Dean’s Blog – October / November 2019
Hi everyone,
I would like opportunity to extend a thank you to everyone who helped us celebrate 151 years of Dalhousie Medical School. It was a pleasure to be able to come together and celebrate with the Dalhousie Medical Alumni Association for events at the Halifax Convention Centre and on campus on the November 1 & 2, 2019 weekend.
Over 500 alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends of Dalhousie Medical School attended our 151 Gala evening on November 2, 2019. What made our 151 Gala so special, was the creation of the Dalhousie Medical Student Bursary with the support of the Dalhousie Medical Alumni Association to help relieve some of the financial burdens our students are facing.
Proceeds from the evening’s event are being directed to this newly established bursary. Our presenting sponsor for the Gala, Bluteau Caseley Wealth Management Group, took their support one step further, by surprising those in attendance with a $10,000 contribution to the bursary. Thank you for your support of the Gala, and your investment in medical education in the region.
For those of you who were unable to attend, please enjoy our photo gallery of the Gala and video highlighting some of the Faculty of Medicine’s highlights and accomplishments over the past year.
I was pleased to be able to present, with Dr. Peggy Leighton, the MD class of 1978 the 300K Cup. Our alumni classes have been extremely engaged and thoughtful with their class gift contributions – creating a legacy and making a collective impact for the Medical School as a class, and the class of 1978 is no different.
I would specifically like to acknowledge Drs. Rob Burris, Pam Forsythe and Bruce Wamsley for being the driving forces behind this class gift. Dr. Bruce Walmsley, in particular, challenged his classmates by offering to match their gifts up to $150,000, and his classmates stepped up to the plate to take advantage of his generosity.
Well done!
151 CPD Session
On Friday, November 1st, The Continuing Professional Development Office hosted a CPD event featuring Drs. Anna MacLeod and George Kovacs to officially kick off the Dal Med 151 celebrations.
Dr. MacLeod explained to those in attendance what sociomaterialism in medicine is, and how our understanding of how “things” impact our teaching and learning, could help us view education through another lens.
Dr. Kovacs explained how Dalhousie’s clinical cadaver program has played a critical role in providing safe learning experiences and ultimately help to improve patient outcomes. This leading international educational program has been recognized as an exemplar on both our undergraduate and postgraduate accreditation reviews over the past two years.
Thank you both for the enlightening and entertaining session showcasing two of our academic stars in the Faculty of Medicine.
Dalhousie Medical Alumni Association Awards
The afternoon of the Dal Med 151 Gala, the Dalhousie Medical Alumni Association hosted a luncheon at the Collaborative Health Education Building to celebrate four distinguished Dalhousie Medical School alumni.
Whether they’ve made national contributions to clinical practice, shown a strong level of commitment to family practice, maintained an exceptional lifelong career, or demonstrated exceptional care and commitment within the first couple of years of their career, our alumni are consistently working to make an impact in our communities and our health system.
- Young Alumnus of the Year – Dr. Tim Holland
- Honorary President of the Year – Dr. Ann Collins
- Family Physician of the Year – Dr. Tom Laughlin
- Alumnus of the Year – Dr. Sean Grondin
Congratulations to all the award winners for your well-deserved recognition.
James Robinson Johnston Chair Welcome
On October 23, I was pleased to officially welcome Dr. OmiSoore Dryden to Dalhousie with a reception in the foyer of the Charles Tupper Medical Building. The event featured remarks from Acting Provost, Dr. Chris Moore, the former James R. Johnston (JRJ) Chair, Dr. Afua Cooper, and Dr. Dryden.
The James R. Johnston Chair holds a significant role within Dalhousie. Holders of the JRJ Chair have been located throughout various Dal faculties, including Law, Health and Arts and Social Sciences. Dr. Dryden joins an esteemed legacy in becoming the latest James R. Johnston Chair – which will now be located in the Faculty of Medicine’s Department of Community Health & Epidemiology. This also marks the first time the Chair has been located within the Faculty of Medicine.
Placing the JRJ Chair within the Faculty of Medicine is an important step to strengthen our institutional priorities of enhancing diversity, fostering community outreach and building a health research mandate that is collaborative, interdisciplinary, and nationally recognized.
Dean’s Retreat
On October 24th, I was very appreciative for the opportunity to welcome Senator Dan Christmas to campus to provide the keynote address for our annual Dean’s Retreat.
Senator Christmas challenged us to confront and reconcile with an important and regrettable part of our history in Canada, our relationship with indigenous peoples. He described ways as a Faculty we could deepen our commitment to serving and engaging societies, and to produce and support physicians, scientists and leaders who must navigate increasingly complex systems and change.
Our retreat continued October 25th, where leadership of the Faculty of Medicine and our partners in the health system discussed how we could better navigate system change and presentations from the MacEachen Institute for Public Policy and Governance. This retreat was well organized and capably hosted by our Assistant Dean for Serving and Engaging Society, Dr. Gaynor Watson Creed. Thank you, Gaynor for your leadership and wisdom in putting this program together.
Thank you to all who participated, and I look forward to continuing conversations on these topics in the future which support our faculty’s strategic priority Catalyzing System Change.
Annual Report
Following the success and excitement of last year’s Med 150 celebrations has not been easy! 2018 was a year of reflection and celebration, while 2019 has shifted our attention to the future, with a renewed focus on establishing Dalhousie Medical School as an international leader in medical education and research, while being responsive to health needs across the Maritimes.
As you will read in this year’s report, Dalhousie Medical School has been remarkably productive in 2019, featuring historic scientific appointments, significant expansions of our medical education programs and meaningful engagements with communities across the Maritimes.
Recognitions
Dr. Noni MacDonald to be invested into Order of Nova Scotia
Dr. Noni MacDonald, a professor in the Department of Pediatrics, and former Dean of the Dalhousie Faculty of Medicine, will be invested into the Order of Nova Scotia on November 26th, at 
Province House in Halifax.
The Order of Nova Scotia is the highest honour of the Province of Nova Scotia, recognizing those who have distinguished themselves in many fields of endeavour and have brought honour and prestige to themselves and their province
Dr. MacDonald is a pioneer in the medical community in Canada and internationally. She founded the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Ottawa in 1981 and led the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Service at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa, serving as Chief until in 1999, she moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia to become the first woman in Canada to hold the position of Dean of a Faculty of Medicine when she took this post at Dalhousie University. Following her Deanship, she was a co-founder of the Canadian Center for Vaccinology in 2004, where she is still in active member.
Congratulations, Dr. MacDonald.
Dr. Jean Gray inducted into Canadian Medical Hall of Fame
Dr. Jean Gray, Professor Emeritus of Medical Education, Medicine and Pharmacology at Dalhousie University, has been named a 2020 inductee into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame.
The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame (CMHF) celebrates Canadian heroes whose work advances health in Canada and the world and fosters future generations of health professionals through the delivery of local and national youth education programs, scholarships and awards
Dr. Gray has championed rigorous studies of drug safety and effectiveness to improve prescribing practice, and her reputation as a skillful and courageous leader has extended her influence widely and durably.
Congratulations, Dr. Gray.
New Appointments
Dr. David Bowes Appointed Assistant Dean, Postgraduate Medical Education
The Faculty of Medicine is pleased to announce that Dr. David Bowes has been appointed Assistant Dean, Postgraduate Medical Education effective September 1, 2019.
As Assistant Dean, Dr. Bowes will be responsible for the development, evaluation and management of PGME’s central educational programs. As a member of the core leadership team, Dr. Bowes will provide counsel and input on strategic and operational decisions related to PGME at Dalhousie and its postgraduate training programs.
Dr. Bowes is a graduate of medical school and residency training in Radiation Oncology at Dalhousie University, and completed fellowship training in brachytherapy at the University of British Columbia.
Dr. Bowes has been a Radiation Oncologist in Dalhousie University’s Department of Radiation Oncology since 2011 and has been the Director of the Radiation Oncology residency training program since 2014. He has led the Radiation Oncology residency program through the 2018 accreditation survey and Competence by Design Implementation, and was named Dalhousie Program Director of the year in 2017. He has also served as the faculty career advisor in the UGME Student Affairs office.
His clinical interests are in the management of genitourinary and gynecological cancers, with specific expertise in brachytherapy.
Congratulations, Dr. Bowes.
Dr. Brendan Carr named CEO NSHA
The Nova Scotia Health Authority announced that Dr. Brendan Carr will start his work as the organization’s new president and chief executive officer effective December 16, 2019.
As both an emergency department and family physician, Dr. Carr has spent much of his medical and leadership career in Nova Scotia.
Dr. Carr served as vice-president of medicine with the former Capital District Health Authority in Halifax, and as an assistant professor in the department of emergency medicine at Dalhousie University in Halifax from 2007 to 2012, when he left to pursue a career opportunity in British Columbia.
Dr. Carr graduated from Dalhousie University with a medical degree in 1989. He completed his medical residency in emergency medicine and family medicine at the University of Ottawa. He also completed a Master of Business Administration in 1985 and an undergraduate degree in 1983, both from Dalhousie University.
Welcome back to Nova Scotia, Dr. Carr.
Dr. Jeannie Shoveller appointed VP research and innovation at IWK and Professor of Medicine in Department of Community Health and Epidemiology
In September, I was pleased to announce with Dr. Krista Jangaard that Dr. Jeannie Shoveller will be joining the IWK as VP, Research & Innovation. She will also be appointed as a professor of Community Health and Epidemiology in the Faculty of. We look forward to welcoming Dr. Shoveller on January 2, 2020.
Dr. Shoveller holds a PhD and is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (FCAHS). She is currently a Professor at the University of British Columbia’s School of Population & Public Health where she leads a large interdisciplinary research and training program on health inequities.
Dr. Shoveller is the Chair of the Governing Council of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. She also serves as the Associate Director at the Centre on Gender & Sexual Health Equity and the Director of Research at the BC Centre on Substance Use, both hosted by Providence Health Care in Vancouver. Previously, she has held several other executive leadership roles, including as former Director of UBC’s Human Early Learning Partnership.
Her extensive research on adolescent health, Sexually Transmitted Blood-Borne Infections (STBBIs), gender-based violence, and addictions is widely cited and internationally renowned. In 2015, she was inducted into the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences as an “outstanding public health scholar whose leadership and vision has contributed to system change nationally and internationally”.
Dr. Shoveller is an experienced and respected researcher and leader; we are incredibly fortunate to welcome her to our Maritime community.
The IWK and Dalhousie University have a long tradition of close partnerships, bridging the best of research and teaching with clinical practice. As VP, Research & Innovation at the IWK, coupled with her appointment at Dalhousie University, Jeannie is well-positioned to leverage the strengths of our teaching, research, and care alliances into the future.
Welcome, Dr. Shoveller.
Research Updates
Over the past few months, members of the Faculty of Medicine have been awarded regional and national awards in support of their research projects, or have had their research published in renowned publications. This is a testament to the world-class research happening within the Faculty of Medicine, and an acknowledgement of the importance of their research. The following is an update from the Medical Research Development Office.
Thank you all for reading.