By Andrea Di Ubaldo

Dr. Fiona Costello: photo provided

As Albert Einstein once said, “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.”

Indeed, Dr. Fiona Costello and Dr. Andrew Demchuk seem to have found their perfect balance by constantly moving. Both were recently named to the Caldwell Partners International’s Top 40 Under 40 list.

The award is given to individuals who have shown vision and leadership; innovation and achievement; impact; community involvement and contribution; and growth / development strategy. Out of approximately 1200 nominees, Costello and Demchuk are two out of six physician scientists awarded this honour as chosen by an independent advisory board.

Balancing, more like juggling

Dr. Andrew Demchuk: photo provided

For Demchuk, co-leader of the Attacking Stroke program at the Hotchkiss Brain Institute in the Faculty of Medicine, it’s all about the ‘Big 5’: education; administration; research; clinical care; and family. Not necessarily in that order.

“I try to do all things because I like all five,” Demchuk says. “I have a great wife who manages most of the day-to-day raising of our two boys; I’m a quality time kind of guy, so I get to do the fun stuff with the boys at night and on weekends.”

Demchuk is the director of the Calgary Stroke Program, chair of Pillar 2 (Acute Care and Emergency Services) of the Alberta Provincial Stroke Strategy, past-chair of the Board of Directors of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Alberta, NWT and Nunavut, and an associate professor with the Departments of Clinical Neurosciences and the Department of Radiology at UCalgary.

In addition to his teaching and clinical practice, Demchuk is also a world-renowned researcher whose primary research interests lie in the area of cerebral vascular imaging and its application in developing new treatments for those who have suffered from stroke.  .
He admits to verging on workaholic status, as a director, teacher, researcher, physician, husband and father.

Kids keep things in perspective

“I have four kids aged eight, five, three and six-months. It’s often a gong show,” Costello laughs. “I’m married to a great guy, who has a very demanding career. It’s tough to balance, but we work well together.”

Costello is a clinician scientist and co-director of the NeuroProtection and Repair Evaluation Unit (NPREU) with the Arresting Multiple Sclerosis (MS)  program at the Hotchkiss Brain Institute at the Faculty of Medicine and an associate professor in the Department of Clinical Neurosciences. Her research and clinical expertise are in the areas of neuro-ophthalmology and multiple sclerosis.  Together with her collaborators, she has been awarded $2.5 million research grant funding to implement a novel experimental model of MS she has developed in ongoing studies.

“I use the visual system as a means of finding new ways to look at old problems.
The eye can give us many insights into mechanisms of brain injury, and help us better understand diseases like multiple sclerosis,” she says.

“It’s a great honour because this award isn’t restricted to the medical community,” 39-year-old Costello says. “Everyone goes in on an even playing field, all experts in their respective areas.”

Demchuk, also 39, believes it’s an honour for both him and his team. “It’s a bit of validation for all of the hours and days of work we put in. My CV would be miniscule without a team.”

Costello says her kids have made her a better physician and person and much better at time management. “My kids have forced me to be more focused and less self – indulgent with my time.”

“And kids don’t care what awards you’ve won,” she adds.

About the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Calgary
UCalgary’s Faculty of Medicine is a national leader in health research with an international reputation for excellence and innovation in health care research, education and delivery. We train the next generation of health practitioners and move new treatments and diagnostic techniques from the laboratory bench to the hospital bedside, improving patient care.  For more information visit http://medicine.ucalgary.ca. or follow us on twitter.com @UofCMedicine.

If you like this story and think others should read about it-why not spread the word!? Use the links below to let others know!

Digg it! | Reddit.com | del.icio.us | facebook

By Andrea Di Ubaldo

Pick a hot topic, add some industry professionals, invite everyone you can think of. What do you get? A Medical Student Health Policy Symposium that is both educational and, as the organizers hope, a little bit controversial.

2nd Annual Medical Student Health Policy Symposium: Event poster

The symposium will be on May 7, 2009 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in the Faculty of Medicine’s Libin Lecture Theatre at the Health Sciences Centre.

Alaina Aguanno, a third-year medical student, and Kevin Wasko, a first-year medical student at the University of Calgary, are co-organizers of this year’s symposium which will discuss Canada’s doctor shortage. The two also sit on the students’ council as Vice-Presidents of External Affairs for their respective classes.

“We hope that this symposium answers a few questions but stirs up many more,” Aguanno says. “The issues we are discussing are complex – contributing factors and management strategies will only scratch the surface of the potential for the topics surrounding this issue.”

“We hope attendees will gain a better understanding of the physician shortage in Canada and what is being done to address the issue,” Wasko adds.

The annual symposium was created last year by Aguanno, who holds a masters of science in the areas of health policy and health economics and wanted to share her passion for these topics.

“I created the symposium because I felt that health-care professionals, and especially medical students like me, could benefit from a greater understanding of the social, political and economic context of the system in which we work,” Aguanno says.

Only in its second year, the event will feature many high-profile speakers, including the Hon. Ronald Liepert, Minister of Health and Wellness along with the presidents of the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) and the Alberta Medical Association (AMA), Drs. Robert Ouellet and Noel Grisdale, and professors from UCalgary and the University of British Columbia.

“We invited the people who we thought were best-suited to answer our questions and they said yes!” Aguanno says excitedly. “Our speakers have been very enthusiastic about this event, both last year and again this year; we are fortunate to have such dedicated teachers and leaders.”

Last year’s symposium examined public, private and mixed models of health care financing and featured Dr. Brian Day, CMA president, and Dr. Darryl LaBuick, AMA president, along with Dr. Tom Noseworthy, professor and head of the Department of Community Health Sciences and director of the Centre for Health and Policy Studies at UCalgary.

“We’re really excited about this year’s event. With the enthusiastic support we received last year, the first symposium was at maximum capacity,” Aguanno smiles.

Learn more about the 2nd Annual Medical Students Health Policy Symposium.

About the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Calgary
UCalgary’s Faculty of Medicine is a national leader in health research with an international reputation for excellence and innovation in health care research, education and delivery. We train the next generation of health practitioners and move new treatments and diagnostic techniques from the laboratory bench to the hospital bedside, improving patient care.  For more information visit http://medicine.ucalgary.ca. or follow us on twitter.com @UofCMedicine.

If you like this story and think others should read about it-why not spread the word!? Use the links below to let others know!

Digg it! | Reddit.com | del.icio.us | facebook

Dr. Grant Gall, 1940-2009

One of the driving forces behind the success of the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Medicine passed away suddenly this past weekend. Dr. Grant Gall, former Dean of the Faculty of Medicine from 1997-2007, died while vacationing with his wife of 49 years, Laurie. Dr. Gall had recently been awarded the Order of the University of Calgary for his distinguished service.

Under Dr. Gall’s leadership, the O’Brien Centre for the Bachelor of Health Sciences program was launched, the Faculty’s six research institutes were created and the Health Research Innovation Centre (HRIC) was constructed. He also spearheaded an international health program where University of Calgary doctors and medical students travel to developing nations such as Laos, Chile and the Philippines to deliver better health care and enhanced medical training.

“Dr. Gall’s passion for transformation and change, his ambitious vision for the Faculty and his dogged determination to make that vision a reality inspired many of his students, colleagues and friends,” said Tom Feasby, Dean, Faculty of Medicine in a message to all faculty staff and students this morning.  “It is difficult to fully describe the imprint that Dr. Gall has left on us and on the Faculty as a whole, but in the coming days we will consider an appropriate way to recognize his significant contribution. “

Born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Dr. Gall attended school in Acme, Alberta where he graduated from Acme High School and moved on to the University of Alberta for med school. After graduating in 1965, and completing his internship and residency in Vancouver, Toronto and Boston, he then spent several years as a member of the Division of Gastroenterology for SickKids Hospital in Toronto. He also held appointments as an instructor in Paediatrics at Harvard and Boston universities. In 1979, Dr. Gall joined the University of Calgary and proceeded to make his mark here over the next 30 years.

Distinguished career in paediatrics

Prior to serving as dean, Dr. Gall was head of the Division of Paediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, holder of the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation Chair in Paediatric Research, assistant dean (research), professor and head of the Department of Paediatrics, medical leader of the Child Health Program and head of the Regional Department of Paediatrics.

During his two terms as dean, the Faculty of Medicine nearly doubled both the number of its faculty members and the number of students admitted into the MD program. The O’Brien Bachelor of Health Sciences program is now recognized nationally as an innovative training program preparing undergraduate students through inter-disciplinary education in diverse areas.

From vision to reality

A “builder” in all senses of the word, Dr. Gall forged long-lasting relationships with the corporate community, actively involving them in developing a blueprint for excellence through the Dean’s Advisory Council. In addition to the HRIC building, Dr. Gall was also instrumental in convincing politicians and decision-makers of the need for a new children’s hospital on the University of Calgary’s West Campus. He advocated for the creation of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, which was successfully launched this past September.

Dr. Gall was a visionary leader who will be greatly missed by all who knew him. His impact in life was large, and therefore, his loss will be felt far and wide.

The University of Calgary community sends wishes of comfort and sympathy to his family.

Details on funeral arrangements are not yet available but the family has requested that donations be made to the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation, in lieu of flowers.

Share on twitter

By Laurie Wang

Dr. Martin Storr

Dr. Martin Storr loves your guts. Well, he certainly likes to study them.

Winning the Junior Investigator Research Award from the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD), the Faculty of Medicine clinician-scientist was thrilled when he found out.

“I opened a bottle!” Storr smiles.

The IFFGD recognizes active investigators who have a record of research interest in basic mechanisms or clinical aspects of functional gastrointestinal and motility disorders. The foundation honors young scientists who have done strong translational research, taking the basic science at the lab bench to the patient’s bedside.

“To me, the gut is central to the body. We start with the gut in the morning at the washroom and the breakfast and we end with a gut feeling at night,” he says. “That’s why it’s always attracted me.”

To date, Storr has published 77 peer-reviewed studies in his field.

“I study how the gut functions and how it protects itself. I’m looking specifically at the regulatory role of the endocannabinoid and endoopioid systems,” explains Storr, an associate professor in the Division of Gastroenterology.

Both the endocannabinoid and endoopioid systems are regulatory systems in our bodies that control gastrointestinal function. Storr is interested in developing potential therapeutics that target these systems in hopes of battling functional gastrointestinal disorders.

“Functional gastrointestinal disorders are associated with numerous symptoms like nausea, vomiting, bloating, difficulties swallowing, abdominal discomfort and pain, as well as altered bowel habits,” he says.

Storr thanks the people at UCalgary for supporting his ideas, protecting his time and encouraging his academic endeavours.

“I came here as a full-time member in 2007 because in this position, I have enough protected time to plan and perform sophisticated research and to develop concepts and strategic plans for my translational approaches,” he says. “I used to have to wait until nighttime to think academic thoughts, but now, I get to think about my studies during the day and I have time to do the research I like.”

Martin Storr will receive his award at the 8^th International Symposium on Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in mid April.

About the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Calgary

The U of C’s Faculty of Medicine is a national leader in health research with an international reputation for excellence and innovation in health care research, education and delivery. Through its educational programs, the Faculty of Medicine trains the physicians and scientists who will lead the next generation of health practitioners. Through its clinical work, continuing medical education programs, and close relationship with the Calgary Health Region, the Faculty of Medicine moves new treatments and diagnostic techniques from the laboratory bench to the hospital bedside efficiently and effectively, improving patient care.

If you like this story and think others should read about it–why not spread the word!? Use the links below to let others know!

Digg it! | Reddit.com | del.icio.us | facebook

Dr. Lynn McIntyre (front row, third from left) with five other researchers awarded chair in New Perspectives in Gender, Sex and Health from CIHR.

A UCalgary Faculty of Medicine professor and researcher–whose passion for eradicating global food insecurity has taken her as far away as Bangladesh to study the issue–has been awarded a research chair in New Perspectives in Gender, Sex and Health by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

As part of research chair program created by the CIHR’s Institute of Gender Health (IGH), Dr. Lynn McIntyre, professor, Department of Community Health Sciences, was awarded the chair along with five other leading health researchers from across Canada.

“The chairs are producing cutting-edge research with enormous potential to improve the health of Canadians, such as Dr. McIntyre’s research on hunger and food insecurity domestically and internationally,” says Dr. Joy Johnson, Scientific Director of the Institute of Gender and Health. “Her work focuses on women and children, the most frequent victims of food insecurity both in Canada and in other countries.”

McIntyre’s work–which is in line with the first Development Millennium Goal of halving world hunger by 2015–took her to Bangladesh where she studied hunger amongst both urban and rural populations.

During the in-depth study, McIntyre spoke to groups of highly vulnerable woman, living on less than one dollar a day and responsible for providing for their families. The intense field work included door-to-door recruitment and speaking to these women about food insecurity and hunger in various remote locations and in the slums of Dhaka.

In Bangladesh to present findings

Her principal finding was a need for a whole person development approach–a readjustment of available health care services to ensure they meet the needs of these women and others like them. McIntyre is currently in Bangladesh sharing her findings with government officials and non-profit agencies.

“The women have told me, ‘We knew when we met you that you were going to do something for us,’ and I am doing my best to bring improved understanding to those who really can do something for millions of women like them,” says McIntyre.

Closer to home, McIntyre is part of a study looking at social policies in Canada created between 1996 and 2006, focusing on their impact on national food insecurity. She’s also working with Alberta Health Services as they begin investigating the impacts of food insecurity on their patient population, the first clinical site in Canada to do this.

The IGH created the research chair program to expand and strengthen research capacity relevant to gender (socio-cultural experiences), sex (biological factors) and health in Canada. It is intended for health researchers who have developed a reputation for excellence in research, and to support outstanding research programs that enhance the health of Canadians.

By Jordanna Heller

A new study headed by Dr. Tom Feasby, Dean of UCalgary’s Faculty of Medicine, shows that while Canada lags behind other countries in the number of diagnostic imaging devices, more machines are not the only solution to long wait times. The study’s authors say it is critical to prioritize MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) requests effectively.

“This study shows there are important deficiencies in the current system. We hope this research will help health system decision-makers and managers improve the provision of this important service,” says Feasby, the senior author of “Management of MRI Wait Lists in Canada,” published in Healthcare Policy.

A MRI provides detailed images of the body, and is technology that is being used more frequently, especially in the areas of abdominal, pelvic, cardiac and breast imaging. The technology can be used to evaluate tumours, show abnormalities in the heart, brain and joints.

To determine how requests for MRI studies are managed the study’s authors surveyed public MRI facilities in Canada. Although almost all of the facilities have some methods to triage MRI requests, less than half documented their guidelines for prioritization, and none used quality assurance methods to ensure guidelines were followed. The report determined that despite wait times of up to several years in some facilities, strategies to reduce wait times are diverse, uncoordinated and largely ineffective.

Dr. Derek Emery, one of the report’s authors, says, “most MRI facilities in Canada have a substantial wait list problem. Improvement in wait list management will be necessary for better access, fairness and quality in the provision of MRI services in Canada. We do not currently know the extent of inappropriate overuse of MRI, nor do we know the extent of inappropriate underuse.” Emery is an Associate Professor in the Department of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging at the University of Alberta.

“This paper shows that many MRI centres do not employ effective and standardized processes to track and manage the appropriateness of the scans they perform. Such processes are crucial to ensure that patients in different regions of Canada have equitable access to MRIs, and that patients who really do need an MRI get one rapidly. This is a challenging problem, and needs the focused attention not only of radiologists, but particularly the physicians who are ordering the scans,“ says Dr. Andreas Laupacis,  a general internist, the Executive Director of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, and a professor in the Departments of Medicine and Health Policy Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto.

This study was supported by the CIHR (Canadian Institutes of Health Research).

Full text of the study available here.

About the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Calgary
UCalgary’s Faculty of Medicine is a national leader in health research with an international reputation for excellence and innovation in health care research, education and delivery. We train the next generation of health practitioners and move new treatments and diagnostic techniques from the laboratory bench to the hospital bedside, improving patient care. For more information visit http://medicine.ucalgary.ca. or follow us on twitter.com @UofCMedicine.

Dr. Glenda MacQueen

I am pleased to announce that Glenda MacQueen, MD, FRCPC, PhD has been appointed to the position of Head of the Department of Psychiatry for the Faculty of Medicine and Regional Clinical Department Head, Psychiatry for the Calgary Health Region, as of September 1, 2008.

Dr. MacQueen joins us from McMaster University where she is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences and the Academic Director of the Mood Disorders Program at St. Joseph’s Health Care Centre in Hamilton, Ontario. She is a founding member of the Brain Body Institute and an associate member of the Intestinal Diseases Research Program.

Dr. MacQueen is the Coordinator for Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences Clinical Investigator’s Program for the Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University. She is very involved in graduate and postgraduate training programs and she recently received the 2008 award for Excellence in Research Mentoring from the Dept of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at McMaster.

Dr. MacQueen’s research interests are on structural and functional brain changes associated with mood disorders and the factors that predict outcome in mood disorders. Her work has been funded by national and international funding agencies including the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, the Canadian Psychiatric Research Foundation, the National Alliance for Research in Schizophrenia and Affective Disorders, the Stanley Medical Research Foundation, the Ontario Mental Health Foundation, the Scottish Rite Foundation and the National Centre of Excellence AllerGen Inc. Dr MacQueen received the Innovations in Neuropsychopharmacology Research Award for 2008 from the Canadian College of Neuropsychopharmacology.

She is currently serving as the Scientific Officer for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Behavioral Sciences B committee. She is also a member of the Canada Research Chairs College of Reviewers and sits on the Editorial Board of the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry and the Chronicles of Neurology and Psychiatry. She is a clinical editor of the Current Medical Literature Psychiatry series.

Glenda MacQueen is an outstanding addition to our Faculty and will take the lead in positioning UCalgary’s Faculty of Medicine as a leader in mental health education, management and research. Please join me in welcoming her to Calgary and to her new role.

Tom Feasby, MD
Dean, Faculty of Medicine

2008 University of Calgary – Faculty of Medicine. All rights reserved.

Dr. Jim Kellner

I am pleased to announce that James Kellner, MD, M.Sc, FRCPC has been appointed to the position of Head of the Department of Paediatrics for the Faculty of Medicine and Regional Clinical Department Head, Pediatrics, Calgary Health Region, as of October 1, 2008.

Dr. Kellner is currently Head, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Deputy Head (Research and Administration), Department of Paediatrics and Associate Director of the Institute of Maternal and Child Health. He is a professor in the departments of Paediatrics; Microbiology and Infectious Diseases; and Community Health Sciences.

He received his MD degree from the University of Calgary (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) and his M.Sc (Clinical Epidemiology) from the University of Toronto (Toronto, Ontario, Canada). He trained in pediatrics in Calgary and Toronto, where he was Chief Resident at the Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto, Ontario, Canada). After a fellowship and practice in Emergency Pediatrics for five years, he received training in Infectious Diseases in Toronto.

Dr. Kellner’s main research interest is in the the epidemiology and prevention of Streptococcus pneumoniae infections. He has authored close to 60 peer-reviewed papers in and his research has been funded by the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation and the Canadian Infectious Diseases Society.

“I am very honoured and excited to be given the opportunity to lead the Department of Pediatrics. The Department has grown tremendously over the last several years to provide increased specialty and sub-specialized clinical services to children and families throughout Calgary and southern Alberta,” says Dr. Kellner.

“In addition, we are training more undergraduate and postgraduate health care workers and researchers, and our researchers are tackling an increasing array of health issues to increase knowledge and develop solutions that will promote, restore and retain the health of children.”

“I look forward to working with colleagues and staff in the Department and with our partners to meet this challenge!”

Please join me in welcoming Dr. Kellner to his new leadership role.

Tom Feasby, MD
Dean, Faculty of Medicine

By Laurie Wang
Posted February 5, 2009

Recognition, excitement and pride. These are some of the things more than 300 people felt at the inaugural Celebration of Excellence on Wednesday.

Faculty, staff and students gathered in the Health Research Innovation Centre (HRIC) atrium at noon to celebrate the 23 faculty who won prestigious external prizes and awards in 2008—from the Gairdner International Award, to the Globe and Mail’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women, the Family Physician of the Year award and more.

“We have more people here than we expected,” says Wee Yong, PhD, with a grin. “It is great to see so many people here celebrating the success of our faculty.” Yong was the emcee for the event. He is chair of the Awards and Recognition Committee, whose function is to facilitate the process in which appropriate nominees are put forth for various awards.

The committee was created by Dr. Tom Feasby, dean, Faculty of Medicine. “I knew that leading universities take a systematic approach to nominating their faculty members for awards and I knew we were missing opportunities. So, I approached Wee with the idea of forming a committee and asked him—the most ‘can-do’ person I know—to lead it,” says Feasby. Yong was also a winner in 2008, named one of the 20 Compelling Calgarians by the Calgary Herald.

Dr. Rosie Goldstein, Vice President, Research, UCalgary, was also in attendance. “Today we recognize your innovations and drive for scientific achievement, your mentoring, dedication and talent in education, educating the next generation of health care providers and researchers, and your service to community.”

She couldn’t help but mention 2008 Gairdner Laureate Samuel Weiss, PhD, in her speech, poking a bit of fun at him. “Over the past year, many people have mentioned to Sam Weiss that roughly a quarter of Gairdner award recipients also go on to receive a Nobel Prize, but I won’t mention it. I won’t add to the pressure,” Goldstein smiles.

Besides a faculty member winning a Gairdner in 2008, the Faculty of Medicine boasts a member who had an award named after him: Dr. John D. Reynolds. Reynolds received the first John D. Reynolds Award from the Canadian Society for Immunology.

“It’s very rare for an award to be named after a living individual. Congratulations John!” says Yong as the crowd chuckles.

The Celebration of Excellence will be an annual event at the Faculty of Medicine, and each year, the Faculty hopes to add even more people to the list of individuals to celebrate.

“Our members are some of the best and brightest in their fields. I look forward to celebrating even more successes with everyone next year,” says Feasby.

2008 Faculty of Medicine external award recipients

Dr. Jenn Brenner
One of the Top 5 Canadians to Watch by World Vision

Dr. Norm Campbell
Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada’s Leadership Award in Heart Healthy Policy

Dr. Linda Carlson
William E. Rawls Prize in Oncology

Dr. Rod Crutcher
Award for Improvement of Social Infrastructure/Condition (for the Sudanese Physician Reintegration Program) by the Canadian International Development Agency

Dr. Tyrone Donnon
Certificate of Merit Award from the Canadian Association for Medical Education

Dr. Kathryn J. Hannah
Canadian Nurses’ Association Centennial Award

Dr. David Hart
Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences

Dr. Jennifer Hatfield
One of the Globe and Mail’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women

Dr. Robert Herman
2008 Osler Award from the Canadian Society of Internal Medicine

Dr. Deirdre Jenkins
Certificate of Merit Award from the Canadian Association for Medical Education

Dr. Renee Martin
Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada

Dr. John Parboosingh
Duncan Graham Award from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons

Dr. Man-Chiu Poon
World Federation of Hemophilia 2008 International Healthcare Volunteer Award

Dr. John Reynolds
John D. Reynolds Award created in his name by the Canadian Society for Immunology

Dr. Robert Sheldon
Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences

Dr. Mark Sosnowski
Family Physician of the Year by the College of Family Physicians of Canada

Dr. Garnette Sutherland
Calgary Awards Signature Award

Dr. Roger Thompson
Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada’s Henry J.M. Barnett Scholarship

Dr. John Wallace
Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada &
BioAlberta’s Award in Scientific Achievement and Innovation

Dr. Sam Weiss
2008 Gairdner International Award

Dr. George Wyse
Canadian Cardiovascular Congress Annual Achievement Award

Dr. Voon Wee Yong
20 Compelling Calgarians Award from the Calgary Herald

Dr. Gerald Zamponi
Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada/

About the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Calgary
UCalgary’s Faculty of Medicine is a national leader in health research with an international reputation for excellence and innovation in health care research, education and delivery. We train the next generation of health practitioners and move new treatments and diagnostic techniques from the laboratory bench to the hospital bedside, improving patient care.

If you like this story and think others should read about it-why not spread the word!? Use the links below to let others know!

Digg it! | Reddit.com | del.icio.us | facebook

2008 University of Calgary – Faculty of Medicine. All rights reserved.

Part 7 of 7

Ben Thomson
PGY2 Internal Medicine Resident

Dr. Ben Thomson

As an international medical graduate from Ireland, I have been incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by world-class residents and medical and nursing staff. They have taught me that being a professional means giving back more than we get, whether it be by going beyond standard patient care, providing exceptional teaching, encouraging ground breaking research, or simply by being a caring and decent colleague who provides a superb working environment.

University of Calgary is full of professionals who give back more than they can get, and in so, truly make this a world-class place to enjoy working in everyday. As a PGY-2 resident in internal medicine, I’m always moving forward in my internal medicine training. I recognize now that the professional must learn to be moved and touched emotionally, yet at the same time stand back objectively. This balance is an integral part of every resident and staff member here at UCalgary, making this a wonderful place to work!

———————-

The role of Professional describes the societal responsibility of each physician that is guided by codes of ethics, a commitment to clinical competence and personal well-being, the embracing of appropriate attitudes and behaviors, integrity, altruism, and the promotion of the public good. Our residents:

1. Demonstrate a commitment to their patients, profession, and society through ethical practice;

2. Demonstrate a commitment to their patients, profession, and society through participation in profession-led regulation;

3. Demonstrate a commitment to physician health and sustainable practice.*

*Copyright The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada

About the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Calgary
UCalgary’s Faculty of Medicine is a national leader in health research with an international reputation for excellence and innovation in health care research, education and delivery. Through its educational programs, the Faculty of Medicine trains the physicians and scientists who will lead the next generation of health practitioners. Through its clinical work, continuing medical education programs and close relationship with Alberta Health Services, the Faculty of Medicine moves new treatments and diagnostic techniques from the laboratory bench to the hospital bedside efficiently and effectively, improving patient care.
For more information visit http://medicine.ucalgary.ca.

Digg it! | Reddit.com | del.icio.us | facebook

2008 University of Calgary – Faculty of Medicine. All rights reserved.