I hope you’re enjoying our relatively moderate winter weather (compared to last year anyway, knock on wood!).
We need help!
It’s the time of year when we ask faculty members to get involved in medical school opportunities – either through teaching our students and/or by joining one of our important committees.
At Dalhousie Medical School, we’re committed to providing our students with the best learning experiences. We want faculty to teach what they’re interested in, and what they’re good at. Educating medical students, residents, and grad students is one of the benefits of working in an academic heath care environment.
We need – and very much appreciate – faculty help and engagement; it’s absolutely essential for the success of our medical school. If you have ideas of how you’d like to share your skills and contribute to our educational mandate, please contact our Undergraduate Medical Education office (ugme@dal.ca).
Dalhousie students hosting national conference
The Dalhousie Health Sciences Students’ Association (DalHSSA) – a group of Dal students dedicated to facilitating collaboration among peers in the faculties of medicine, health professions, and dentistry – is hosting this year’s National Health Sciences Students’ Association conference. It’s taking place March 4-5, in Halifax. The theme of the conference is diversity and inclusion in health care. Dr. John Ross of the Department of Emergency Medicine is the keynote speaker.
Student leadership
I want to give credit to the many students who take on leadership roles in and around the med school despite their busy academic schedules. Medical and graduate students are giving their extra-curricular time to committees, conferences, and other initiatives to enhance their own experiences and to strengthen the med school community. I admire the passion and commitment of our student leadership, and I think their dedication bodes well for the future of medicine and health research.
Support cardiovascular research at Dal
This year’s Molly Appeal is supporting Dalhousie Medical School-based cardiovascular research. Dal scientists, cardiologists, and surgeons are working on a number of initiatives to improve health care and quality of life for patients, while studying new ways of preventing, diagnosing, and treating heart disease.
Atlantic Canadians have the highest rates of cardiovascular disease and death in the country. And not only do 90 per cent of us have one or more risk factors for heart disease, many of us will die from it. We can help change these numbers by supporting our exceptional medical researchers through the Molly Appeal (www.dmrf.ca/molly-appeal).
FoM leads the way for the United Way
Dalhousie University’s 2015 United Way campaign raised $157,621. This fundraising success is due in part to the high rate of participation at Dalhousie Medical School. Our community raised $36,620 — the most money out of any Dalhousie faculty or administrative unit. As the largest campaign contributor, the med school was awarded $500. That money will be split between the Dalhousie Medical Students’ Society and the Faculty of Medicine Graduate Student Society.
I know that Monica Baccardax, United Way area coordinator, Debbie Hayes and Charlene Joseph-Dunbar, the medical school’s employee campaign coordinator co-chairs, and Christina MacNeil, finance chair for Dalhousie’s United Way steering committee, worked hard on this campaign and deserve a lot of credit for our success.
Online curriculum map launched
Our brand new undergraduate medical education curriculum map is now online. It’s a searchable, one-stop-shop for faculty, staff, and students looking to browse the MD curriculum’s objectives and outcomes. Have a look on the Dal website: http://bit.ly/1TO6v5A
CHEB program planning continues
We continue to plan for our transition into the new Collaborative Health Education Building (CHEB) on the corner of Summer St. and University Ave. Students have begun using the study space available in the second floor learning commons.
In July, staff from the Learning Resource Centre on Barrington St. will be moving to the third floor of the CHEB. Clinical skills and simulation teaching for med students will take place there, starting in the 2016/2017 academic year.
If you have a chance, stop by the CHEB and have a look. The first and second floors are open to the public.
Dr. Tim Lee retires
I want to make special mention of – and thank – Dr. Tim Lee, who will be retiring from his position at Dalhousie Medical School on February 29, after almost 25 years of dedicated service.
A professor of microbiology and immunology, Dr. Lee has had a very impressive research career (with a major focus on transplantation). He built a strong, collaborative team that spanned the basic and clinical sciences, and has taught and mentored many students during his time at Dal. Dr. Lee has also been serving as the university’s first assistant dean of its Bachelor of Medical Sciences program.
Dr. Lee leaves a great legacy, and we’ll miss his passion and wit as he returns to his native Toronto.