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This week’s Vitals is 1,280 words or a 5 min read. If you only have 1 minute, here are the highlights:
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National Day for Truth & Reconciliation offers an opportunity for reflection, learning, and meaningful action. We’re sharing ways to observe the day with intention, both personally and professionally. Consider using the day to sign up for cultural safety training mandated by CPSM.
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Referral and Consultation Summit: How many referrals and requisitions did you send or receive this week? How much frustration did they cause? Let’s fix it. Join us on October 31 as we chart out the solutions.
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Tylenol and Vaccines in the News: It’s been a busy week for news that may be causing confusion or concern among your patients, including stories about Tylenol and autism, vaccine recommendations, and vaccine coverage. We have advice on what it means and how to respond to concerned patients.
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Spring into Fall with a Look at our Mentorship Program! With a major expansion to the medical school, that means we need more mentors than ever.
Plus, an update on safety measures at HSC, a new set of courses for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy with Mindfulness, and more!
Click here to renew your membership and claim your rebates (log-in required). Late fees will be applied on invoices not paid by Friday, October 3.
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National Day for Truth & Reconciliation
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is on Tuesday, and offers an opportunity for reflection, learning, and meaningful action. From taking part in an event to deepening our understanding of Indigenous history, we’re sharing ways to observe the day with intention, both personally and professionally. If you haven’t already completed cultural safety and anti-Indigenous racism training, as mandated by CPSM, take some time over he next week to make a plan and register. We also want you to know that Doctors Manitoba is doing more too.
Read our full coverage here.
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Advancing Indigenous Representation in Health Care
The Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada (IPAC) recently released Answering the Call: Strategies to Increase the Number of Indigenous Physicians in Canada. This report centres the voices, experiences, and leadership of Indigenous physicians, medical learners, and health leaders, including:
- Why Indigenous physicians are essential to health equity
- Reimagining access to medical school
- Supporting retention and wellness during training
- Early-career pathways and mentorship
- Forging a stronger, representative future in health care
Read the full report.
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Complete the 2025 Racial Climate Survey
Shared Health invites all physicians working in Manitoba’s health system to complete the 2025 Racial Climate Survey. It is open until October 10. This survey is an opportunity to anonymously share your own experiences and observations of racism in the workplace - whether you’ve experienced it yourself or witnessed it happening to others. The information you provide will help Shared Health better understand the realities teams face and inform health system policies, strategies, and education focused on creating safer, more respectful environments for healthcare professionals, patients, families, and communities.
Take the survey here.
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Referral & Consultation Summit October 31
How many referrals and requisitions did you send or receive this week? There are thousands every single day, and we know the process is a major frustration for consulting and referring physicians.
Let’s fix it.
Join us on October 31 for a special event, our Referral and Consultation Summit, to discuss the challenges for physicians collaborating on patient care, and the solutions needed to make it work better.
Learn more and register here.
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Tylenol and Vaccines in the News
It’s been a busy week for news that may be causing confusion or concern among your patients, including stories about Tylenol and autism, vaccine recommendations, and vaccine coverage. We know misinformation is a major concern for physicians, because you care about your patients’ health and well-being, but you’re also troubled about how trust in science and medicine seems to be eroding among some groups. We are providing you with a quick breakdown of what’s been in the news, what you need to know, and some thoughts on how to respond to your patients.
We're also helping Manitobans get the facts with a new Getting Healthy online video with Dr. Joss Reimer. Watch it on Instagram and share!
Read our full analysis here.
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Resident Retreat Recap
Doctors Manitoba joined the University of Manitoba’s Family Medicine Residents Retreat in Brandon this past weekend, offering two presentations. While one focused on the business side of medicine, including billing and early practice advice, a second by Dr. Alexis Botkin, Doctors Manitoba Medical Consultant for Physician and Medical Learner Health and Wellness, zeroed in on physician well-being.
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Spring into Fall: A Look at the Mentorship Program
With a major expansion to the medical school, we have been seeing record numbers of students in the program in recent years. That means we need more mentors than ever. Both mentors and mentees have shared how valuable the program has been on their journeys in medicine. Want to learn more? Reach out to Mentorship and Member Engagement Coordinator Cynthia Okojie at cokojie@doctorsmanitoba.ca, and sign up to mentor a medical learner today!
What’s it like?
Earlier this year, our Mentorship Program hosted its largest gathering yet, featuring a game show night and reception at The Leaf in Assiniboine Park. You can read about it here, in an article from our most recent issue of Rounds magazine.
Up Next
The fall mentorship event is just around the corner! Mark your calendar for October 23 for dinner and an improv show at the Metropolitan Entertainment Centre. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. at the MET at 281 Donald St.
Register today!
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HSC Safety Update
November 1 is the date provincial leaders say two police officers and five weapons-scanners will be installed on HSC’s campus. As we recently noted, Doctors Manitoba is closely monitoring the progress made to ensure Manitoba’s largest hospital is safe, welcoming, and accessible for all patients who need care, and for the physicians and other health care providers who serve them. We continue to meet regularly with health system leaders to ensure your input is heard. We are grateful for all the feedback we have received, and invite you to continue to share your thoughts with us by emailing us, in confidence, at practiceadvice@doctorsmanitoba.ca.
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Government Considering Regional Designation for Ste. Anne Hospital
The Manitoba government will form a new working group to study the potential impacts of designating Ste. Anne Hospital as a regional health facility. It will bring together representatives from Manitoba Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care, local municipal leaders, health-care professionals, and community stakeholders to assess how a regional designation could enhance health-care delivery in southeastern Manitoba. The group will examine factors such as service capacity, infrastructure needs, staffing, and long-term sustainability. Doctors Manitoba is encouraged by the commitment to engagement and evidence-informed decisions. Doctors Manitoba welcomes the prospect of designating Ste. Anne Hospital as a regional health facility, which is a step toward improving health care access in the community. As we monitor its progress and advocate to ensure physicians’ needs are strongly supported, please provide your feedback by mailing practiceadvice@doctorsmanitoba.ca.
Learn more here.
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CBTm for Physicians and Medical Learners
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy with Mindfulness (CBTm) is an education program designed specifically for physicians and medical learners to help improve mental wellbeing through evidence-based self-management strategies. Brought to you by Doctors Manitoba in partnership with Shared Health and the Manitoba government, two different CPD-accredited course options are available: an online self-directed course with five modules, and a series of five 120-min facilitator-led virtual (Zoom) classes.
The next series of live virtual classes will be Tuesdays from 6:00 –8:00 PM starting October 7, 2025 to November 4, 2025.
Learn more here.
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Family Practice AGM
All family physicians are encouraged to attend the upcoming Annual General Meeting for the Section of Family Medicine on Wednesday, Oct. 22 beginning at 6 p.m.
This virtual meeting will also include a discussion about the next Physician Services Agreement (PSA) and the trends and issues in many aspects of family medicine, including:
- Longitudinal primary care
- Episodic care
- Care of the elderly
- Sports and exercise medicine, and
- Hospital care
Virtual Meeting - register here.
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Measles Update
Manitoba’s latest measles exposures occurred in Winkler at Garden Valley Collegiate, Real Canadian Superstore and Winkler Evangelical Mennonite Mission Church.
We’re keeping track of the province’s updates and resources for you and your patients on the Doctors Manitoba Measles page.
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CMA Urges Alberta to Refrain from Invoking Notwithstanding Clause
The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) is calling on the Alberta government to refrain from invoking the notwithstanding clause to enact legislation that directly interferes in the clinical care of patients. In May, the CMA and three Alberta doctors launched a constitutional challenge to Bill 26 to protect the relationship between patients, their families and doctors when it comes to making medical decisions. The CMA says it looks forward to defending the role of physicians and the critical relationship they maintain with their patients, but reports suggest that the government may seek to circumvent the legal process entirely.
Learn more here.
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Financial Planning Strategies for Incorporated Physicians 
Incorporation can offer access to helpful financial strategies. This MD Financial article outlines how physicians may use their corporate structure to help optimize taxes, support retirement planning and organize long-term finances. Whether you're newly incorporated or refining your approach, these insights can help you build long-term financial health. Read more.
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Here are the most-read and important recent stories, in case you missed them:
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Record Increase of Physicians: A new CPSM report shows Manitoba saw a record net gain of 164 physicians last year, a major step toward minimizing our physician shortage. However, only 23% of all new physicians were trained in Manitoba, demonstrating the need for stronger retention efforts. Read our full coverage here.
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Respiratory Illness Season Webinar Recap: Our colleagues at Public Health discussed this year's influenza, COVID-19 and RSV outlook, vaccine products, eligibility criteria, ordering procedures and more. We’ve got the key takeaways.
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Manitoba Expands RSV Program for Infants: Starting October 1, all infants born during the respiratory season will receive one dose of nirsevimab. Learn more here.
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We feature events planned by Doctors Manitoba, as well as other events submitted by the medical community to share and connect with their peers.
Featured event:
2025 Canadian Conference on Physician Health
🗓️ October 17-18, 2025
đź“Ť Vancouver, B.C., Fairmont Hotel Vancouver & Online
Manitoba’s Dr. Joss Reimer and Dr. Marcia Anderson will be presenting at the conference, along with Doctors Manitoba staff. We look forward to seeing you there! Be sure to register by October 1 if you plan to attend in person, or by October 14 for the online option.
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More events:
2025 Paul Wawryko Memorial Run, September 27, 6 p.m., Asper Jewish Community Campus of Winnipeg, 123 Doncaster St., Winnipeg, MB Learn more and register here.
Bug Day, October 23, 7:55 a.m. – 4 p.m., (Virtual) Nationally and internationally recognized experts will present timely topics in infectious diseases and public health at Manitoba’s largest healthcare education event. Learn more and register here.
Mentorship Program Fall Connection Event: Improv Show, October 23, 6 – 9 p.m., Winnipeg. To kick off the 2025/2026 mentorship year, the evening will include a show, dinner and great prizes. Learn more and register here.
Black Physicians of Canada Conference, October 24 – 26, Toronto. This year’s theme is Stronger Together, drawing on BPC’s new 2025 – 2030 strategic plan. Learn more and register here.
Family Medicine Forum (FMF), November 5 – 8, Winnipeg. FMF is Canada’s largest and most comprehensive annual conference for family physicians hosted by the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC). Learn more and register here.
Peer Support for Physicians: Evidence and Ways to Access Support, November 19, 5 – 5:45 p.m. Virtual. Join Dr. Alexis Botkin and Doctors Manitoba for an overview of peer support, and the evidence for how peer support benefits physicians. View event details and register.
Opioid Agonist Therapy 101: Introduction to Clinical Practice, November 13 – 14, Thompson, and November 20-21, Winnipeg. These workshops will equip you with new knowledge and skills around opioid addiction and the resources available to support patients. Learn more and register here.
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We are here to support the whole physician.
Every step of the way.
Your health & well-being are important to us.
Visit DRMB.ca/HELP to connect to support services or call 1.844.433.3762
For all other support, including benefits and insurance support,
career resources or practice advice please
email general@doctorsmanitoba.ca or call 204.985.5888
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Visit DRMB.ca/Bannatyne for more information on our Bannatyne office and to view the full calendar.
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