Every month we will be giving a shout-out to a health-related blog, podcast or vlog that we think you should check-out! For the month of April, in honour of Green Week, we wanted to feature the Climate Clinic Podcast, a recently launched podcast on climate change and health. This podcast is brought to you by the Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education at Columbia University. Read the podcast description below, to learn more:

Through four unique podcasts, we will bring you breaking climate and health headlines, in-depth discussions with experts and professionals from situations unfolding around the world, mobilize and share perspectives from the powerful student body and finally, help all health-related professionals to be the change, starting today.

1. Be the Expert: Listeners can learn about the most pressing, recent developments in climate and health research, from the leading evidence-based journals in the world, in just 15 minutes every week.
2. Code Red: Deep dive conversations into some of the most important climate and health events and field work being undertaken around the world. In this series, our hosts chat with subject matter experts including public health officials, healthcare providers and researchers, as well as community members who are at the epicentre of the climate-health crisis. Each episode aims to inspire, inform and encourage individuals and teams from all healthcare disciplines, through our interview style conversations.  Episodes to date have included the Pakistan flooding and health impacts of Sargassum in Mexico and the Caribbean.
3. Be the Change: An action-oriented podcast centered around mitigation and adaptation within healthcare. We speak to and showcase individuals, health systems or organizations from around the world that are inspiring and leading the path forwards for others to emulate.
4. Code Green: This is a podcast made by students, for students since 2020. The next generation of healthcare professionals delve into the most important climate and health issues facing our planet, providing a united voice to tackle the greatest threat of our lifetime.

Be sure to tune in to the Climate Clinic Podcast!

By: Christina Torrealba (she/her), Graduate Student in Community Health and Epidemiology

Every month we will be giving a shout-out to a health-related blog, podcast or vlog that we think you should check-out! For the month of June, in honour of Pride Month, we wanted to feature Pride In Our Health, a podcast hosted by Fenway Health in Boston, Massachusetts. Fenway Health is a guiding voice in LGBTQIA+ health and HIV/AIDS research in the United States. The podcast covers LGBTQIA+ health topics from transgender healthcare, to LGBTQIA+ healthy aging projects, to creating community for queer and trans elders of colour.

Listen to the most recent episode of the Pride in Our Health podcast here, or check out Fenway Health on Twitter.

The Pride In Our Health podcast logo retrieved from Fenway Health.

By: Christina Torrealba (she/her), Graduate Student in Community Health and Epidemiology

Said Msabaha, Associate Director of Community Engagement and Diversity Programs, is leaving Dalhousie after seventeen years, with eleven of those years spent at the Office of Community Partnerships and Global Health (formerly the Global Health Office). Said is a cherished friend to many, and will certainly be missed around the office. I had the chance to chat with Said about his journey at Dalhousie, global health, and some of his favourite moments over the years.

Said Msabaha and the Dal Tiger.

I have been fortunate to have worked for 11 great years at the Global Health Office (now Office of Community Partnership & Global Health) with fabulous colleagues and learners. I will take these experiences with me as I travel through my new chapter in life.”

With experience working at the Patrick Power Library upon graduating from Saint Mary’s University, Said began his journey at Dalhousie on October 26th, 2005 at the Killam Memorial Library. “I remember this very clearly because at that time, it wasn’t easy for a recent international student graduate to secure full-time employment right after graduation”, Said says.

Said began his career at Dal as evening supervisor at Access Services where he worked with a diverse group of student assistants and full-time staff members. “It’s at the Killam where I met many people from across the globe, whom I’ve been able to maintain relationships with, such as Mohanad Khairy, Shashank Kamble and MaryPam Vincer, just to mention a few”, says Said, “I have met great people at Dalhousie through my 17-year career and I will always cherish this as I retire from public service.”

In 2011, Said began his journey at the Global Health Office, first as the Coordinator for International Student Programs and later as Manager. In this position, he managed international electives for students in medicine, health, and dentistry, in addition to coordinating international students and International Medical Graduates. He then spent two years working at the International Centre at Dal, before returning to the Global Health Office. During his time here, Said has watched the office expand and change, with the additions of programs like PLANS and Keknu’tmasiek Welo’ltimk, and has been a part of change and addressing disparities in health at the community and institutional level. “I have always been passionate about politics and social justice”, Said says.

When asked what his favourite event or collaboration has been over the years, Said told me that he could not pick just one, “my most memorable moments at the Global Health Office are the people – students, staff, faculty and community members!” he says. Said says that he plans to stay connected with the Global Health Office and the Dalhousie community: “they’re not getting rid of me!”.

For Said, the best word that describes global health is compassion. “Compassion is a natural part of who we are as human beings, and I would argue that compassion builds collaboration and commitment to addressing disparities in health and wealth impacting our glocal communities”’ he says.

I’ll let Said’s words conclude this blogpost,

I’m grateful to have worked with some wonderful folks during my professional career both at my Alma Mater (Saint Mary’s University) and here at Dalhousie. I believe in relationship building and this will continue to be my work philosophy as I retire from public service. So, let me conclude by thanking a few people who made my professional career possible in Nova Scotia: Dr. Ibrahim and Zainab Msabaha, Danielle Lewis-Msabaha, Bonnie Best-Fleming, Ken Clare, Susan Cannon, Sandra Dwyer, James Kennedy, and finally, Shawna O’Hearn.”

We wish you the best of luck Said, we will miss you!

By: Christina Torrealba (she/her), Graduate Student in Community Health and Epidemiology

Every month we will be giving a shout-out to a health-related blog, podcast or vlog that we think you should check-out! For the month of May, we wanted to feature Global Health Matters, a podcast hosted by Dr. Garry Aslanyan. Dr. Aslanyan discusses important global health topics from science communication, to climate change, to decolonizing global health. Featuring a number of impressive guests, this podcast is a must listen for anyone with an interest in global health and health equity.

Check out the most recent episode, in which Dr. Aslanyan speaks to guests Fatima Hassan, Judit Ruis Sanjuan, and Petro Terblanche about vaccine equity and “Championing health equity in South Africa”.

The Global Health Matters podcast logo, retrieved from @ghm_podcast on Instagram.

By: Christina Torrealba (she/her), Graduate Student in Community Health and Epidemiology

On the first Friday of every month, we will be giving a shout-out to a health-related blog, podcast or vlog that we think you should check-out! For the month of April, we wanted to give a shout-out to the Fac Dev Lounge, a podcast hosted by Dr. Sarah Gander, a faculty member at Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick. The podcast was created to give busy faculty members struggling to find time to attend faculty development sessions a more flexible option.

The podcast is not just for faculty however, anyone with an interest in medical education should give Dr. Gander’s podcast a listen, whether you’re a faculty member, student or community member. Check out the most recent episodes, featuring Pam Pastirik on “Why grief requires us to support one another”, and Dr. Brent Young on “Why Dalhousie is well-positioned to support Indigenous Peoples in the pursuit of health equity”.

You can find the Fac Dev Lounge podcast on Youtube, Apple Podcasts, or Soundcloud.

The Fac Dev Lounge logo, retrieved from The Fac Dev Lounge on YouTube.

By: Christina Torrealba (she/her), Graduate Student in Community Health and Epidemiology

Let’s break the bias on the silence and create space for celebration, sharing of experiences and discovery of new ways of doing and knowing that support all employees.  Let’s break the bias on menopause in the workplace.  Let’s break the bias on mental health. Let’s break the bias in the way we communicate, in the language we use.  Let’s break the bias in our communities, in our schools and in our offices.

-Shawna O’Hearn

March 8^th is International Women’s Day (IWD), and this year’s theme is #BreaktheBias. To learn a bit more about what it means to break the bias in the workplace and academia, I chatted with Director of the Office of Community Partnerships and Global Health, Shawna O’Hearn.

One of the missions of the #BreaktheBias campaign is to imagine a gender equal world, free from bias and stereotypes, which emphasizes diversity, equity, and inclusion. As Shawna says, in order to break the biases that women experience daily, everyone has to do their part. In January 2017, Dalhousie Medicine started the Diversity in Leadership initiative in order to understand the barriers in place for women advancing into leadership positions. Spearheaded by Dr. David Anderson, Dean of Medicine, the initiative consists of a nine-member task force which evaluates current representation of diverse groups in leadership roles, and considers how to best enhance diversity in leadership through changes in policies and practices.

“This work continues to understand and remove systemic barriers to leadership,” says Shawna,  “encouraging more diverse approaches to leadership and broadening this definition could inspire people who don’t see themselves as leaders to take a second look.”

Another one of the missions of IWD is to create inclusive work cultures where women and non-binary peoples’ careers and achievements thrive, emphasizing the importance of supporting people experiencing menopause in the workplace. As part of her PhD research, Shawna has been examining women’s experiences with the transition to menopause in the work environment. As Shawna says, “menopause is rarely a topic of discussion in the workplace – even though half of the world’s population experiences or will experience this transition.”

Menopause usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55 and can last between seven and 14 years. During this time, people experiencing menopause are often taking on additional responsibilities at work and at home – entering into leadership and management roles, and/or taking on additional caregiver responsibilities for aging family members. “Millions of postmenopausal women are coming into management and top leadership roles while experiencing symptoms such as depression, anxiety, sleep deprivation and cognitive impairment,” explains Shawna.

So, how do we #BreaktheBias in the workplace? “Creating a fully inclusive and diverse workforce is essential while also championing opportunities for safe dialogue to create supportive work environments so every team member can be their best self at work throughout this transition,” says Shawna.

In addition to presenting at Dalhousie’s Workplace Wellness Day in February 2022, Shawna is also leading a Menopause Support Group through Human Resources. To learn more about International Women’s Day 2022, and how you can help #BreaktheBias, visit the official IWD website.

Shawna O’Hearn, Director of the Office of Community Partnerships and Global Health.

By: Christina Torrealba (she/her), Graduate Student in Community Health and Epidemiology

On the first Friday of every month, we will be giving a shout-out to a health-related blog, podcast or vlog that we think you should check-out! For the month of March, we wanted to give a shout-out to Shiny Epi People, a podcast hosted by Dr. Lisa Bodnar, a nutritional and perinatal epidemiologist at the University of Pittsburgh. The goal of her podcast is to humanize epidemiologists, scientists, and other public health professionals, by talking about anything and everything (except for research). “Guests from diverse backgrounds share personal or professional barriers, losses, anxieties, triumphs, and lessons learned. Vulnerability, empathy, joy, and laughter are priorities”, writes Dr. Bodnar [1].

With over 50 episodes featuring a diverse group of guests and covering a wide range of topics, I am sure you will find an episode that resonates with you. Check out the most recent episode featuring Dr. Rachel Hardeman, in which Dr. Bodnar and Dr. Hardeman discuss racial justice, growing up in Minnesota, and living, working, and parenting during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A collage of guests on the Shiny Epi People podcast, retrieved from @ShinyEpiPeople on Twitter.

By: Christina Torrealba (she/her), Graduate Student in Community Health and Epidemiology

On the first Friday of every month, we will be giving a shout-out to a health-related blog, podcast or vlog that we think you should check-out! This month we wanted to give a shout-out to Black Blog, which “focus[ses] on Black Studies, Black Med Education, Black Health, Black life, Black research, and Black issues”. Black Blog is written by Dr. OmiSoore Dryden, the fourth James R. Johnston Chair in Black Canadian Studies at Dalhousie University. Here is an excerpt from the first Black Blog installment:  

“Black Studies is a vast discipline which exists beyond humanities and social sciences. The JRJ Chair in the Faculty of Medicine is a reminder of this: Black studies is a necessary intervention into the field of medical education and public health in Canada and discussions of Black health equity. Medicine, medical practice, and health do not live outside of culture. The development of medical education, procedures and practices happened (and happens) within the social/cultural. Black studies in medical education and public health interrogates the parameters of what makes someone healthy and the system of health care in which we exist. The myth of racism-free field is deadly.” 

-Dr. OmiSoore Dryden

Read Dr. Dryden’s most recent blogpost here: Black Lives Matter And Racism In Health Care. 

Dr. OmiSoore Dryden, James R. Johnston Chair in Black Canadian Studies