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Faculty of Medicine: COVID-19 Update #16

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Good afternoon everyone,

As active COVID-19 cases in the Maritimes continue to decline, we are starting to see the return of everyday activities throughout the region.

The Faculty of Medicine is working closely with Dalhousie University and our various departments on a tentative plan to return to campus for essential staff and faculty by July 2, and I am encouraged by the initial feedback we have received.

I am particularly excited for our faculty and graduate students anxious to return to their research activities, which have been most impacted by this disruption. I want to thank everyone for working with our research office under the leadership of Dr. Roger McLeod, to develop plans for the safe return to the workplace. We will continue to keep you up to date in these weekly communications about the status of the return of research activities.

As our Med I and Med II students enjoy a well-deserved holiday, our Med III students returned to virtual teaching sessions this week in anticipation of their return to clerkship on June 8, 2020.

I hope everyone has had the opportunity over the past week to enjoy this unseasonably warm weather, and I look forward to connecting with you next week.

Kindest regards,

Dr. David Anderson
Dean, Faculty of Medicine

Update
This communication is to provide updates of events over the over the past week. For details on more Faculty of Medicine-specific information related to COVID-19, please visit: https://medicine.dal.ca/news/covid.html.

Clerkship
We are eagerly awaiting the return of clerks to clinical activities on June 8th. The presence of COVID-19 in our communities has changed the practice of medicine, and we recognize the need for patience and flexibility as we integrate our students back into their clinical rotations.

Please read the following memo from Dr. Simon Field and Dr. Rob Boulay, which highlights some guiding principles for clerks and faculty to follow as clerks are reintegrated into a clinical environment.

Annual Faculty Meeting Reminder
The meeting materials for the June 2nd Annual Faculty Meeting are available for download at: https://medicine.dal.ca/for-faculty-staff/faculty-council/annual-meeting.html

This meeting will be held virtually using Microsoft Teams – instructions provided below:  Please click on the following link – Join Microsoft Teams Meeting

If joining by teleconference, please dial 1-437-703-4646 and when prompted enter 252 772 059#

Innovative COVID‑19 response: Dal Med Human Body Donation Program contributes to airway training
Since the emergence of COVID-19, routine procedures for keeping patients oxygenated have become increasingly more complicated due to the risk of being contaminated by aerosolized viral particles.

Due to this increased risk, the Faculty of Medicine’s Human Body Donation Program has been providing training opportunities for front-line health care workers to use new airway management techniques that are safe for both the patient and care providers.
This important work was profiled in a recent Dal Med News article.

Reappointment of Dr. Evelyn Sutton, Associate Dean, Undergraduate Medical Education
On behalf of the Faculty of Medicine, I am pleased to announce that Dr. Evelyn Sutton has been reappointed Associate Dean, Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME), for a five-year term. This appointment is effective July 1, 2020.

For the full appointment announcement, please click here.

Appointment of Dr. Suzanne Zinck, Assistant Dean, Student Affairs
On behalf of the Faculty of Medicine, I am pleased to announce that Dr. Sue Zinck has been appointed Assistant Dean, Student Affairs, for a five-year term. This appointment is effective July 1, 2020.

In announcing Dr. Zinck’s new appointment, I would also like to thank Dr. Joanne MacDonald for her strong leadership and dedication to the well-being of our medical students as Assistant Dean over the past four years.

For the full appointment announcement, please click here.

Appointment of Dr. Dafydd Davies, Lead, Competence-Based Medical Education
On behalf of the Faculty of Medicine, I am pleased to announce that Dr. Dafydd Davies has been appointed, Lead, Competence-Based Medical Education (CBME), for a two-year term. This appointment is effective May 4, 2020. I would like to thank Dr. Janice Chisholm for her leadership in this role over the past two years.

For the full appointment announcement, please click here.

Faculty of Medicine Graduate Research Days
The Faculty of Medicine will be virtually holding our Graduate Research Days on June 8th and 9th. All are welcome to virtually attend.

To view the tentative schedule of events, please click here.

CIHR Spring 2020 Project Grant Competition
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research announced yesterday that the 2020 Spring Project Grant will be moving forward with the review of applications over the summer.

For the full announcement, please visit the CIHR website.

Class of 2020 Valedictorian, Dr. Dave Hung, Profiled in CBC Article
Following an entertaining valedictory speech, Dr. David Hung was profiled in a recent CBC article on his roundabout path from Hollywood filmmaking to becoming a doctor. If you’re not familiar with Dr. Hung’s story, I encourage you to read the article.

Faculty of Graduate Studies Distinguished Service Award
Congratulations to Dr. Wenda Greer, Department of Pathology, for being the recipient of the 2020 Faculty of Graduate Studies Distinguished Service Award.

This award was established by Faculty Council in order to recognize long-standing and extraordinary service to graduate level education at Dalhousie. Winners have made a contribution to the faculty and the administration of its graduate programs that is both substantive and long-standing.

Congratulations, Dr. Greer!

College of Physicians & Surgeons of Nova Scotia Gold-Headed Cane Award
Congratulations to Dr. Kara McNeil, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, for receiving the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Nova Scotia Gold-Headed Cane Award.

This award recognizes an outstanding community-based physician who exemplifies professionalism in service to their patients, profession and community.

The College’s annual province-wide recognition is awarded as part of a co-sponsored Gold-Headed Cane ceremony in partnership with the Medical Humanities Program at Dalhousie University. The award will be presented to Dr. MacNeil at the Gold-Headed Cane Awards dinner tentatively set for the fall.

Congratulations, Dr. McNeil!

Tupper Band Virtual Collection
Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the Tupper Band has searched through its four decade video archives to curate a series of performances every week, with new introductions by Dr. Bernard Badley.

To watch the concerts, please visit the Tupper Band website.

Mental Health Supports Available
In this uncertain time, our students, faculty, and staff may be experiencing stress and anxiety. If you are in need of assistance, several mental health resources are available to you:

Questions
Thank you to everyone who has reached out with feedback and questions during this ever-changing period and have expressed how this is impacting your education, research or professional responsibilities. Please know that we are meeting regularly to address your questions and communicate the answers to you in a timely manner. If your questions are not answered here, or on the website, please contact the Faculty of Medicine’s Communications Advisor, Jason Bremner (jason.bremner@dal.ca). For further information related to the impact of COVID-19 in the Faculty of Medicine, please visit our website at https://medicine.dal.ca/news/covid.html.

A reminder that the Public Health Agency of Canada, Nova Scotia Public Health, New Brunswick Public Health and PEI Public Health remain the best source for up-to-date public information on this rapidly changing situation. More information related to Dalhousie can be found at www.dal.ca/coronavirus.

Faculty of Medicine: COVID-19 Update #15

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Good afternoon everyone,

This has been an exciting week for the Faculty of Medicine as we celebrated the graduation of the Dalhousie Medical School Class of 2020.

On Tuesday, Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick premiered the first-ever Virtual Launch Ceremony, which recognized the completion of four years of undergraduate medical education for medical students in their home province of New Brunswick. If you missed the premiere, it is available to watch online.

Two days later, we celebrated the accomplishments of the entire graduating class with a live stream of the Virtual Convocation and Awards Ceremony. One of the changes to convocation this year as a result of COVID-19, was the opportunity for me to address the class. This was a great honour and something I will cherish.

These two events would not have been possible without the hard work and ingenuity of Dr. Brianne Robinson, Dr. Alexandra Hetherington, and the Student Affairs Office for the Virtual Convocation, and Ms. Alexandra Fournier at DMNB for the Launch Ceremony. Well done to you all!

As we celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates and wish them well as they begin their residencies on July 1st, work within the Faculty of Medicine is continuing.

Dalhousie President, Dr. Deep Saini, announced on Wednesday that the fall academic term will take place predominantly online, with limited exceptions. Those exceptions will apply to medical education, and we are working towards holding in-person clinical skills sessions during the fall term.

Planning is also taking place for a phased approach to returning campus. Researchers will be asked to generate safety plans which should be distributed shortly (see below).

Thank you again to everyone for your continued patience as we work through impacts of COVID-19. I know many faculty and students are anxious to return to campus to continue their research and we are also looking forward to their return.

Continue to take care of yourselves and your families and hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Kindest regards,

Dr. David Anderson
Dean, Faculty of Medicine

Update
This communication is to provide updates of events over the over the past week. For details on more Faculty of Medicine-specific information related to COVID-19, please visit: https://medicine.dal.ca/news/covid.html.

Planning for Phased Resumption of Research Activities

We received word today that the proposed target for a return to campus is July 2, 2020, with an initial return of about 25 percent of Dalhousie’s overall workforce. This is very good news for our many scientists and graduate students who are anxious to return to their laboratories.  More information will be forthcoming shortly about the return to work process and Dr. Roger McLeod, Associate Dean of Research, and Ms. Linda Penny, Chief Operating Officer, will be coordinating these efforts.

Staff at the DMNB Campus will return to work on a phased-in approach beginning June 15th. The phase-in plan will incorporate the basic principles that staff who can work off-site will continue to do so and staff necessary to support the operations will be staggered to ensure appropriate social distancing can be respected in the workplace.

Researchers at Dalhousie to lead human trials of COVID‑19 vaccine
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced last Saturday that the Canadian Center for Vaccinology — a centre based at Dalhousie, the IWK Health Centre and Nova Scotia Health Authority — will lead the trials after receiving approval by Health Canada. This research will be led by the Center’s director, Dr. Scott Halperin, Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University and IWK Health Centre.

This is a very exciting development, and I encourage you to read the Dal Med News article on this important research.

Class of 2020 Grad Profiles
Dalhousie Medical School is home to students from various backgrounds and with a wide range of interests. This year 118 medical students graduated in a virtual convocation ceremony.

Please visit this Dal Med News article to read just a few of their stories.

Clerkship
Plans for the resumption of clinical clerkships on June 8th continue to progress.

Modified PIER 3 will be occurring May 26-28, with an online program that will include a session by Student Affairs that will explore changes that have occurred in the current clinical teaching environment. Further PIER 3 programming will be occurring following the completion of Unit 4 in September.

Faculty of Medicine Graduate Research Days
The Faculty of Medicine will be virtually holding our Graduate Research Days on June 8th and 9th. All are welcome to virtually attend and a communication with more information will be electronically delivered in the coming days.

Research Nova Scotia: New Health Investigator Grant
This week, Research Nova Scotia launched the New Health Investigator Grant, which supports early-career health researchers who are engaged in work that aligns with the province’s health research priorities. The grant aims to provide two years of support of up to $100,000 for researchers who are within the first five years of their academic appointment in Nova Scotia or who are new to the field of health research.

For more information, please visit the Research Nova Scotia website.

 

FacDev Seminar Series: Virtual Supervision of Medical Students in Clinical Settings
On Tuesday, May 26th at 8:00 p.m., Faculty Development is hosting a webinar on Virtual Supervision of Medical Students in Clinical Settings. Medical education has increasingly shifted online since the COVID-19 pandemic began, this seminar will help attendees identify opportunities for providing virtual supervision, and how to develop an approach to supervising medical students in their own contexts

For more information, please visit the Faculty Development website.

Mental Health Supports Available
In this uncertain time, our students, faculty, and staff may be experiencing stress and anxiety. If you are in need of assistance, several mental health resources are available to you:

Questions
Thank you to everyone who has reached out with feedback and questions during this ever-changing period and have expressed how this is impacting your education, research or professional responsibilities. Please know that we are meeting regularly to address your questions and communicate the answers to you in a timely manner. If your questions are not answered here, or on the website, please contact the Faculty of Medicine’s Communications Advisor, Jason Bremner (jason.bremner@dal.ca). For further information related to the impact of COVID-19 in the Faculty of Medicine, please visit our website at https://medicine.dal.ca/news/covid.html.

A reminder that the Public Health Agency of Canada, Nova Scotia Public Health, New Brunswick Public Health and PEI Public Health remain the best source for up-to-date public information on this rapidly changing situation. More information related to Dalhousie can be found at www.dal.ca/coronavirus.

Faculty of Medicine: COVID-19 Update #14

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May 15, 2020

Good afternoon everyone,

We are coming to the end of one of the most challenging academic years in memory. Although exams are still being written and theses being defended, all faculty, students and staff should feel incredibly proud of the way you have navigated your way through these unprecedented times together.

Thanks again to our faculty and residents who continue to deal with COVID-19 patients in our region and our public health officials who have enabled the Maritime provinces to deal relatively effectively with the first wave of COVID-19. Our thoughts go out to the family and friends who have lost loved ones or otherwise been impacted by COVID-19 and the other recent tragedies in our region.

As we get ready for our first virtual medical school convocation next week, I hope everyone will be able to take some time to unwind, get outdoors, and connect responsibly with family and friends this Victoria Day weekend – you deserve it.

Kindest regards,

Dr. David Anderson
Dean, Faculty of Medicine

Update
This communication is to provide updates of events over the over the past week. For details on more Faculty of Medicine-specific information related to COVID-19, please visit: https://medicine.dal.ca/news/covid.html.

Dalhousie Medicine Class of 2020 Virtual Convocation
On May 21st at 2:30 p.m., the Class of 2020 will come together for a Virtual Convocation and Awards Ceremony. The event will be streamed live and all are encouraged to join in to help celebrate the accomplishments of the graduating class.

To watch the live convocation, please visit: https://medicine.dal.ca/news/dalhousie-medicine-class-of-2020-virtual-convocation.html.

DMNB Launch Ceremony
Since 2014, Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick (DMNB) has celebrated the completion of each graduating class’s four years of undergraduate medical education in their home province with the annual Launch Ceremony.

On May 19th at 2:00 p.m., DMNB will be premiering our Virtual Launch Ceremony celebrating the DMNB Class of 2020, which will feature a presentation of awards, musical performances, and special messages.

Dalhousie Family Medicine Residency Success
Congratulations to the Family Medicine Residency program in Yarmouth, where six of the graduating residents graduating have chosen to stay and work in the area. This is fantastic news for Yarmouth, and demonstrates the effectiveness of distributed residency education to attract and retain physicians. Well done, Southwest Nova!

Special recognition for Dr. Abir Hussain, the Family Medicine Residency Site Director in the Yarmouth region.

Faculty of Medicine Graduate Research Days
The Faculty of Medicine will be virtually holding our Graduate Research Days on June 8th and 9th. All are welcome to virtually attend and a communication with more information will be electronically delivered in the coming days.

Dalhousie OpenThinkers
Congratulations to PhD student, Mr. Tareq Yousef, in the Department of Medical Neuroscience, for being named one of Dalhousie’s inaugural OpenThinkers for the Faculty of Graduate Studies’ new OpenThink Initiative.

This initiative empowers researchers to make a difference in peoples’ lives by sharing what they study, and provides training and workshops designed to equip them with the tools they need to share their research beyond the confines of campus.

Please take the time to read Tareq’s first blog on the brain’s physiological reactions to stresses like those caused by COVID-19 and our ability to be nurtured back to health.

Students Giving Back
Third year medical student, Ms. Livia Anthes, was profiled in a recent Dal News article on how COVID-19 has impacted her studies, and how she and her classmates have banded together to give back to the community.

CBC spoke with fourth year medical student and upcoming graduate, Mr. Manveer Bal, this week regarding his volunteer work at Northwood.

Thanks to all of our medical and graduate students who volunteered over the past two months in COVID-19 related activities. Your work has been recognized and appreciated by our community.

ACLS Course
Congratulations to our team of clinical educators at the Centre for Clinical Education Learning and Research (C3LR) who put on a successful Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) program for our graduating students in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick over the course of this week. The course was done under the leadership of Ms. Laura Thomas with the support of Ms. Tanya Dutton and the C3LR team in Nova Scotia, and Ms. Rebecca Svarc, Ms. Natalie Vautour and Mr. Ken Lerette in New Brunswick.

With extensive planning and attention to respect public health measures such as social distancing, the program went off without a hitch. This will enable our medical graduates to enter residencies with this life saving training experience.

Thank you all for your hard work and support in operationalizing this event.

In Memoriam: Dr. Tarunendu Ghose
We were very saddened to learn last week of the death of former faculty member and Professor Emeritus, Dr. Tarunendu Ghose. Dr. Ghose was a faculty member of the Department of Pathology for 35 years. He was a highly respected educator and scientist, with cancer being the major focus of his research.

Dr. Ghose was a long-time member of the Dalhousie Society of the History of Medicine. He was instrumental in the successful nomination of well-known Halifax-born physician, Dr. Oswald Avery, to the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame. Dr. Ghose also updated the terms of Dalhousie’s Dr. Oswald Avery Prize, which encourages research in the area of Biomedicine by a post-doctoral or graduate student.

In 2019, Dr. Ghose worked with the Global Health Office to establish the Dr. Tarunendu Ghose Visiting Scholar in Global Health, with the purpose of encouraging a greater understanding of global health in its many contexts.

Our deepest condolences go to Dr. Ghose’s family and friends.

Mental Health Supports Available
In this uncertain time, our students, faculty, and staff may be experiencing stress and anxiety. If you are in need of assistance, several mental health resources are available to you:

Questions
Thank you to everyone who has reached out with feedback and questions during this ever-changing period and have expressed how this is impacting your education, research or professional responsibilities. Please know that we are meeting regularly to address your questions and communicate the answers to you in a timely manner. If your questions are not answered here, or on the website, please contact the Faculty of Medicine’s Communications Advisor, Jason Bremner (jason.bremner@dal.ca). For further information related to the impact of COVID-19 in the Faculty of Medicine, please visit our website at https://medicine.dal.ca/news/covid.html.

A reminder that the Public Health Agency of Canada, Nova Scotia Public Health, New Brunswick Public Health and PEI Public Health remain the best source for up-to-date public information on this rapidly changing situation. More information related to Dalhousie can be found at www.dal.ca/coronavirus.

Good afternoon everyone,

We are coming to the end of one of the most challenging academic years in memory. Although exams are still being written and theses being defended, all faculty, students and staff should feel incredibly proud of the way you have navigated your way through these unprecedented times together.

Thanks again to our faculty and residents who continue to deal with COVID-19 patients in our region and our public health officials who have enabled the Maritime provinces to deal relatively effectively with the first wave of COVID-19. Our thoughts go out to the family and friends who have lost loved ones or otherwise been impacted by COVID-19 and the other recent tragedies in our region.

As we get ready for our first virtual medical school convocation next week, I hope everyone will be able to take some time to unwind, get outdoors, and connect responsibly with family and friends this Victoria Day weekend – you deserve it.

Kindest regards,

Dr. David Anderson
Dean, Faculty of Medicine

Update
This communication is to provide updates of events over the over the past week. For details on more Faculty of Medicine-specific information related to COVID-19, please visit: https://medicine.dal.ca/news/covid.html.

Dalhousie Medicine Class of 2020 Virtual Convocation
On May 21st at 2:30 p.m., the Class of 2020 will come together for a Virtual Convocation and Awards Ceremony. The event will be streamed live and all are encouraged to join in to help celebrate the accomplishments of the graduating class.
To watch the live convocation, please visit: https://medicine.dal.ca/news/dalhousie-medicine-class-of-2020-virtual-convocation.html.

DMNB Launch Ceremony
Since 2014, Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick (DMNB) has celebrated the completion of each graduating class’s four years of undergraduate medical education in their home province with the annual Launch Ceremony.

On May 19th at 2:00 p.m., DMNB will be premiering our Virtual Launch Ceremony celebrating the DMNB Class of 2020, which will feature a presentation of awards, musical performances, and special messages.

Dalhousie Family Medicine Residency Success
Congratulations to the Family Medicine Residency program in Yarmouth, where six of the graduating residents graduating have chosen to stay and work in the area. This is fantastic news for Yarmouth, and demonstrates the effectiveness of distributed residency education to attract and retain physicians. Well done, Southwest Nova!

Special recognition for Dr. Abir Hussain, the Family Medicine Residency Site Director in the Yarmouth region.

Faculty of Medicine Graduate Research Days
The Faculty of Medicine will be virtually holding our Graduate Research Days on June 8th and 9th. All are welcome to virtually attend and a communication with more information will be electronically delivered in the coming days.

Dalhousie OpenThinkers
Congratulations to PhD student, Mr. Tareq Yousef, in the Department of Medical Neuroscience, for being named one of Dalhousie’s inaugural OpenThinkers for the Faculty of Graduate Studies’ new OpenThink Initiative.

This initiative empowers researchers to make a difference in peoples’ lives by sharing what they study, and provides training and workshops designed to equip them with the tools they need to share their research beyond the confines of campus.

Please take the time to read Tareq’s first blog on the brain’s physiological reactions to stresses like those caused by COVID-19 and our ability to be nurtured back to health.

Students Giving Back
Third year medical student, Ms. Livia Anthes, was profiled in a recent Dal News article on how COVID-19 has impacted her studies, and how she and her classmates have banded together to give back to the community.

CBC spoke with fourth year medical student and upcoming graduate, Mr. Manveer Bal, this week regarding his volunteer work at Northwood.

Thanks to all of our medical and graduate students who volunteered over the past two months in COVID-19 related activities. Your work has been recognized and appreciated by our community.

ACLS Course
Congratulations to our team of clinical educators at the Centre for Clinical Education Learning and Research (C3LR) who put on a successful Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) program for our graduating students in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick over the course of this week. The course was done under the leadership of Ms. Laura Thomas with the support of Ms. Tanya Dutton and the C3LR team in Nova Scotia, and Ms. Rebecca Svarc, Ms. Natalie Vautour and Mr. Ken Lerette in New Brunswick.

With extensive planning and attention to respect public health measures such as social distancing, the program went off without a hitch. This will enable our medical graduates to enter residencies with this life saving training experience.

Thank you all for your hard work and support in operationalizing this event.

In Memoriam: Dr. Tarunendu Ghose
We were very saddened to learn last week of the death of former faculty member and Professor Emeritus, Dr. Tarunendu Ghose. Dr. Ghose was a faculty member of the Department of Pathology for 35 years. He was a highly respected educator and scientist, with cancer being the major focus of his research.

Dr. Ghose was a long-time member of the Dalhousie Society of the History of Medicine. He was instrumental in the successful nomination of well-known Halifax-born physician, Dr. Oswald Avery, to the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame. Dr. Ghose also updated the terms of Dalhousie’s Dr. Oswald Avery Prize, which encourages research in the area of Biomedicine by a post-doctoral or graduate student.

In 2019, Dr. Ghose worked with the Global Health Office to establish the Dr. Tarunendu Ghose Visiting Scholar in Global Health, with the purpose of encouraging a greater understanding of global health in its many contexts.

Our deepest condolences go to Dr. Ghose’s family and friends.

Mental Health Supports Available
In this uncertain time, our students, faculty, and staff may be experiencing stress and anxiety. If you are in need of assistance, several mental health resources are available to you:

Questions
Thank you to everyone who has reached out with feedback and questions during this ever-changing period and have expressed how this is impacting your education, research or professional responsibilities. Please know that we are meeting regularly to address your questions and communicate the answers to you in a timely manner. If your questions are not answered here, or on the website, please contact the Faculty of Medicine’s Communications Advisor, Jason Bremner (jason.bremner@dal.ca). For further information related to the impact of COVID-19 in the Faculty of Medicine, please visit our website at https://medicine.dal.ca/news/covid.html.

A reminder that the Public Health Agency of Canada, Nova Scotia Public Health, New Brunswick Public Health and PEI Public Health remain the best source for up-to-date public information on this rapidly changing situation. More information related to Dalhousie can be found at www.dal.ca/coronavirus.

Faculty of Medicine: COVID-19 Update #13

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May 8, 2020

Good afternoon everyone,

I know many of us across the Maritimes have taken advantage of the easing of public health restrictions around recreational activities over the past week and used this opportunity to recharge our batteries and enjoy the outdoors.

While some restrictions have eased, current public health directives mean that Convocation and the Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick (DMNB) Launch Ceremony will look much different for our graduating medical class this year.

It is always a great pleasure for me to celebrate the four years of hard work and accomplishments of our graduating class and we’ll do that this year in very special ways.

On May 19th at 2:00 p.m., DMNB will be premiering our Virtual Launch Ceremony, which will feature a presentation of awards, musical performances, and special messages. For those who have never attended in the past, the Launch Ceremony is a special tradition which began in 2014 with the first graduating class from DMNB and signifies the launch into the students’ careers as physicians.

Two days later, on May 21st at 2:30 p.m., the Class of 2020 will come together for a Virtual Convocation and Awards Ceremony. Our graduating class leaders and Student Affairs team have been collaborating to ensure that these significant accomplishments will be fittingly honoured, and I am looking forward to celebrating with our graduating class.

I will share more details on how to attend/view these events next week.

This year’s convocation also marks a monumental accomplishment for two of our Master’s graduate students. Ms. Beth Castle in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology, and Ms. Kayla Joyce in the Department of Psychiatry, are each being awarded the Governor-General’s Gold Medal. Ms. Castle, for being the most outstanding Master’s graduate in the Natural Sciences and Engineering, and Ms. Joyce for being the most outstanding Master’s graduate in the Humanities and Social Sciences.

These are the only gold medals awarded by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and they recognize overall academic excellence. They were drawn from more than 1,000 Master’s students across Dalhousie University receiving degrees in October 2019 and May 2020.

Beth and Kayla, on behalf of the Faculty of Medicine, congratulations. We are very proud of your scholastic achievements and wish you all the best for future happiness and success.

As we prepare to celebrate our graduates, I would also like to commend all of our medical and graduate students for the encouragement and support they have been providing to each other, particularly over the past two months. As we move through these uncertain times, it’s especially encouraging to see our students working so well together.

Best wishes to all and take care of yourselves and your families. If you need help or support, do not hesitate to reach out.

I hope you all have a wonderful Mother’s Day.

Dr. David Anderson
Dean, Faculty of Medicine

Update
This communication is to provide updates of events over the over the past week. For details on more Faculty of Medicine-specific information related to COVID-19, please visit: https://medicine.dal.ca/news/covid.html.

Resident Wellness Challenge
Last week was Resident Wellness Week. As our residents form a major part of the front-line team addressing COVID-19 related activities, it is gratifying they were able to take some time for themselves.  As part of Resident Wellness Week 2020, the Resident Affairs Office asked residents to send in photos to reflect how they are staying well during these challenging times.

It was fantastic to see the creative ways our residents and their families are keeping busy during their time away from their residency duties. If you’re interested, the Resident Affairs Office has created a slideshow of the submissions that is available for download here.

Chesley Family Research Award
Congratulations to Dr. Keith Brunt and Dr. Thomas Pulinilkunnil, who have both been awarded the Chesley Family Research Award.

This research fund is sponsored by the Chesley Family Endowment. The fund’s mandate is to increase collaborative research initiatives between Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick and Horizon Health Network, in New Brunswick. Well done, Keith and Thomas!

Ask an Expert: Dr. OmiSoore Dryden on why marginalized communities have been hard hit by COVID?19
Dal News recently interviewed Dr. OmiSoore Dryden, the James R. Johnston chair in Black Studies in the Faculty of Medicine, to explain the impacts of COVID-19 on communities that have been historically oppressed and marginalized for generations, and to identify some solutions for addressing them.

Please visit Dal News to read the interview.

Canadian Federation of Medical Students (CFMS) Recognitions
Congratulations to third year medical student, Mr. Michael Mackley, for being awarded the 2020 CFMS-MD Financial Management Leadership Award. This award recognizes some of the passionate, dedicated and caring medical student leaders across Canada who have made innovative contributions to their schools and communities. Mike is a former DMSS president and has been instrumental in coordinating medical student volunteer activities related to COVID-19.

I would also like to acknowledge everyone who was named as a CFMS Culture Changer. Several residents and staff physicians at Dalhousie were recognized for their contributions to positive learning environments.

For the full list of winners, please visit the CFMS website.

MCC to offer the MCCQE Part I via remote proctoring
Late last week, the Medical Council of Canada (MCC) announced that, starting in June 2020, the MCC will use remote proctoring as well as test centres where available to administer the MCCQE Part I to candidates. The exam will be delivered through Prometric’s ProProctor remote assessment platform. Exam delivery will also resume at Prometric test centres with recommended physical distancing and personal protective measures in place.

The first wave of registrants will be comprised mainly of medical students and graduates who were scheduled for the April 15 to May 15, 2020 session that was postponed due to the pandemic.

For more information, please read the full announcement.

AFMC decision regarding the 2021 R-1 match
For the class of 2021, postponement of several months of clerkship will mean that the residency match for 2021 will be pushed back to enable students to maximize elective time. The Association of Faculties of Medicine Canada Board has made the following decisions regarding the 2021 R-1 Match:

  • Interviews will be in a virtual format including those for local candidates.
  • The match timeline will be:
    • The Last Day of the Application Period: February 7, 2021
    • The Virtual Interview Period: March 8 to March 28, 2021
    • The Second Iteration Match Day being no later than: May 18, 2021.

For more information, please read the full announcement. These timelines will enable the Class of 2021 to be able to begin residency on July 1, 2021.

Faculty of Medicine Graduate Research Days
The Faculty of Medicine will be virtually holding our Graduate Research Days on June 8th and 9th. All are welcome to virtually attend and a communication with more information will be electronically delivered in the coming days.

VPRI is Leading Planning for Resumption of Research Activities
A comprehensive, phased plan for resumption of research activities is being developed with leadership across campus, lead by the VPRI. No date for the resumption of research activities has been given, but this planning will aim to carefully resume this important work in a timely manner when public health has determined that it is safe to do so.

Details will be distributed as soon as they are available. At this time only COVID-19 related research is permitted in Dalhousie Faculty of Medicine facilities.

Planning for the CIHR Fall Project Grant Competition
On May 1, CIHR indicated that the Fall 2020 Project Grant competition will proceed. It was emphasized that new investments in COVID-19 research are possible due to new investments from the Canadian government and will not impact CIHR’s existing program funding. There will be approximately $246 million reserved from the cancelled Spring 2020 Project competition, spread out over the next two Project competitions.

For more information, please read the full announcement.

NSERC Update
NSERC has made a number of announcements regarding extensions of existing grants.
Please visit the NSERC website for more information.

Faculty of Medicine Awards of Excellence in Leadership
As a reminder, I encourage you to take some time to consider who you could nominate for our Faculty of Medicine Awards of Excellence in Leadership, which celebrate the incredible contributions of our staff in administrative, technical and clerical support roles, professional and managerial positions, and those in academic leadership roles.
During times such as these, it’s especially encouraging to acknowledge the impact these contributions have on the Faculty of Medicine. The deadline to submit a nomination has been extended to May 15, 2020.

Mental Health Supports Available
In this uncertain time, our students, faculty, and staff may be experiencing stress and anxiety. If you are in need of assistance, several mental health resources are available to you:

Questions
Thank you to everyone who has reached out with feedback and questions during this ever-changing period and have expressed how this is impacting your education, research or professional responsibilities. Please know that we are meeting regularly to address your questions and communicate the answers to you in a timely manner. If your questions are not answered here, or on the website, please contact the Faculty of Medicine’s Communications Advisor, Jason Bremner (jason.bremner@dal.ca). For further information related to the impact of COVID-19 in the Faculty of Medicine, please visit our website at https://medicine.dal.ca/news/covid.html.

A reminder that the Public Health Agency of Canada, Nova Scotia Public Health, New Brunswick Public Health and PEI Public Health remain the best source for up-to-date public information on this rapidly changing situation. More information related to Dalhousie can be found at www.dal.ca/coronavirus.

Faculty of Medicine: COVID-19 Update #12

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May 1, 2020

Good afternoon everyone,

Before I begin, it is with a heavy heart that I regret to inform you of the unexpected death of current laboratory technician, and former graduate student, Mr. Luke Hattie. Mr. Hattie worked closely with Dr. Barbara Karten in her biochemistry laboratory and was a valued member of the team. Our thoughts are with Mr. Hattie’s family, friends and our entire faculty graduate student community. Please see more details about Mr. Hattie below.

Today is National Physician’s Day, so I would like to take this opportunity to thank our faculty and residents who are battling on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis, and our scientists who are working hard researching improvements to diagnostic testing, and vaccine and drug development.

Their work is always valued, but during this pandemic their contributions to our society are on full display, and the Faculty of Medicine thanks you for your hard work and dedication. Dalhousie University President, Dr. Deep Saini, also took time this week on his podcast “Message from the President” to acknowledge the personal risks and sacrifices that this group is making to ensure that the COVID-19 infections in our community are managed effectively

During these stressful times, physician wellness is of the utmost importance. This is why I was so pleased to see that Dr. Jason Morrison, Interim Head of the Department of Psychiatry and colleagues in the Department of Psychiatry, in partnership with Doctors Nova Scotia, have launched the COVID-19 Support and Resources for Physicians and Their Families website. This collaborative approach to mental health services and support provides physicians and their families resources to turn to during this time. Department members such as Dr. Jackie Kinley are offering wellness programs to physicians, which have been well subscribed and received. Well done!

I was also extremely pleased to see that Ms. Christine Silver Smith was awarded the Ross Award for Service to Residents by Resident Doctors of Canada last week. Now retired, Christine served as the Director of Postgraduate Medical Education at Dalhousie for 22 years, and I am so glad that Resident Doctors chose to recognize the positive impact she had on our residents over the years. Congratulations Christine!

The past few weeks have been extraordinarily difficult as we continue to grieve in the wake of the tragedy that took place in Nova Scotia, and deal with the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 social distancing measures. I find comfort in knowing that there are still so many positive activities taking place within the Faculty of Medicine and Dalhousie, and it is important to take the time to recognize these accomplishments.

As we move into the final month classes/exams for our Med I and Med II classes, I would like to thank the staff and faculty throughout the Faculty of Medicine who came together to provide our learners with an excellent educational experience throughout the year. The last several weeks have been especially challenging, but I know your efforts all year have been appreciated by our students.

As you will read below, we are developing plans for the Class of 2021 to return to their clerkship rotations. As we finalize preparations for the return of the Class of 2021, we will turn our attention to the start of clerkship for the Class of 2022. We will provide more information to all classes as soon as it becomes available.

Please take care of yourselves and each other and have a safe weekend.

Kindest regards,

Dr. David Anderson
Dean, Faculty of Medicine

Update
This communication is to provide updates of events over the over the past week. For details on more Faculty of Medicine-specific information related to COVID-19, please visit: https://medicine.dal.ca/news/covid.html.

Undergraduate Medical Education
Congratulations to the Class of 2020 for completing their final lecture of PIER IV last week. I was very pleased to join the class along with our UGME and Student Affairs Deans and staff on Microsoft Teams last Thursday to wish them all the best as they set off to start their residencies on July 1, 2020.

These are unusual times, but completing their final class of medical school is an occasion worth celebrating. I look forward to celebrating this accomplishment again with this class at the upcoming Virtual Launch Ceremony for our DMNB students and at our Virtual Graduation Ceremony for the entire Class of 2020 on May 21st.

The continuation of undergraduate medical educational activities would not be possible without the efforts of our MedIT team, which were featured in a recent Dal Med News article.

Resumption of Clerkship
We are tentatively aiming to restart clerkship on June 8th, 2020 with a plan for two 8-week units to allow all remaining core objectives to be met. While these are shorter than the usual 12-week units, this will enable the class of 2021 to complete the remainder of the Med III year in time to provide multiple elective experiences in MED IV prior to the CaRMS match. More information can be found on the Faculty of Medicine COVID-19 information page.

A town hall is scheduled for Tuesday, May 5th at 11:00 a.m. to discuss these plans and to address any other concerns of the Class of 2021. In the interim, please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Evelyn Sutton (Evelyn.sutton@dal.ca) or Dr. Jennifer Hall (Jennifer.hall@dal.ca) if you have any questions.

Our goal is for the class of 2022 to start clerkship on time. If this changes, we will notify all those affected as soon as possible.

Postgraduate Medical Education: Self-Isolation Measures Adjusted
We received notice from Dr. Robert Strang, Chief Medical Officer of Health for Nova Scotia, that residents returning from rotations elsewhere in the Maritimes must now adhere to ”work isolation” protocols, as defined by the NSHA, rather than strict self-isolation for 14 days.

This is great news for our training programs and for individual residents who will now be able to spend more time in their learning environments and miss less time due to self-isolation.

Postgraduate Medical Education: Electives Update
We are pleased to announce that along with all other postgraduate medical institutions, Dalhousie electives will re-open on July 1, 2020. Public Health rules may still require a period of self-isolation upon arrival in a new province, so residents and Program Directors are asked to use their best judgement about the relative value of individual electives, depending on the specific Public Health requirements of the individual province.

Given the challenges in travel and changes in clinical work availability, the importance of electives in subspecialty match applications will be actively de-emphasized through the CaRMS subspecialty / FM-enhanced skills match processes this year.

Simulation Recognition
Once again, I would like to recognize the important role Simulation is playing to train physicians and first responders in urgent COVID-19 interventions.

Recently, EHS LifeFlight reached out to Mr. Rob Sandeski, Manager of the Human Body Donation Program, for use of clinical cadavers to provide tissue-based training using a new airway device. Rob secured access to our Dalhousie facilities for this request so LifeFlight responders could receive this high-fidelity training, and ultimately save lives.

Special thanks go to Dr. George Kovacs and Dr. Scott MacDonald, who lead the instructional program provided to the EHS LifeFlight team.

Leadership Group of the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force
Congratulations to faculty members Dr. Susan Kirkland and Dr. Scott Halperin, who have both been named to a COVID-19 Immunity Task Force recently established by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

This task force will provide the evidence needed to guide decisions on a return to life and work in the context of COVID-19, and establish priorities and oversee the coordination of a series of country-wide blood test surveys that will tell us how widely the virus has spread in Canada and provide reliable estimates of potential immunity and vulnerabilities in Canadian populations.

Dr. Kirkland’s and Dr. Halperin’s expertise will undoubtedly provide great value to this important work.

Nova Scotia COVID-19 Health Research Coalition Funding Results
Earlier this month, a coalition of eight organizations (Dalhousie University, Dalhousie Medical Research Foundation, Nova Scotia Health Authority, QEII Foundation, Dartmouth General Foundation, Research Nova Scotia, the IWK Foundation and the IWK Health Centre) worked in collaboration to raise $1.5 million in support of COVID-19 research. These grants were awarded on April 30th, and I am pleased that 24 members of the Faculty of Medicine received awards. For full listing of awards, please see link.

NSERC Grant Recipients
Last week, 12 Faculty of Medicine scientists received grants from the NSERC in its latest funding competition. Congratulations to all. For a complete listing of recipients, please see link.

Support for Research Trainees
Last week, the government of Canada announced funding support for students and new grads affected by COVID-19. This funding announcement included $291.6 million to maintain income support for trainees whose programs have been affected due to the closure of academic research labs.

Critically for CIHR-funded investigators, this investment will also provide support for those whose funding is derived directly from operating grants. To read the full announcement, click here.

CMAF Financial Support
Thank you to the Canadian Medical Association Foundation (CMAF), who announced last week that they have committed $20 million to support urgent needs within the health care system related to COVID-19. These supports included more than $5 million that will be granted to 17 medical schools to address financial hardships experienced by medical students and residents in the context of COVID-19.

For the full announcement, please visit the CMAF website.

Faculty of Medicine Awards of Excellence in Leadership
As a reminder, I encourage you to take some time to consider who you could nominate for our Faculty of Medicine Awards of Excellence in Leadership, which celebrate the incredible contributions of our staff in administrative, technical and clerical support roles, professional and managerial positions, and those in academic leadership roles.

During times such as these, it’s especially encouraging to acknowledge the impact these contributions have on the Faculty of Medicine. The deadline to submit a nomination has been extended to May 15, 2020.

In Memoriam – Luke Hattie
We were very saddened to learn earlier this week of the death of one of our former graduate students, Mr. Luke Hattie, who passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on April 28 at the age of 25. Luke is survived by his parents Kimberley Ann and Alan Hattie, his brother Daniel Eric Hattie and fiancée Bailey McNutt.

Luke received his undergraduate degree at Memorial University in Newfoundland, and his MSc degree in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Dalhousie. He remained an important part of the department working as a technician, and had recently been hired as a bioanalytical scientist in Nova Scotia. He had a bright future ahead of him.

Luke will be remembered for his kindness and thoughtfulness, his great sense of humor, his creative ingenuity in fixing and building equipment of all sorts, and his love for animals. He deeply cared for his family and friends, and was much loved in return. Our deepest condolences go to Luke’s family and friends. He will be missed by all.

Mental Health Supports Available
In this already uncertain time, last week’s tragedy, and the recent passing of one of our former graduate students may be causing additional stress and anxiety to our students, faculty, and staff. If you are in need of assistance, several mental health resources are available to you:

Questions
Thank you to everyone who has reached out with feedback and questions during this ever-changing period and have expressed how this is impacting your education, research or professional responsibilities. Please know that we are meeting regularly to address your questions and communicate the answers to you in a timely manner. If your questions are not answered here, or on the website, please contact the Faculty of Medicine’s Communications Advisor, Jason Bremner (jason.bremner@dal.ca). For further information related to the impact of COVID-19 in the Faculty of Medicine, please visit our website at https://medicine.dal.ca/news/covid.html.

A reminder that the Public Health Agency of Canada, Nova Scotia Public Health, New Brunswick Public Health and PEI Public Health remain the best source for up-to-date public information on this rapidly changing situation. More information related to Dalhousie can be found at www.dal.ca/coronavirus.