April 2023 | {View as Webpage}

Welcome to the Spring 2023 Edition of the NRC News. This e-newsletter will bring you news and events related to the Niagara Regional Campus. If you have any suggestions or would like to submit an article or event, please contact macnrcpr@mcmaster.ca.

Introducing Rochelle Howarth, Curriculum Assistant at Niagara Regional Campus

The Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, Niagara Regional Campus is pleased to welcome Rochelle Howarth as Curriculum and Anatomy Assistant.

Rochelle will be covering Lori Richardson's 13-month career growth. Rochelle's first day is April 10, 2023.

Rochelle is a Laboratory Technician and Administrative Assistant with five years clinical lab experience working with Niagara Health and Life Labs. Prior to working in healthcare, Rochelle had roles in event management and administrative assistant/community outreach with Legal Aid Ontario. Rochelle earned a Bachelor of Arts from Toronto Metropolitan University and a Medical Laboratory Technician diploma from Everest College.

Please join us in welcoming Rochelle to this new role and trust in your continuing support to ensure her success and that of our students.

Dr. Karen Macmillan appointed Interim Chief of Obstetrics & Gynecology

Effective March 16, 2023, Dr. Karen Macmillan accepted the role of Interim Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Niagara Health.

Dr. Macmillan is an Assistant Clinical Professor at the Niagara Regional Campus and currently holds the leadership position of Post Graduate Liaison for Obstetrics and Gynecology. She has been an active staff physician at Niagara Health since 2015 and has previously led the Women's and Babies program.

Congratulations Dr. Macmillan!

Second Annual Spin for Ukrainian Relief

A Spin for Ukraine fundraiser has been scheduled for April 15-16, 2023 starting at 9am.

The location is in Beamsville - a spin-bike gym set up in a barn which was started by a group when COVID closed all the gyms.

Details can be found on the registration page!

15 Years: The Big Move, Cancer Ride

Save the date for the Big Move Cancer Ride Sunday, September 10th, 2023. White Meadows Far is excited to host the 15th annual event in support of the Walker Family Cancer Care. Join hundreds of Niagara residents as they take to the roads of Pelham for the Big Moves 25K, 50K, 85K, or 12K family ride.

The McMaster Adjuvants have raised over $120,000 to date, in support of providing needed services locally. A combination of faculty, students, family members and supports help by riding and/or raising funds. Volunteers are needed! Please consider joining the McMaster Adjuvants team in whatever way you are able to do so!

Niagara Health Medical Staff Association (MSA) Medical Student Scholarship

The Niagara Health Medical Staff Association (MSA) Medical Student Scholarship is awarded annually to members of the graduating class of the Niagara Regional Campus who show commitment to eventually practicing in the Niagara Region.

This award is presented at the Niagara Health's annual Doctor's Day event which will take place the evening of April 26, 2023.

The Niagara Regional Campus is thrilled to announce Josiah Coolen and Mario Hanna as the recipient of this award.

Josiah Coolen grew up in West Lincoln, attended Brock University for his undergraduate degree as well as his undergraduate medical education. Josiah loves living in the Niagara Region and interacting with people that live here through sports, volunteering, and community initiatives.

Mario Hanna grew up in St. Catharines, where he first developed interest in medicine volunteering at the old hospital on Queenston Street. Mario reflects on his journey as a medical student which has been an unforgettable experience, meeting amazing friends and future colleagues.

Lastly, it is with great joy that both Josiah and Mario will be staying in Niagara for their family medicine residencies and hope this is part of the path to future practice in Niagara.

Dr. George Beiko Award

The George Beiko Award was generously established in 2017 by Dr. George Beiko, a local opthalmologist. This award is given annually to a student(s) enrolled in their second year of study at the Niagara Regional Campus (NRC) of the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine who wishes to undertake a Clerkship Elective at a tertiary care centre (excluding Hamilton). This award is important in supporting our students in their learning at other academic centres and we are very pleaed that this year the award is share by three deserving students who have completed enriching electives across Canada.

Congratulations Hira Aslam, Jade Chow and Arani Kulamurugan!

Dr. Ron Chan Memorial Award

The Niagara Regional Campus is pleased to announce Nadia Kapitan C2023 as the recipient of the Ron Chan Memorial Award.

The Ron Chan Memorial Award was created to honour Dr. Ron Chan for his passion in academics and medicine. The Ron Chan Memorial Award is awarded annually to a student at the Niagara Regional Campus of the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, who shows an interest in pursuing a career in psychiatry or mental health.



This year, we are pleased to present the award to Nadia Kapitan. Nadia has a strong academic background in mental health. Nadia has personal experience within her family that has reinforced her the importance of ensuring meaningful access to mental health supports for all, including physicians. Nadia hopes to pursue a career in medicine that acknowledges and validates mental health struggles of patients. 



Congratulations Nadia!

NRC Leadership Opportunities

FACULTY DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR

The Niagara Regional Campus is seek to fill the position of Faculty Development Coordinator, who will be responsible for the promotion of teaching excellence through the provision of faculty development for the faculty of the Niagara Regional Campus.

To view the terms of reference, click here

Interested application for this position should submit a cover letter and CV to Melanie Pulling prior to Monday, April 24, 2023. Interviews will be conducted in the afternoon of Friday, May 26, 2023 on a virtual platform.

CLINICIAN SCIENTIST IN FAMILY MEDICINE

The Niagara Regional Campus is seek to fill the position of Clinician Scientist with a family physician who has a Niagara-based practice, and who has, is developing or has interest in developing a program of research within equity-deserving and underserved populations that will provide benefits to care in the Niagara region.

To view the terms of reference, click here

Interested application for this position should submit a cover letter and CV to Melanie Pulling. The position will remain open until a suitable candidate is found.

UGME Leadership Opportunities

DIRECTOR, MEDICAL FOUNDATION 4

The MD program is seeking a faculty educator to serve as Director, Medical Foundation (MF) 4. The Director is responsible for overseeing the planning and delivery of Medical Foundation 4 within the distributed medical education network of McMaster's MD Program. Medical Foundation is the fourth block of the Undergraduate MD Program at McMaster. It is a 12-week block running from April to June of the students' first year. MF4 covers musculoskeletal medicine, neuroscience, and brain and behaviour (psychiatry).

If you would like more information about this position, please contact Dr. Karen McAssey, Leadership Chair.

Interested applicants should email their curriculum vitae and cover letter to the attention of Dr. Keyna Bracken, Pre-Clerkship Chair, Undergraduate Medical Education. The email should be sent to the email of the Administrative Coordinator, Jen Lourenco

SUBUNIT PLANNER, MEDICAL FOUNDATION 4 BRAIN AND BEHAVIOUR

The MD program is seeking a faculty educator to serve as Planner, Medical Foundation (MF) 4 Brain and Behaviour subunit. The Planner is responsible for the planning, delivery, and evaluation of the Brain and Behaviour subunit within the distributed medical education network of McMaster's MD Program.

If you would like more information about this position, please contact Dr. Karen McAssey, Leadership Chair.

Interested applicants should email their curriculum vitae and cover letter to the attention of Dr. Keyna Bracken, Pre-Clerkship Chair, Undergraduate Medical Education. The email should be sent to the email of the Administrative Coordinator, Jen Lourenco

Continuing Health Sciences Education (CHSE) Opportunities

CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (CPD) ACCREDITATION APPLICATION REVIEWERS

McMaster's Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Office has a mandate to develop and facilitate learning opportunities for health care professionals. The CPD office is committed to ensuring best practices in the design, development and delivery of CPD activities and to provide opportunities for individuals to receive continuing medical education credits.

The Accreditation Application reviewers will be responsible for ensuring adherence to the administrative, ethical, and educational CPD standards of the Royal College of Physician and Surgeons (RCPSC) and College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) through the review of applications submitted to the McMaster University's CPD office for continuing medical education credits.

To view the terms of reference, click here

Interested application for this position should submit a CV and letter of interest to Carol Stewart, Accreditation Program Coordinator.The position will remain open until April 20, 2023.

McMaster Global Opportunities

SCHOLARS AT RISK PROGRAM

In close collaboration and consultation with McMaster faculty, staff, students, alumni and community. McMaster University's six Faculties and the Office of Provost have launched the Scholars at Risk Program (SARP). This includes refugees, those displaced within their country of origin, or those living in conflict-ridden situations and at risk of violence.

The establishment of the funds is a humanitarian response to address the growing forcible displacement of students and scholars globally and builds on McMaster's commitment to global citizenship and increasing access to education for all.

There are two ways to participate in this program:

• Applicants overseas can apply directly and are matched to Faculty members
• Faculty members identify a scholar that they would like to bring and submit an application.

Applicants for this program are accepted on a rolling basis But please NOTE that applications that are submitted by April 16, 2023 will be reviewed at the net adjudication meeting coming up in the end of April 2023.

If you have any questions, please contact Tania Hakim, Project Officer, Office of International Affairs

The Niagara Regional Campus is committed to the principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, Indigenous reconciliation and social justice in all that we do. 

To this end, we will be posting a leadership position in equity, diversity, inclusion and Indigenous reconciliation later this spring who will be responsible for enhancing policies, programs and practices within the Regional Campus to advance these principles and work with colleagues in EDI and IR across McMaster, Niagara Health and community partners. Stay tuned for more information about this important new leadership position and please consider if you or one of your colleagues would be well suited for this role.

To further deepen our understanding of these topics we also have purchased some focused reading in these areas that will be available for borrow from the NRC library and will focus on one of these books each month. This month the focus is on From Where I Stand: Rebuilding Indigenous Nations for a Stronger Canada by Jody Wilson-Raybould. This book is a collection of reflections from speeches made over a ten-year period by Jody Wilson-Raybould, a prominent Indigenous Canadian who has held the position of Regional Chief of the Assembly of First Nations for British Columbia, Member of Parliament and Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada. This writing outlines actions that must be taken by governments, Indigenous Nations and all Canadians to achieve true reconciliation in this country.



Niagara Health continues on its journey towards improving the quality and safety of care for Indigenous patients. The Indigenous Health Services and Reconciliation Team is working to address systemic barriers and bias that can lead to negative Indigenous patient experiences and engaging with the community about how best to support and care for Indigenous Peoples.

The implementation of this team is an important milestone in the ongoing efforts to make NH a more culturally sensitive and inclusive organization.

2023 Research in Progress Rounds

Samra Zafar, Class of 2024, to keynote at the 16th Annual Risk and Recovery Forensic Conference

Risk and Recovery is a conference for professionals in mental health, probation and parole, corrections, legal services, and police.

Samra Zafar, a second year NRC student is an award-winning internationally renowned speaker, bestselling author, and educator for equity, mental health, and human rights. Samra has been recognized twice among the Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada.

Samra's passion for her advocacy comes from her own personal experiences. After arriving in Canada as a child bride and escaping a decade of abuse. Samra began sharing her story to raise awareness about gender inequality and has since become a globally recognized expert, speaker and consultant on equity and inclusion, violence again women, and mental health

How medical learners and educators decide what counts as mistreatment: A qualitative study

Meredith Vanstone, Alice Cavanagh, Monica Molinaro, Catherine Connelly, Amanda Bell (Family Medicine), Margo Mountjoy, Robert Whyte and Lawrence Grierson

The mistreatment or abuse (maltreatment) of medical learners by their peers and supervisors has been documented globally for decades, and there is significant research about the prevalence, sequalae, and strategies for intervention. However, there is evidence that learner experience maltreatment as being less clear cut than do researchers, educators, and administrators. To continue reading the article, click here.

Thinking Positively Reduces Impacts of Aging

Dr. Larry Chambers (Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact) and Rebekah Sibbald (C2025)

Lisa LaFlamme's recent dismissal as the CTV news anchor made international headlines. This controversy also shed light on the disproportionate effect age stereotypes have on women, especially in the media and in the industry. To continue reading this article, click here.

Learners and EHRs: A Path Forward

Amanda Bell (Family Medicine) and Han-Oh Chung (Internal Medicine)

Effective EHR utilization requires organizational culture transformation, leading to suggestions that learners be included early in EHR transitions for successful implementation, effective use, and future benefits. To continue reading this article, click here.

Removing Financial Barriers to Publishing Research

A new arrangement at McMaster University makes it easier to disseminate work for researchers without hving to incur the costs associated with publishing.

Running until January 31, 2025, McMaster is in a pilot project with Public Library of Science that waives author fees. To learn more about this, click here.

General surgery resident driven to serve humanity at NH and beyond

Dr. Noman Hassan (Surgery PGY3) reflects on how working with a Muslim youth group steered him toward a career in medicine and making the world a better place.

Medicine turned out to be his calling - one he notes is not all that different from his original career ambitions.

"The exposure of surgical experience is fantastic at Niagara Health and you don't have to fight with colleagues for space like I would at a larger hospital ... It's a hidden gem! To read more, click here

Niagara Chapter-Native Women Inc.

Blockers & Attackers: Indigenous Women in Sports Leadership

The Niagara Chapter-Native Women's annual event beings together a group of Indigenous women who share their unparalleled successes, insights and wisdom in the elite sporting world. They promote their visions of equity, healthy wellbeing and cultural integrity while sharing their special skills and unique talents with the larger community and the world. Join us for a day with these National and International Role Models.

Date and Time:

Saturday, April 15, 2023, 10AM to 3PM at Stamford Centre Volunteer Firemen' Club

The 2023 Line Up Featuring:

Claudia Jimerson, Lacrosse Champion and Leadership Circle of Excellence, Cayuga

Waneek Horner-Miller, Olympic Medalist, Water Polo, Motivational Speaker and "Canada's Ultimate Challenge" Coach, Mohawk

Jessica Ghosen, Roller Derby, meet "Blackrock Bruiser" of Team Indigenous-back on the track

Amy Wilson-Hands, Volleyball & Canada Summer Games 2022, Anishinaabekwe

Kalley Armstrong, Hockey Mentor & Role Model, Anishinaabekwe

Niagara Ontario Health Team

NOHT-ESON Resource Navigator

The Resource Navigator webpage consists of several categories that enable people to quickly identify the services they require. The categories listed include Urgent and/or Crisis Support, Home Health and Community Support, Indigenous and Francophone Health and Community Services, and Older Adult Care Services.

By making available resources easier to find, the NOHT-ESON anticipates the Resource Navigator will achieve better health outcomes and experiences for Niagara residents.

UGME COVID Communication:

• Virtual Participation, Absences and Making Up Time Off

Health and Safety:

• Storm Emergency Policy
• Guidelines for Managing Student Concerns in UGME
• Guidelines for the Support of Learners During an Influenza Pandemic or Localized Outbreak

Mistreatment:

• Code of Conduct for Faculty and Procedure for Taking Disciplinary Action
• Conflict of Interest Guidelines: Undergraduate and Graduate Studies
• McMaster University Policy on Accessibility
• McMaster Discrimination and Harassment Policy
• Professional Responsibilities in Undergraduate Medical Education
• Violence in the Workplace
• Prevention of Undue Bias in Student Assessment

Professionalism:

• Guideline to Standards of Professional Behaviour and Complaint Resolution for Students and Faculty
• Professionalism Discussion Report
• Professionalism in Practice - Updated 2023