Unit Name
 

Message from the Department Head

This fall has been a season of ongoing change and appreciation for all the work being done by staff, faculty and learners to face challenges and opportunities.

Department leadership in particular has undergone change. We have welcomed Kellie Theissen as the director of the Midwifery Program. The dedicated team will celebrate 20 years of midwifery this month in Victoria, as they have faced expansion of learners and staff across the program. Interim Post Graduate co-directors Bob Woolard and Alfredo Tura have stewarded the Postgraduate Program with the support of Tina Webber and the team. A formal announcement of our incoming program director will be coming soon. Meera Anand will step in as interim Undergraduate Program director this month for Maria Hubinette who will take on a leadership role within the newly planned SFU Medical School. Maureen Ashe supported by Hiresh Gindwani has stepped into the Research Director role to provide support and direction to departmental research activity of faculty and learners. Finally, we will be hiring a new Director of Administration to support the expanded and complex needs of the Department operationally during this recent and ongoing change. We thank Marni Fraser for her support in this role over the past few years and wish her the best in her future career path.

As many of you know, the Department has been working alongside other medical schools across Canada to provide a response to the College of Family Physicians of Canada on how we (each program) would create a third postgraduate curriculum year in the future. This process has been understandably complex and concerning to many people including faculty, learners, funders and the public in the face of a primary care in crisis. Through due process the College has accepted the voice and vote of the CFPC membership to stop this plan. Last week, leadership from the CFPC met with membership and leadership of the medical schools’ family medicine departments at the annual Family Medicine Forum to express their interest in a fulsome and open discussion regarding how best to move forward in supporting family medicine, our learners and our patients in the future. At UBC, we will continue to work to improve our educational experience and will use the opportunity this process has presented to enhance even further what is Canada’s most desired family medicine postgraduate program. 

Earlier this month, I was heartened to see UBC and the Department represented at the annual North American Primary Care Research Group meeting in San Francisco. I want to thank our staff and faculty for their support during the recent Family Medicine Forum in Montreal last week—in particular many thanks for attending the UBC Family medicine booth in the exhibit hall over three days—much appreciated. Our scholarship and leadership in education and research were evident and recognized by our peers. I was particularly struck by recognition by our peers during the question/answer following a keynote session at NAPCRG. The keynote had just presented the clear challenge to family physicians in the US to provide access to care in a political environment that challenges family medicine professionally and regarding personal safety of our colleagues. Colleagues from BC asked the keynote “what Canada could do to help” to which the keynote responded “isn’t it just like Canadians to want to help”—to which the packed room applauded loudly.

Let’s celebrate this fall, see change as opportunity and be proud of the work we do.

As always, I invite you to peruse this edition of the newsletter and send your feedback and comments.

Robert Petrella
Department Head

 

Awards and Recognition

Image alt-text

Call for Cedar Award Nominations

The Cedar Awards recognize the many contributions of people within the department. There are amazing people doing remarkable things, and it is impossible to know what sort of achievements, large or small, happen on a daily basis. With this initiative, we are looking to foster a sense of connection and keep people informed.

How to submit a nomination

  1. Decide who to nominate. Consider peers and colleagues whose work goes above and beyond.
  2. Submit the nomination through the link below, or email dept.head@familymed.ubc.ca. Include name, title, and a few things they have been doing in the department.
  3. Leave the rest to us! We will reach out to the nominee to discuss their contributions, and publish recognition with their permission.

Submit Cedar Award Nomination

 

Events and Workshops

Harnessing Artificial Intelligence in Teaching: A Panel on Principles for Teachers in the Faculty of Medicine

Date: Monday, November 27, 2023
Time: 5:00pm - 6:30pm (PST)
Audience: Faculty members teaching in the Undergraduate Medical Education, Post-Graduate Medical Education, or Health Professional Education programs.
Location: Virtually via Zoom
Presenter: Lucas Wright, Senior Educational Consultant with the Center for Teaching and Learning at UBC
Panelists: Dr. Adrian Yee, Dr. Alice Mui, Dr. Michael Lai and Dr. Joseph Anthony

Register here.

 

UBC Supercluster Research Day

Event date: Nov 23rd 2023 12-2pm

Join us for a stimulating afternoon of virtual Artificial Intelligence research presentations by UBC learners from the Faculty of Medicine and School of Biomedical Engineering, supported by the National Digital Technology Supercluster. This event will also feature a live industry demo by Synthesis Health!

Contact: Ashley Moller-Hansen (ashley.mollerhansen@ubc.ca) - for those who wish to be added to the mailing list to receive the zoom link.

 

Teacher Certificate Program Sessions

The Vancouver Fraser Medical Program would like to share a teacher development series of online workshops provided by your Faculty Development Office.

The Teacher Certificate Programs (TCP) consists of five sessions in TCP 1 with topics focusing on foundational teaching, and five sessions in TCP 2 with topics on career planning and wellness for clinical faculty teaching and assessing in the MD Undergraduate Program. The two programs are entirely separate (no prerequisites) and can be completed in any order. All sessions are 1.5 hours long and delivered synchronously online via Zoom. Once our records show you have completed all five sessions in a series, we will send you the completion certificate. If you miss a session this year, not to worry, we will likely have another session the following year.

Please note that TCP 1 participation can accumulate toward Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits which will be noted on the completion certificate. However, due to the nature of the topics in TCP 2, hours for that program must be self-claimed for unaccredited group learning credits with your affiliated college, unlike TCP 1 which is an accredited program. Please let us know if we can clarify or answer further questions.

Attached are program guides for both series. As a few workshops are currently undergoing redevelopment, the facilitators and learning objectives are still under finalization. Below are the registration links for your convenience.

TCP 1: Focus on Foundational Teaching

TCP 2: Focus on Career Planning and Wellness

 

Professional Grant Development Live Online Workshop

December 4-5, 2023
7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time
Hosted by the Grant Training Center
Perfect for both beginners and experienced grant writers

You will learn how to find Tri-Council (NSERC, SSHRC, CIHR) and foundation and corporate donors opportunities, understand guidelines, and assemble all the key elements of a proposal.

Given the highly competitive nature of grant funding, this training has a proven record of giving you an edge to persuade reviewers and win funding.

Register here 
Training fee: $595 USD

 

Undergraduate

Image alt-text

Need for Placements for Year 2 Focused Family Practice Office Visits for Spring 2024

Your experience and knowledge are invaluable to us and remain so despite the challenges over the last few years. Clinical Faculty members are crucial to the Faculty of Medicine’s and the Department of Family Practice’s vision. You teach and inspire our learners and are the role models for the next generation of health care professionals, and importantly future family physicians.  UBC Medical Students consistently rate their Family Practice exposure as their most rewarding clinical experiences.

Please note:

  • Clinical Faculty time commitment: 2 half-day sessions per student (up to 12 half-days total)
  • 1 or 2-learners per session, based on your preference. Sessions usually take place in either the morning or the afternoon but may continue throughout the day at your discretion.
  • Students will learn from you in a FLEXIBLE FORMAT - to suit your needs and schedule. The flexible model is perfect for locums as well!
  • You may claim CME self-learning credits, based on your teaching hours per term.

If you are interested, please indicate your teaching preferences for the FFP Spring sessions via this link by November 23, 2023: https://bit.ly/FFPSpring2024 or contact Vera Maesen at vera.maesen@ubc.ca.

 

We look forward to hearing from you!

 

Career Opportunity: Lead, Family Practice Faculty Development (UGME)

The University of British Columbia, Faculty of Medicine, in collaboration with the Provincial Government, is committed to training the health professionals of the future.  The Lead, Family Practice Faculty Development (UGME) contributes to the leadership and development of faculty development initiatives that support family practice in the Undergraduate Medical Education Program (UGME).

The Lead, Family Practice Faculty Development (UGME) reports to the Associate Dean, Faculty Development, UBC Faculty of Medicine and works closely to provide strategic leadership and broker faculty development programs and initiatives that support family practice preceptors in their roles as teachers in the undergraduate medical education program; works closely with the Family Practice and Integrated Clinical Clerkship (ICC) UGME educational leads to identify and align opportunities to create, coordinate, and roll-out new and existing initiatives that support family practice teaching across teaching sites in British Columbia, with a particular focus on rural areas; create an environment that promotes the Faculty’s values of respect, integrity, compassion, collaboration and equity where civility, diversity, opportunity, and inclusion are valued and central to all endeavours; and contribute to and foster a positive and safe working and learning environment where support and recognition is provided for faculty and staff and professionalism standards are maintained by all.

The successful candidate will hold an MD or PhD in a health-related discipline. The ideal candidate will have knowledge of the University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine education program; demonstrate commitment to inclusive excellence and applies an equity and inclusion framework to their work; demonstrate ability to build, manage and maintain positive and productive relationships across cultural differences; demonstrate ability to effectively communicate and interact with empathy, understanding and, respect of diverse and divergent perspectives and behaviours; establish collaborative leadership skills and ability to work effectively with learners, trainees, faculty and administrative leadership; have administrative experience; excellent organizational and time management skills, excellent interpersonal, communication, and collaborative negotiation skills; experience with living and working in a rural area an asset.

Applicants must have a current UBC faculty appointment or be eligible to hold an appointment

A detailed job description is available in the Faculty Development office for those who wish to review it. Please enquire at the email address below.

A letter of application, accompanied by a detailed curriculum vitae and names of three references should be directed to:

Dr. Heather Buckley
Associate Dean, Faculty Development
c/o Katherine Wisener
Email: katherine.w@ubc.ca  
Subject Line: Lead, Family Practice Faculty Development (UGME)

Review of applications will begin as soon as possible and continue until the position is filled. The anticipated start date for this position is December 1, 2023 or upon a date to be mutually agreed.

 
 

Postgraduate

Image alt-text

Postgrad Program Expands to 23 Residency Training Sites Across the Province

The DFP Postgraduate Program has expanded to include three new sites—North Okanagan, Cowichan and Rural Immersion—bringing the program to a total of 23 sites across British Columbia. With this expansion has come the addition of 12 new residency spots, and in the coming year, there will be a further 18 spots across both existing and newly-developed sites. Every new site will offer four spots for CaRMS.

For a visual comparison of the sites, click here. Read here to learn more about the new locations.

 

ISU

Upcoming Team Mapping Training

Upcoming Team Mapping Training: We excited to be offering another round of Team Mapping Facilitator Training (2-part session) on January 17th and 18th, from 10:00-12:30 and we are testing out a new registration system! We have limited spots in the upcoming training and we are offering free registration, on a first-come-first-served basis.  If you are interested you can REGISTER HERE. Please feel free to share this with anyone else who is working to support primary care teams, who might be interested in Team Mapping Facilitator Training.

  • The ISU’s Team Mapping method is a facilitated workshop that helps groups explore how they can work together to support patient primary care needs as a team. Team Mapping uses local evidence to ensure relevance and co-creation techniques to engage providers and other stakeholders in exploring how a team can be structured and how teams can work together to support patient needs. We anticipate that facilitators who participate in this training will use the Team Mapping method more often at the clinic or team-within-a-clinic level to support forming and existing teams.

 

The ISU Is Hiring!

If you know of any talented folks looking to work in primary care research and innovation, please encourage them to apply for one of the following positions: Engagement & Evaluation Analyst (1) and Engagement & Evaluation Analyst (2), and Education & Media Specialist.

 

CapEs

We are still looking for OTs, dietitians and physician assistants working in primary care from across Canada! We are looking for people who have worked in either of these roles within primary care over the last 3 years, or primary care providers, researchers and/or decision makers who are interested in helping us co-develop and validate the evidence for how those roles add capacity to primary care teams. interested in getting involved. To find out more about the Capacity Estimator (CapEs) Study and what’s involved, visit the ISU website (https://isu.familymed.ubc.ca/our-work/evaluation/primary-care-capacity-estimator-capes/)!

 

Research

Opportunities

BCCHR is now accepting applications through the Open Call for two (2) salary awards through the BCCHR Investigator Grant Award Program (IGAP) in the new Clinician Researcher category (50% IGAP).

The Clinician Researcher category supports individuals who are Clinician Researchers looking to build an independent research program. The Clinician Researcher IGAP salary award requires the candidate to have minimum 50% protected research time, and hold an active clinical appointment for the remaining 50% of their time. The Clinician Researcher IGAP award is valued at a maximum of $75,000/annum for five (5) years (inclusive of benefits), and renewable upon a successful review outcome.  This open call will fund two (2) new Clinician Researcher IGAP salary awards.

Applications must be coordinated by the department/school and may only be submitted by the Department/School Head (individuals may not apply directly). Each department/school is limited to three (3) applications each (inclusive of internal or external candidates).

For questions and submission package, please email resinfo@bcchr.ca.

Internal submission deadline: December 8, 2023 – 4:00 PM PST. Please send submission to Hiresh Gindwani, Research Coordinator.

Publications

48-hour Induction of Transdermal Buprenorphine to Extended-release Buprenorphine.

Physician perspectives on chronic pain management: barriers and the use of eHealth in the COVID-19 era.

Factors influencing practice choices of early-career family physicians in Canada: a qualitative interview study.

Supporting adolescents' participation in muscle-strengthening physical activity: protocol for the 'Resistance Training for Teens' (RT4T) hybrid type III implementation-effectiveness trial.

Ranking versus rating in peer review of research grant applications.

Understanding, diagnosing, and treating Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome - State of the art: Report of the 2nd international meeting at the Charité Fatigue Center.

Everyday Pain in Middle and Later Life: Associations with Daily and Momentary Present-Moment Awareness as One Key Facet of Mindfulness.

Older Mens' Experiences with and Preferences for Physical Activity.

Safety and Efficacy of Rapid Methadone Titration for Opioid Use Disorder in an Inpatient Setting: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Work, travel, or leisure: comparing domain-specific physical activity patterns based on rural-urban location in Canada.

Correlates of nonfatal overdose among treatment-seeking individuals with non-heroin opioid use disorder: Findings from a pragmatic, pan-Canadian, randomized control trial.

Canadian Newspapers Support Mifepristone Medication Abortion to Improve Fulfillment of the AAAQ Right to Health Framework (2015-2019).

A retrospective cohort study of adverse maternal and newborn outcomes at rural hospitals that participated in the Rural Surgical and Obstetrical Networks (RSON) of British Columbia (2016-2021).

Presentations

Can virtual delivery of the HealtheSteps lifestyle prescription program by trained students improve habits and wellbeing?

Hockey FIT for Women (HFIT for Women): Evaluating reach and implementation of a gender-sensitized healthy lifestyle program

Hockey Fans In Training Graduate Program (HFIT Grad): Process Evaluation of an Add-on Fitness Program for HFIT Participants

Acceptability of HealtheSteps®, a 6-month, virtual, healthy lifestyle program, from Participant and Coach Perspectives

Stakeholder Acceptability of the Hockey Fans In Training Healthy Lifestyle Intervention

Can the power of sport help men with overweight/obesity improve their health through a tailored healthy lifestyle program?

Recruitment and characteristics of men with overweight/obesity from a trial of a gender-sensitized healthy lifestyle program

Initial Residency Match Intentions of PGY3 Family Medicine-Emergency Medicine Enhanced Skills Program Applicants

Breaking the Silence: Risk Communication for the Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes from Primary Care Provider Perspectives

 

Opportunity to Participate

 

HR Corner

New Hybrid Work Agreement for Staff

Welcome to November! It is late autumn, and a sudden temperature drop is expected. In November, you will experience the transition from warm scarlet October to icy white December. Let’s enjoy the slow transition and embrace the colour of nature.

 

Update to Hybrid Work Agreement

All eligible staff who participate in UBC’s hybrid work program must complete a new Hybrid Work Agreement in Workday. 

A new agreement became available in Workday that consolidates important elements of the original Hybrid Work Request and Work Area Safety Assessment into one simplified request process, and previous agreements will need to be replaced.

To complete the Request Hybrid Work Agreement form, please visit https://hr.ubc.ca/working-ubc/news/july-20-2023/new-hybrid-work-agreement-all-eligible-staff

 

Payroll Timesheets Submission Deadline

For hourly employees: Nov 23rd 2023@ 11:59 pm

For managers and leaders: Nov 24th, 2023 @11:59pm

 

To see what else is going on in HR this month, visit our website here.

 

 

Career Opportunity

Rural Scholar

The Department of Family Practice within the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia (UBC) invites applications for a part-time (0.2 FTE) position of Rural Scholar. In partnership with the Rural Coordination Centre of British Columbia, we are accepting applications for established clinicians in British Columbia to develop experience and skills in Rural Scholarship through the Rural Scholars Program. There are up to 2 positions available and it is anticipated that these will be distributed over the rural areas of British Columbia.

Read the full description here.

From the Faculty of Medicine

UBC offers many health and wellbeing tools and resources to help support you:

Visit the UBC HR Health & Wellbeing website for a full list of resources and supports.

 

Department of Family Practice
3rd Floor David Strangway Building
5950 University Boulevard
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3

familymed.ubc.ca

© Copyright The University of British Columbia

View this email in your browser
Unsubscribe