January 2022 Newsletter

    • Final Chair's Message
      This is my last message as Chair/Chief of the Department of Family Medicine as my term comes to an end very soon and my retirement from active faculty comes into play. It has been an honour and a huge pleasure for me to lead this department for the last 10 years.

    • Undergraduate Report
      What a difference 2 months can make… we were on the verge of launching the Longitudinal Clinical Experience (LCE) but then the Omicron wave has hit! I hope everyone has been able to make the necessary adjustments (virtual care, home school, etc.) and has been staying safe and feeling well. Clerkship has continued on – thank you to the preceptors who continue to show our medical students the flexibility and resiliency of Family Medicine and to you ongoing commitment to your patients.

    • Postgraduate Report
      The Family Medicine Postgraduate team encourages all to be aware of their role in supporting the health, mental health, and wellbeing of all those who are part of our Family Medicine program, especially given the pandemic and option to participate in additional patient care above and beyond the training program. 

    • Graduate Report
      We hope the Holiday Season afforded you an opportunity to spend time with loved ones and get a bit of well deserved rest while keeping healthy. On the occasion of Dr. Steve Wetmore’s retirement, we would like to acknowledge his many contributions to the Graduate Programs over the years. 

    • Research Report
      The Centre for Studies in Family Medicine, Department of Family Medicine welcomes Priya Garg as the new TUTOR-PHC Program Coordinator. Priya will be supporting TUTOR-PHC, as well as the OSSU Capacity Building Initiative and the PORTL-PHC program. 

    • Congratulations Dr. Stephen Wetmore on your Retirement
      It is with heartfelt congratulations that we wish Dr. Stephen Wetmore well on his imminent and well-deserved retirement! Dr. Wetmore has made significant contributions to the discipline of Family Medicine over his long career. He has been an incredible champion and role model for the clinical practice of Family Medicine as well as the development of Family Medicine as an academic field including medical education, and research.

    • Graduate Student Profile: Makoto Kaneko
      "I am a family physician in Japan. In Japan, Family Medicine is a relatively young discipline. So, I would like to foster family physicians and family medicine researchers for Japanese primary care. Before joining the MClSc program I did not know Family Medicine outside Japan. However, through the program, I understand how we as family physicians have similar enjoyment and difficulty in clinical practice."

    • Hockey Fans in Training Project Update – January 2022
      The Hockey Fans in Training (Hockey FIT) project led by Principal Investigator, Dr. Robert Petrella, has received a strong reception from both program partners and interested hockey fans across Canada and the United States. 

    • HealtheSteps™ Program & Funding Update
      The HealtheSteps (HeS) Research Program (PI: Dr. Robert Petrella) has continued to grow across BC and Canada since launch in September 2020. HeS is currently being delivered as a free, virtual, 6-month healthy lifestyle program providing adults (18+) with a specific plan of action to improve their PA levels and reduce their sedentary behaviour; increase their exercise levels; improve their eating habits; and improve their mental wellbeing. 

    • Family Medicine Graduate Programs - Applications Open
      Interested in further pursuing academia and research in your career? Our MClSc or PhD Program in Family Medicine could be a fit for you! We invite you to explore our website and discover how truly flexible our online learning platform is.