, 24th and 25th were a huge success. We interviewed over 600 candidates in total! I would like to extend a sincere thank you to all of the faculty, staff and residents for your assistance on those days. We couldn’t have done it without you! Match day is March 4th, 2015 and the CaRMS 2nd iteration interview day is tentatively scheduled for March 21st, 2015.
Enhanced Skills Program update
Our program is pleased to announce the incoming class for 2015-2016. Congratulations to all our new residents. We look forward to working with you!
From the desk of George Kim: New year, new goals, new leadership
With three committees winding down their strategic plan work, new committees are being formed to focus on the next round of goals outlined in the Distributed Education Network Strategic Plan. Meanwhile the new Regional Academic Directors are hitting the ground running in their roles. Learn more about who has taken on these roles, and why Dr. Robert Black has decided to take on this exciting new position.
New websites successfully launched
The department and the Centre for Studies in Family Medicine successfully launched new websites on January 20, 2015 as part of the second phase of the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry's website redevelopment project.
UME Accreditation 2015 – Learner Equity & Wellness
Away from the busy foot traffic of the Medical Sciences Building and first floor of the Dr. Murray O’Neil Education Centre, students can find the Learner Equity & Wellness (LEW) offices.
FORGE AHEAD research program workshop brings indigenous communities together
The TransFORmation of IndiGEnous PrimAry HEAlthcare Delivery (FORGE AHEAD) research program brought together over 50 community and healthcare professionals from six First Nations communities across Canada to launch the first in a series of three workshops as part of the first wave of implementation for FORGE AHEAD.
Clinical Skills Day a great success
The Family Medicine Interest Group (FMIG) and Department of Family Medicine hosted their annual Clinical Skills Day this Saturday and it was a great success! It was attended by over 100 first and second-year medical students from the London and Windsor campuses.- Drs. Ted Osmun and Nelson Chan publish paper in Canadian Family Physician
Drs. Ted Osmun and Nelson Chan published their paper "Approach to caring for developmentally disabled adults in the community Medical, ethical, and legal considerations" in Canadian Family Physician's current issue. - Dr. Petrella leads Alzheimer's research study
An important piece of research in the puzzle that is Alzheimer’s disease is being investigated locally. Western University and Lawson Health Research Institute is conducting a research study, led by principal investigator Dr. Robert Petrella, in Woodstock entitled Exercise and Brain Health Research Study. - Enhancing Collaboration Between Primary Care and Public Health
You are invited to attend Enhancing Collaboration Between Primary Care and Public Health on February 11, 2015 from 12:30 – 3:00 p.m., room 1150, WCPHFM. This exciting interactive seminar will be facilitated by Dr. Ruta Valaitis, McMaster University, and Dr. Tom Freeman, Centre for Studies in Family Medicine. - Family Medicine Research Seminar
All faculty and staff are welcome to join the Family Medicine Research Seminar hosted by CSFM Director, Dr. Merrick Zwarenstein, and Research Associate, Cathy Thorpe. We are inviting you to bring forward research ideas and opportunities that you would like to discuss. - Annual Education Day
The Department of Family Medicine invites faculty and staff to our annual Education Day on Friday, March 27, 2015. Join us for a day of faculty development and informative workshops, as well as a plenery session, a networking luncheon and the Chair's wine and cheese reception.
- Congratulations Dr. Bill Payne
The Department of Family Medicine would like to congratulate Dr. Bill Payne on receiving the St. Joseph's Health Care President's Leadership in Mission Award presented February 5, 2015. - T4s and other records are coming your way! Please verify and update your home address
Human Resource Services at Western is preparing a number of documents to send to you at your home address including your tax forms (mailed by February 28, 2015), your Pension Plan Statements (April 2015) and your Total Compensation Statement for full-time employees (May 2015). - RESET IT Study (REmission Studies Evaluating Type 2 Diabetes – Intermittent Insulin Therapy)
RESET IT is a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to determine whether intermittent intensive insulin therapy (IIT) is an effective therapeutic strategy that can preserve pancreatic beta-cell function and maintain glycemic control early in the course of type 2 diabetes. - Letter to the Editor
Dr. Tom Freeman writes Letter to the Editor urging Canadian Family Physician to welcome the patient-centred case report format, recognizing that it celebrates patients, their family physicians, and 50 years of research evidence. - Centre for Studies in Family Medicine_Research Committee (CSFM_RC)
We have added 11 new members to the CSFM_RC since our mandate in the fall of 2014 to expand our membership. - February 2015 Research and Publications
The Department of Family Medicine at Western University is at the forefront of research in primary health care. Among the areas of focus for research are patient-centered care, clinical practice guidelines, health promotion, population health, care of the elderly, health services and information technology.
