September/October 2023 Newsletter

    • Chair's Message
      The nights are getting cooler, and the colour of the leaves is changing – fall is definitely here! September and October are always such a busy time for the Department of Family Medicine, and the medical school in general. The 1st and 2nd year students return to campus, the 4th years start to get into CaRMS mode, and the residents who started at our family medical centres in July are getting ready to go off to their off-service rotations while a new cohort looks forward to starting at their home family medical centre.

    • Undergraduate Report
      What are the medical students up to? Meds 2027: White Coat Ceremony August 29 followed by Orientation to the MD Program. Just beginning the deep dive into their four courses this semester. Meds 2026: Ramping up for Principles of Medicine II, Clinical Skills II, Experiential Learning (QI and Research projects) and Professionalism, Career & Wellness (PCW). Meds 2025: Completed Orientation under the new Clerkship directors, Drs. Joanne Grimmer (L) and Hema Gangnam (W) and are part way through their second rotation.

    • Postgraduate Report
      Dennis Sue, who was our Finance and Evaluations Program Coordinator, has taken on a new role with the Schulich CPD Office.  We miss Dennis and his many contributions to the PG Program, but we wish him all the very best on his new journey. Postgraduate Preceptor Evaluations: Preceptor evaluations providing a summary of anonymized evaluations submitted by residents over the previous few years were released in September through One45. We appreciate everyone’s continued commitment to the teaching of our residents.

    • Graduate Report
      From September 18 – 22 the Family Medicine Graduate Programs held a very successful launch of the 2023-24 academic year with the on-site portion. Enrollments were three Master and six PhD students from across Canada and the globe (e.g. Nigeria, Brazil, Qatar, Japan). During the awards reception, the Dr. Wm. Victor Johnston Award, Dr. Martin J. Bass Award in Family Medicine and the Dr. John F. Sangster Graduate Studies Family Medicine Award were given to Drs. Nisha Ravichandiran and Sakina Walji, Drs. Rimpy Cheema and Hiba El-Fayoumi and Drs. Sundus Kellow and Natalia Madureira Ferreira, respectively.  

    • Research Report
      The CSFM patient partner program is up-and running. Please let us know if you would like to involve patient partners in your research. We have patient partners and funding to help DFM faculty involve patients in research project teams. To learn more, visit our website. Dr. Evelyn Vingilis will present “COVID-19 and Road Safety: What Happened on Ontario Roads?” at the next Brown Bag seminar on October 18, 2023. 

    • In the Media
      Congratulations to Dr. Kevin Pottie, featured in The Pulse on August 24, 2023 as well as Brazil’s largest newspaper "Folha De S.Paulo," for receiving an inaugural inclusive Health Research award in São Paolo, Brazil for his research “Canadian Collaboration for Immigrant and Refugee Health: Power of Sharing Newcomer Stories Program.”  Dr. Stewart Harris was interviewed on AM980 News – London Live, on August 11, 2023.  The discussion of the interview was the diabetes drug, Ozempic, being used off-label for weight loss. 

    • Got Doc?
      The pandemic laid bare the widening gaps in a health-care system that is battling the dual problems of lack of staffing and burnout. How do family doctors fit into the mix? More than two-million Canadians are without a family doctor, and Schulich Medicine & Dentistry is finding new ways to bridge that gap.

    • Staff Profile: Stacey Bastien
      The Department of Family Medicine would like to introduce Stacey Bastien in the role of Graduate Studies and Faculty Development Coordinator. Stacey joined the Department in July of 2023 after 11 years in the Schulich Research Office as Program Assistant. Although new in the role, Stacey is enjoying being a part of the Department of Family Medicine. "People arrive to work with smiles on their faces and those smiles are still there throughout the day. Everyone has shown me nothing but warmth since my first day. I’m so grateful to be around such kind and wonderful people."

    • Celebrating your achievements
      Congratulations to Dr. Maria Mathews, one of six new Canada Research Chairs named here at Western University for her research “Enhancing Health Equity Through Primary Health-Care Research.” Dr. Mathew’s goal is to better integrate the role of nurses in primary health care, particularly family practice nurses, nurse practitioners and licensed practical nurses.