On March 11, we celebrated Canadian Women Physicians Day, recognizing the women doctors who make a difference in Nova Scotia. Whether caring for patients, mentoring future physicians, or leading healthcare initiatives, their dedication is shaping the future of healthcare in our province.

We are proud to highlight four physicians who embody excellence in medicine: Dr. Alison Freeman, a family physician in Liverpool; Dr. Andrea Faryniuk, a general surgeon in Amherst; Dr. Abir Hussein, a family physician; and Dr. Stephanie Scott, a gynecologic oncologist in Halifax.

These physicians represent the strength, expertise, and dedication of women in medicine. We celebrate their contributions today and every day, honoring their impact on Nova Scotia’s healthcare system.

Learn more here.

The New Waterford Community Wellness Centre opened March 10, as part of the CBRM Healthcare Redevelopment Project.

The new 10,000-square-foot Community Wellness Centre features a kitchen, meeting rooms, and a community gym. It can be used for exercise programs, events, celebrations, and recreational programs. It is part of a unique hub model that also includes a new health centre, long-term care home, Breton Education Centre, and recreational facilities.

Learn more here.

Karen Oldfield welcomes Dave Benoit, CEO of Build Nova Scotia, who discusses the spirit and enthusiasm of the Build Nova Scotia team that is working to deliver new healthcare infrastructure, faster. Learn how their dedication is transforming healthcare for Nova Scotians on the latest episode of

#ChatsonChange.

Listen to the episode to learn more here.

Meet Drew Burchell, IWK Health research coordinator and advocate for the trans and nonbinary community, who will be presenting Pronouns 101 at the annual 2025 2SLGBTQIA+ Affirming Care Conference March 18 - 20. Drew is driven by their goal of helping trans and nonbinary youth, especially in the healthcare context. Their presentation will help healthcare providers and leaders foster a more inclusive environment for patients. Drew will be joined by a number of other presenters working towards the same goal of inclusive care.

Held in partnership by PrideHealth, Nova Scotia Health and IWK Health, the 2025 2SLGBTQIA+ Affirming Care Conference brings together clinicians, researchers, and advocates to share best practices, lived experiences, and strategies for delivering culturally safe healthcare to 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals and communities.

To learn more about Drew, click here and to register for the event, visit: 2025 2SLGBTQIA+ Affirming Care Conference.

There continues to be a substantial increase in global measles cases. While the risk of ongoing community transmission remains low in Nova Scotia, Canada anticipates an increase in measles cases and continuous outbreaks, many of which are associated with travel to countries where measles is prevalent.

Dr. Ryan Sommers, Senior Regional Medical Officer of Health and Senior Medical Director Population and Public Health, Nova Scotia Health, sent an MOH Bulletin on February 27, 2025 with guidance for healthcare providers on Measles.

You can read the detailed bulletin here.

March 12 was World Delirium Awareness Day. Leading up to World Delirium Awareness Day, from March 3 – 7, 260 volunteers assessed over 1,500 patients for delirium in various hospitals across all zones.

For more information about delirium, please visit the Frailty and Elder Care Network’s Delirium website and check out the patient education pamphlet.

Have you registered for the new monthly Provincial OPOR Virtual Town Hall series?

Register now for the next session happening March 26 from 2:30 – 3:30 p.m., which will include:

• OPOR Program updates
• A clinical information system (CIS) demonstration
• A Q&A with OPOR Program leadership

The Provincial OPOR Virtual Town Hall series provides a platform for all IWK Health and Nova Scotia Health physicians, clinicians, and employees to stay informed, share insights, and collaborate as we move through this transformative journey together. 



Missed the first two Provincial Town Halls? Not to worry, you can catch up anytime! All Provincial OPOR Town Hall meetings are recorded and posted to the OPOR Hub (must be on the IWK Health or Nova Scotia Health network to access), so you can watch at your convenience. 

April 25 & 26, 2025

Hybrid Conference

Join virtually or in-person at the Halifax Convention Centre

Find more details and register here. If you have any questions, please reach out to allie.harris@dal.ca.

As a Regional Medical Officer of Health (RMOH), you will support the DHW Public Health branch by providing leadership in assessing and measuring the health of populations and developing strategies for improving health and well-being through health promotion, disease prevention and health protection initiatives. You will also be responsible for informing, investigating and taking action on any health hazard, notifiable disease or public health emergency that poses a health risk to the population. 

You will play a key role in supporting the Nova Scotia Health Authority and IWK by acting as a leader with broad subject matter expertise in public health practice working to promote and protect public health and prevent the spread of disease and injury throughout Nova Scotia. 

Learn more here.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Travis Carpenter as our Central Zone Division Head, General Internal Medicine within the Department of Medicine.

Dr. Carpenter, originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba, completed his undergraduate degree at Dalhousie University, followed by medical degree at the University of Alberta, residency and fellowship at the University of Toronto, and Master of Public Health at the Harvard Chan School. 

Dr. Carpenter joined the Division of General Internal Medicine at Dalhousie University/Nova Scotia Health in January 2025, coming from the University of Toronto and Unity Health Toronto's St. Joseph's Health Centre.

His non-clinical interests have focused on health quality and health policy. He is the Chair of the Health Policy Committee at the Ontario Medical Association and serves as a Research Fellow with the University of Calgary's School of Public Policy.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Carpenter!

March 25, 2025 5:00pm to 6:30pm

Virtual: Zoom

Should leaders to be true to themselves - or does this impede their ability to respond to the challenges of leadership? In this session, we will explore how temperament, values and experiences shape a leader's identity. Drawing upon a cognitive-behavioral framework, we will consider how leaders' cognitive schemata arise from their core values and self-concept, and how this influences the choices they make in their leadership roles. We will discuss how society's view of what a physician leader should be like has changed over time (or not), and how this may affect the credibility of some leaders more than others. Participants will be encouraged to reflect on their own leader identity and consider how they can act authentically in their leadership practice while still being flexible and open to making necessary changes.

Register here.

After the session participants will be able to:

• Explain the concept of leader identity.
• Explain how models of physician leadership in medicine have evolved over time.
• Reflect upon their own identity as leaders and how this shapes their practice of leadership.         

About the Speaker

Dr. Lara Hazelton is a professor and director of education for the Dalhousie Department of Psychiatry. She has been a psychiatrist for over 25 years and currently practices community mental health at the Cobequid Health Centre in Lower Sackville, NS. She has a Master of Education from Acadia University and worked in faculty development at Dalhousie’s faculty of medicine from 2013 – 2024. Dr. Hazelton has written extensively on topics related to medical education and leadership and is the host of the Faculty of Medicine podcast, Leadership PRN.

This presentation is part of Medical Affairs' seminar series, "Leadership in Focus: Empowering Physicians as Change Leaders in Medicine." As our healthcare system continues to evolve, these seminars offer a chance for Physicians to gain practical tools and actionable strategies to lead with confidence. Each session will focus on timely topics to help you navigate change, drive health transformation, and make a meaningful impact in your role as a healthcare leader.

1-833-876-1724

If you're a physician seeking support for your practice or wishing to provide feedback, please reach out to our hotline. Our dedicated team is ready to assist you.

In the event we're engaged in another call, rest assured your voice message will be promptly addressed within one business day. Your concerns will be directed to the Medical Affairs team and our health system partners for resolution.

Our task force is committed to returning calls and scheduling meetings with practices at mutually convenient times.

Wellness resources for physicians have been migrated to an actively monitored page on the Physician Information Portal. You can access it here.

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