02 09 spring
mb medicine
issue
magazine of the university of manitoba faculty of medicine and the manitoba medical college foundation
$2.5-million gift: George & Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare Innovation
editor’s message Last year was a stellar year for the Faculty of Medicine. We celebrated our 125th anniversary in 2008 and while assessing our rich history and tradition of excellence, we also looked towards an exciting future for the University of Manitoba Faculty of Medicine. Providing medical education to generations of Manitobans is both a privilege and an honour and our graduates continually make us proud. Likewise, the University of Manitoba medical school is a source of pride for our alumni. Read about fellow alumni throughout MB Medicine and drop us a line about what’s new in your life or what you think of this issue of YOUR alumni magazine. We are very excited to announce a new private social networking community launched by the Faculty of Medicine to help you stay in touch in with your classmates, plan your next reunion or special event and reconnect with old profs and medical school friends. This online community (OLC) is the ideal way for you – our 5,300 strong alumni and friends of the Faculty – to touch base with long-lost classmates and colleagues and to see what type of events are happening at the Faculty of Medicine. You can join groups, send private messages, upload photos, and remember your days in the Faculty of Medicine all at one easy-to-navigate online destination. Sign up TODAY for our new password-protected, safe Faculty of Medicine Alumni Online Community at www.umanitoba.ca/medicine/olc.html Our medicine alumni – no matter where they now reside – share a common conviction that the education they received at the University of Manitoba provided them with a solid foundation on which to build a successful medical career.
Cover: George & Fay Yee. Photo: Don Martel.
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It is these same graduates who return for class reunions to reconnect with their alma mater and their classmates. Since our last issue, we have celebrated another Homecoming bringing back the classes of 1953, 1958, 1968,1978, 1988, 1993 and 1998. The classes of 1956 and 1965 held reunions in Vancouver while 1962 met up in Kelowna and 1973 in California. What a great testimony to our alumni’s affection to their medical education and to the University of Manitoba! During Homecoming Breakfast, all reunion participants, numbering over 200, came together at the Dean’s Breakfast on Saturday, September 13, 2008. During our 125th anniversary year, the Faculty of Medicine produced a commemorative book to honour this historic milestone and provide a vision for the future. The Voices book features the voices of patients, students, physicians, researchers, faculty, alumni, the community and current and former deans. If you would like your anniversary copy, please contact Ilana Simon, Director of Communications and Marketing at simoni@cc.umanitoba.ca. A special session of the University of Manitoba Spring 2009 Convocation celebrating the 125th anniversary of the founding of the medical school will take place May 15, 2009 from 1 – 3 p.m. in Theatre A, Basic Medical Sciences Building. Four Honorary Degrees will be conferred to individuals who are accomplished in human biology; clinical medicine; organization, management and delivery of health services; and, social, cultural and environmental determinants of health. Everyone is welcome to attend. MbM Ilana Simon
Index 1 Editor’s Message 2 Dean’s Message 3
MMCF Message
4
Health Forum
5
125th Anniversary
6 New Curriculum Management System 7
Joint Operating Division
8
Accreditation Update
9
Centre for Global Public Health
10 Discovery Day 11 George & Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare Innovation 12 George & Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare Innovation 13 Inaugural Day and PA Inaugural 14 Biomedical Youth Summer Camp 15 Joe Doupe & Sir Michael Marmot Lectures 16 Donor News 17 Faculty Awards 18 Class of 1968 Legacy Fund 19 Homecoming 20 Check Up on Alumni 21 Obituaries 22 Obituaries
Editor: Ilana Simon, Director of Communications & Marketing, Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba Tel: (204) 789-3427 E-mail: simoni@cc.umanitoba.ca Design: Guppy Graphic Design Printing: The Prolific Group
dean’s message
Foremost in the minds of participants was the need for creative recruitment and retention of physicians, particularly in rural areas. Renewal of our Admissions policy has placed a high value on admitting students who have demonstrated ability and commitment to live and work in rural areas, and of the 60 rural students who applied to our faculty this year 40% were admitted, a higher proportion than the overall admission rate. Our new Northern and Remote Residency Program is just underway and will result in much greater teaching and patient care activity in remote and northern regions over the next five years. We were asked for better coordination and collaboration between the faculty, health care regions and Manitoba Health. Our new Joint Operating Division is proving to be a very useful way to respond to this concern. Under the leadership of Dr. Brock Wright, Associate Dean, Clinical Affairs and Beth Beaupre, Executive Director of the Joint Operating Division, very constructive and positive work is being done to provide the best possible working environment for clinical teachers and better coordination by all participants in our Academic Health Sciences network. Patients clearly want us to be innovative in the way in which we deliver service, a patient-centered approach and team approach to care. The George and Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare Innovation provides the most powerful way in which we can improve the teamwork between the health professions through interprofessional education. It creates an environment where we can draw upon the expertise from all faculties including Business and Engineering to assist with health care system and process design and
improvement. This is a most exciting endeavor and the support from George and Fay Yee has allowed it to happen. Provincial support for research is high. Important to all attendees was to continue our efforts to be strategic and to develop activities in focused areas relevant in health care delivery. The development of a Global Centre for Public Health builds on our international strengths. Our new Regenerative Medicine Program is focused on the most exciting aspect of biomedical research, and hope for new cures for chronic illnesses. Our strengths in health policy research in the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy fit very nicely with the evolving academic activity in the Centre for Healthcare Innovation. High quality education using the most current educational methods is our mandate. Moreover it is important that we deliver education in the area in which care is delivered. Our new Provincial Working Group for Distributed Medical Education will be developing pilot projects in smaller Manitoba centres including the Clinical Teaching Units for Pediatrics, Obstetrics and a networked teaching unit for Family Medicine. This is exciting and these pilot projects will be underway before the end of the year. Our new Curriculum Management System, set to become operational this fall, is exciting, relevant and will provide an essential tool as we move forward to accreditation. Manitoba has done a magnificent job of supporting medical education in this province. Our per capita first year enrollment is 92 students per million population and is the second highest in the country, significantly higher than the national average of 79 students per million population. Our community, our government, our faculty, our staff and our University are doing a fantastic job to create the best possible potential for our medical school. MbM Dr. J. Dean Sandham, MD FRCPC FACP Dean of Medicine
the university of manitoba faculty of medicine
This issue of Manitoba Medicine is packed with exciting new projects underway in the faculty. Our forum “Our Medical School: Imagine Its Potential� was attended by participants from all over the Province and all walks of life. From the advice they provided, five major themes arose.
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A New Beginning For MMCF!
by: Dr. Douglas Craig, MMCF President
As the Faculty of Medicine celebrates its 125th anniversary, the Manitoba Medical College Foundation begins its 31st year of support for the students and programs of the Faculty. MMCF was established as a registered charitable organization in 1978, under the direction of its founders: Dr. Arnold Naimark and the late Drs. Dan Snidal, Jack Wilt and John Gemmell. We are very pleased that Dr. Naimark continues to serve as one of the Senior Advisors to the MMCF Board. MMCF has always been more than a charity supporting the Faculty of Medicine. In the early years it was the de-facto Faculty of Medicine Alumni Association, helping Alumni stay in contact with the Faculty and each other and organizing annual alumni reunions. By the mid 1980s, MMCF membership totalled more than 1200 with the majority of members alumni, but also many non-alumni friends of the Faculty of Medicine. Over time, the alumni support role lessened, until it was assumed in 2003 by an Alumni Officer in the newlyestablished External Relations Office, Bannatyne (EROB). Although MMCF was an initial EROB partner funding the Alumni Officer, this ended in 2004 and MMCF withdrew from the EROB partnership. The ensuing years have demonstrated that the MMCF link with Faculty of Medicine alumni activities is essential, and its absence a negative factor. With the encouragement and support of Dean J.D. Sandham, MMCF’s direct link with Faculty of Medicine alumni was restored in January 2009. The new MMCF Administrator (Amelie Findlay) works alongside the new Faculty of Medicine Alumni Officer (Darcy Routledge), both reporting to the Director of Communications and Marketing for the Faculty of Medicine (Ilana Simon). Ms. Simon serves as an ex-officio member of the MMCF Board. The oversight role of the MMCF
Board and the financial independence of MMCF continue, as required by the Canada Revenue Agency for any charity. MMCF contact details remain unchanged at (204)789-3737. We invite you to visit the MMCF website: www.umanitoba.ca/medicine/mmcf for a current listing of the MMCF Board members and of the awards programs supported by MMCF. The new organizational relationship summarized above will provide MMCF with access to many other Faculty of Medicine services and opportunities. One of the earliest will be participation in the faculty’s new Alumni Online Community (OLC). As MMCF members, you can take advantage of the opportunity to reconnect with your fellow classmates or colleagues. Sign up today at www.umanitoba.ca/medicine/ olc.html to plan your next class reunion, find out about Faculty of Medicine events and news, and catch up with old friends, colleagues and classmates. MMCF continues to be dedicated to the support of students and programs in the Faculty of Medicine. We invite all Medicine Alumni and non-alumni friends of the Faculty to support us in this mission by joining MMCF and donating to our projects. MbM
Yes! I want to help the Manitoba Medical College Foundation achieve its goal of supporting students and research activities at the Faculty of Medicine. Please accept my gift of: $250
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$500
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Cheques payable to: the Manitoba Medical College Foundation. Credit Card: Card #
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260-727 McDermot Avenue Winnipeg, MB, R3E 3P5 Tel: (204) 789-3737 Fax: (204) 977-5690 email: mmcf@umanitoba.ca
Expiry: Registered Charity Number: 11903 0500 RR0001
by: Ilana Simon
Stakeholders from across the province gave input on faculty’s strategic plan at health forum.
The Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba hosted a major forum Our Medical School: Imagine Its Potential on May 30, 2008 at the Fairmont Winnipeg. Over 120 participants attended from all sectors of the province representing business; provincial, federal and municipal governments; rural, northern and urban Regional Health Authorities; Aboriginal leadership organizations; and members of the Faculty including students.
3. Innovation and creativity in service delivery and utilization of inter-professional teams; 4. Innovative competitive research programs are essential, and we must move to integrate clinician scientists and translational research, and this requires broad provincial support; and 5. High quality education, using most current educational methods delivered where care is delivered.
Professor Harvey Secter, then Dean, University of Manitoba Faculty of Law served as facilitator and keynote addresses were presented by the following knowledgeable experts to stimulate discussion:
The five themes that emerged were consistent and clearly supported, providing a consensus for priorities and direction for the Faculty. The vision of “University of Manitoba, Faculty of Medicine – a Small Jewel” was readily accepted, with a parallel emphasis on strategic development relevant to the provincial needs.
• What’s the Best We Can Be by Dr. Hugh C. Smith (B.Sc. Med./65, MD/65, Hon. D. Sc./08), former CEO of the Mayo Clinic. • Our Medical School Today—A Check Up on Our 125th Anniversary by Dr. J. Dean Sandham, Dean of Medicine, University of Manitoba. • A Cautionary Tale by Dr. William Albritton, Dean, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan. • How Research Enriches our Lives by Dr. Henry Friesen (MD/58), distinguished professor emeritus and founder of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). • I had a Dream by Dr. Brian Postl (MD/76), President and CEO, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority. The attendees participated in working groups to provide an in-depth examination of aspects of the Faculty’s clinical service, education and research tenets. Discussion in working groups was broad and deep. We agreed that our goal is to become a “Small Jewel” – broad enough to provide comprehensive education for the complete physician; but with a strategic focus on a few major areas where we can compete internationally. Emerging from the discussion were five major themes: 1. Creative recruitment/retention- an urgent need for more committed skilled MDs and other health professionals in both rural and urban centres; 2. Coordination and collaboration between rural and urban health authorities, the Faculty of Medicine and Manitoba Health to increase effectiveness;
The forum provided an excellent starting place toward a common purpose; however, to ultimately be successful, these future steps will require the following important factors to be in place: 1. Strategic collaboration of the Faculty of Medicine with the WRHA, Rural RHAs, the MMA, physicians’ office practices and with both Manitoba Health and Health Canada; 2. A cceptance that we cannot have an innovative, vibrant medical school and a progressive health service delivery system without significant provincial investment in health research; 3. Recognition by all stakeholders of the needs for significant infrastructure renewal as well as the resources that will support our joint mission, including investment in people through education and research endowments; and 4. R ecognition that the creation and operation of an Academic Health Sciences Centre requires investment by all the partners. Implementation of the recommendations from the forum is being led by a steering committee chaired by Dean of Medicine Dr. J. Dean Sandham. Results of the Forum were collated in a white paper that was reviewed and commented on by the participants. A final strategic plan Our Medical School: Imagine Its PotentialMaking It Happen was produced and widely distributed to attendees, faculty members, community members and government. If you would like a copy, please e-mail simoni@cc.umanitoba.ca MbM
the university of manitoba faculty of medicine
Stakeholders Give Input at Faculty’s Health Forum
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Drs. Arnold and Barbara Naimark, Health Minister Theresa Oswald and Dean Sandham at the Gala.
125
th
Anniversary Gala a Great Success! The University of Manitoba Faculty of Medicine was founded when 13 Manitoba physicians and one school inspector came together to organize the first medical school in Western Canada. The inaugural lecture was given November 21, 1883… and thus began the future of medical education in Manitoba. The Manitoba Medical College and the University of Manitoba Faculty of Medicine have educated and trained thousands of physicians who have served Manitoba, Canada and the world with dedication and distinction. Faculty members, friends, alumni, students, donors and staff celebrated in style the Faculty of Medicine’s 125th Anniversary Gala Saturday, November 1, 2008 at the Delta Winnipeg. More than 500 guests enjoyed a spectacular evening honouring the faculty’s past and discovering its vision for the future. While Faculty of Medicine alumni, friends and more – from near and far – caught up with one another during the outstanding dinner, a “Crack the Safe” raffle was held for a Rolex watch sponsored by Independent Jewellers. Program highlights included President Emeritus Dr. Arnold Naimark as emcee and a forward looking message by Dr. J. Dean Sandham, Dean of Medicine. Greetings were also provided by Dr.Joanne Keselman, Interim Vice-President (Academic) and Provost, U of M; Manitoba Health Minister Hon. Theresa Oswald; WRHA President and CEO Dr. Brian Postl; RBC Regional Vice-President Holly Toupin and MMSA senior stick Kristyn Campbell.
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Capping off the evening was the presentation of the Faculty’s 125th Anniverary Video – showcasing the faculty today as a jewel in the province and its promising future – and lively entertainment by the Eli Herscovitch Band. MbM
Thanks to all 125th Anniversary Gala sponsors: PRESENTING SPONSOR: Royal Bank MEDIA SPONSOR: Winnipeg Free Press PLATINUM SPONSORS: Independent Jewellers, Rolex and Winnipeg Regional Health Authority GOLD SPONSORS: Qualico and Delta Winnipeg RECEPTION SPONSOR: Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP CHAMPAGNE SPONSOR: Advance Electronics ENTERTAINMENT SPONSOR: Manitoba Medical College Foundation Inc. PRODUCT SUPPLIERS: AVW-TELAV and Kenaston Wine Market Special Thanks to the Gala Committee: Dr. Dean Sandham (co-chair), Ilana Simon (co-chair), Barbara Becker, Dr. Diane Biehl, Debbie Bride, Sarah Clarke, Dr. Doug Craig, Dr. Douglas MacEwan, Keith McConnell, Dr. John McKenzie, Dr. Arnold Naimark, Blair Nicholls, Dr. William Pope and Dr. Ira Ripstein. Thanks as well to all patrons and corporate tables who helped make our evening a night to remember and a great success. Proceeds from the 125th Anniversary Gala were directed to the Faculty of Medicine Archives. To view a photo gallery from the 125th Gala, please visit www.umanitoba.ca/medicine. MbM
SYMPOSIUM 125 More than 150 people attended SYMPOSIUM 125 Manitoba’s Medical School 125 Years On: Where do we go from here? on November 1, 2008, sponsored by the Centre for Advancement of Medicine. Organized by Director Dr. Arnold Naimark, it celebrated the 125th anniversary of medical education at the Manitoba Medical College and the University of Manitoba Faculty of Medicine. Eminent University of Manitoba Faculty of Medicine alumni from across Canada joined Manitoba-based colleagues to explore the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in building on the achievements of the past to chart a course toward a vibrant future.
faculty news
New Curriculum Management System Offers Faculty Academic Advantage Rapidly changing technology is impacting every facet of our lives. In higher education, it is shaping curriculum delivery, information sharing, collaboration and evaluation. The Faculty of Medicine is implementing an exciting, new electronic Curriculum Management System (CMS) in August 2009 that will dramatically change the way medical education is delivered in Manitoba and facilitate lifelong learning for our graduate physicians. It is also essential as the Faculty prepares for UGME accreditation in 2011. In 2009, Med 1 students will have access to all of their learning resources and notes electronically including real time and updated course and block schedules as well as an integrated communications portal which includes discussion forums, integrated calendar and e-mail. Faculty, as well, will benefit from a new communications portal. Teaching schedules, teaching materials and resources will all be electronic, and can be easily changed or updated as required. “The new CMS will enhance our communication, knowledge transfer, evaluation tools and accreditation reporting capabilities,” said Dr. Bruce Martin, Associate Dean, UGME. “It will provide us with unprecedented business intelligence, data flow, evaluation tools and trackability of areas such as student/teacher contact hours, clinical schedules, student exposure to various disciplines, making it absolutely critical to meeting the stringent requirement of the accreditation process.”
Dean of Medicine Dr. J. Dean Sandham appointed Dr. Sat Sharma, Dr. Bruce Martin, Aarti Paul, Dean Yergens and Keith McConnell to spearhead development and implementation of the new CMS.
education and health care in Canada and USA. A five year work plan with Online Business Systems will guide further development and enhancements in response to the evolving needs of the Faculty of Medicine.
The Steering Committee, chaired by Dean Sandham, consists of 24 members including students, faculty and staff. Workgroup members represent their respective constituencies; play a major role in providing input and feedback based on their respective skills; and will be available as resources during set up and implementation of CMS.
The system will meet the business workflow and data requirements for the accreditation and curriculum reporting for the Faculty of Medicine including all Medicine programs: Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME), Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME), Department of Medical Education, Continuing Medical Education (CME), Physician Assistant Education Program (PAEP), Interprofessional Education, Graduate Studies and International Medical Graduate Program (IMG).
phased approach A phased approach to the development and rollout of the CMS is planned as follows: Phase I will encompass curriculum delivery for Med 1 and a communications portal (integrated calendars and e-mail) available to students, faculty and staff for fall 2009. Phase II will include enhancements for Med 1 and Med 2 curriculum, accreditation, curriculum renewal, question bank, clinical procedure logging and undergraduate and postgraduate evaluation tools and made available for the academic year 2010 – 2011. CMS is being developed in collaboration with Online Business Systems, an international information technology company with its headquarters in Winnipeg. Online Business Systems has extensive experience in development and implementation of customized software systems for delivery of
This comprehensive, made-in-Manitoba Curriculum Management System will take our teaching, learning, evaluation and communication within the Faculty of Medicine to a new level. In meeting the accreditation, curriculum information management and administrative needs of the Faculty of Medicine, this initiative will promote success. Please visit our new CMS information page on our Faculty of Medicine web site at http://umanitoba.ca/faculties/ medicine/dean/cms.html for ongoing updates on the Curriculum Management System. MbM
the university of manitoba faculty of medicine
by: Ilana Simon
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faculty news
New Joint Operating Division Key to Developing an Academic Health Sciences Centre The University of Manitoba Faculty of Medicine and the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority have established a Joint Operating Division to achieve greater collaboration in clinical, education and research programs that will enhance care for patients, training for students and support for reseachers. The main goal of the Division is to create the best academic health sciences centre possible. “It’s not just how many academic physicians we have and how we attract them, but what sort of work environment we provide, the quality of the education we provide and the quality and magnitude of
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research we conduct. It’s about providing them with the opportunity to be the best teachers in the country, the best researchers in the country and to provide the best medical education in the country,” said Dr. J. Dean Sandham, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine. “The whole purpose of moving forward with this agreement was to create a positive change towards a true academic health sciences centre,” said Dr. Brian Postl, President and Chief Executive Officer of the WRHA, adding throughout North America and beyond, academic health sciences centre models are being pursued. “People who are in academic positions have a spectrum of activities that can’t be separated in silos. We provide patient care, we teach as we’re doing it, and we’re also involved in research projects. It’s a continuum and we’re trying to create a structure that makes it the best and most convenient place for academic physicians to live that continuum without rigid barriers or obstructions.” “The new Joint Operating Division will greatly enhance the ability of the Faculty of Medicine and the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority to recruit and retain highly sought after physician scholars, and better integrate and support clinical, education and research programs,” said Dr. Brock Wright, Associate Dean, Clinical Affairs, Faculty of Medicine and WRHA Senior Vice-President, Clinical Services and Chief Medical Officer. MbM
Preparing for the Accreditation Survey in the 2010-2011 Academic Year by: Dr. Bruce Martin, Associate Dean, Undergraduate Medical Education
The education of health professionals is the Faculty of Medicine’s reason for existence. It is important that we continue to evolve to be compliant with, and indeed exceed, the rigourous demands by our joint accrediting bodies. The following initiatives and activities will be, or are already running concurrently to the accreditation process: introduction of a comprehensive curriculum management system; managing growth in total institutional learner numbers; curriculum renewal; and curriculum governance. The Faculty of Medicine at the University of Manitoba was last accredited by LCME and CACMS in 2004 and received continuing accreditation. A full accreditation survey is now scheduled for the 2010-2011 academic year with an anticipated site visit in the first quarter of 2011. The accreditation process can serve as a catalyst for selfexamination and increased efforts at quality assurance and improvement in our educational programs. It is anticipated that the process of preparing for this accreditation survey could establish a framework and culture for quality assurance
and improvement that will be enduring and transcend the inevitable turnover in faculty, staff and decanal leadership. The accreditation process will engage the Faculty of Medicine at all levels and additionally will require participation and support from many of our intersectoral partners. The Faculty will communicate widely on accreditation over the coming two years and is committed to ensuring that all faculty and staff stay abreast of the accreditation process, and participate fully in this essential and valuable quality assurance initiative. The institutional self-study is central to the accreditation process. LCME identifies that the self-study brings together representatives of the administration, faculty, student body, and other constituencies to (1) collect and review data about the medical school and its educational programs, (2) identify institutional strengths and issues requiring action, and (3) define strategies to ensure that the strengths are maintained and any problems are addressed. The educational database that forms the nucleus of the self-study includes the accreditation standards that align with the following sections: I. Institutional Setting Ii. Educational Program Leading to the M.D. Degree Iii. Medical Students Iv. Faculty V. Resources Vi. Required Courses and Clerkships
All Aboard: First Year Student Welcome Event
First-year Faculty of Medicine students were welcomed to the faculty with a memorable train ride on the Prairie Dog Central and a delectable fall supper in Grosse Isle.
the university of manitoba faculty of medicine
Like all 17 faculties of medicine across the country, the University of Manitoba is accredited approximately every seven years by the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical School (CACMS) of the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada and the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) of the American Association of Medical Colleges.
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research news
By James Blanchard (MD/86) Director (left), Centre for Global Public Health and Dr. Stephen Moses, Associate Director, Centre for Global Public Health
Centre for Global Public Health to Influence Disease Prevention Around the World
Many universities are currently striving to build strong global health programs to seek ways to increase global opportunities for their faculty and increase their role in training a global work force in the health sciences. The U of M’s strong traditions and experience in global public health place it in a unique position to meet global public health challenges. CGPH is also committed to creating an exceptional environment for training and mentoring graduate students, fellows and trainees, as well as providing opportunities to participate in international health and development, and research projects. The CGPH will also facilitate the development of knowledge networks around key public health issues with experts from around the globe.
From deterring the spread of HIV/AIDS to educating communities about disease prevention, the Faculty of Medicine’s new Centre for Global Public Health (CGPH) will tackle public health issues on a global scale. In June 2008, the Department of Community Health Sciences established the CGPH, in collaboration with the Department of Medical Microbiology. The Centre aims to enhance the University of Manitoba’s contribution to the improvement of public health systems, programs and activities in diverse global settings. Although the Centre for Global Public Health is a new entity at the University of Manitoba, Drs. Blanchard and Moses have been involved in international health and development projects and research for over a decade. A cornerstone of the CGPH is the design and implementation of international health and development projects in several countries including India, China, Kenya and Pakistan, primarily in the areas of HIV and STI prevention. Current partners include the West China School of Public Health at Sichuan University in Sichuan, China, and the Karnataka Health Promotion Trust in Bangalore, India .
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CGPH is planning a Global Public Health Research Week May 19-21, 2009. Researchers, experts and students from China, India, Pakistan, England, the United States and Canada will assemble at U of M to exchange knowledge and help plan a research agenda for CGPH.
CGPH is able to carry out this work through the numerous grants received from funders including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID, CIDA and CIHR. Drs. Blanchard and Moses have received more than $100 million in funding for India alone since 2001. Their largest projects are currently in India and China. Applied Public Health Research The Centre’s other main area of focus is conducting and supporting applied public health research in Canada through collaboration with public health professionals and clinicians to study the public health aspects of communicable and non-communicable diseases.
U of M - A Global Leader The Centre will provide academic and administrative structures within the university to sustain and expand the Faculty of Medicine’s global public health programs. By bringing in new young faculty, the Centre will enhance its ability to expand its program of research, service and education to new places and in new health fields. The Centre will serve as an effective bridge between the U of M’s global health projects and the faculty and students, increasing the academic benefits to the university community and better harnessing its academic resources. The Centre will also actively pursue academic collaborative relationships with other global health centres, increasing opportunities for networking and knowledge synthesis and exchange. The Centre’s research focus is primarily on creating knowledge to assist in designing and delivering public health programs and services. A range of research disciplines will support this effort, including epidemiology, microbiology, clinical outcomes research and medical anthropology. Although much of the focus has been on HIV and sexually transmitted infections, the Centre will expand its focus to include other important public health issues including other infectious diseases, maternal and child health, and emerging non-communicable disease epidemics. The Centre also intends to build a strong focus on knowledge translation and technical assistance, whereby knowledge gained from research and program experience is extended to various countries. The CGPH will have six core full-time faculty, including three recently recruited faculty members. In addition, the CGPH has several associates from various university departments. The Centre for Global Public Health is located in Room R065, in the Department of Community Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine. MbM
faculty news
Manitoba’s Youth Get Hands-on Health Sciences Experience at Discovery Day by: Ilana Simon High School students from around Manitoba tried their hand at simulated baby deliveres during Discovery Day.
Over 310 students and teachers from 86 high schools across Manitoba spent their day sampling science career options at the 8th annual Pfizer Canada Discovery Day in Health Sciences held last November. The event is offered by The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame in partnership with the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Medicine. A record number of participants came from Aboriginal schools and for the first time, francophone youth learned about health-related career opportunities in their first language.
To ensure this unique program is inclusive, the Faculty of Medicine contributes towards costs, including transportation for students and teachers from rural and remote communities to participate in Discovery Day – some from as far away as Churchill. Keynote speakers from the Faculty of Medicine included Dr. Marcia Anderson, Department of Community Health Sciences, presenting on “Medicine’s Open Doors” and Associate Professor Pamela Wener, School of Medical Rehabilitation, speaking on “The Health Care Team in the 21st Century”. Students then disbursed to two of 29 hands-on workshops delivered by some of Canada’s brightest scientific minds in their labs, classrooms, the Clinical Learning and Simulation Facility and hospital settings. Workshops included: • Neurosurgery with the Gamma Knife where students saw how brain tumours and other abnormalities of the brain are treated with beams of radiation; • A Day in the Life of a Family Doctor where students received basic training on how to suture a wound, read x-rays, and perform a delivery and colonoscopy using simulators and robotic mannequins in the new Clinical Learning and Simulation Facility; and • Spinal Instrumentation where students inserted spine implants (screw, rods, hooks) into lumbar spine models and found out how spinal instrumentation is used to reconstruct the spine.
the university of manitoba faculty of medicine
“Discovery Days offers rural and urban high school students from across the Province an unparalleled introduction to career options within medicine and the other health sciences. It is one of the most effective ways for the University to expose the health professions to youth and ultimately will lead to more Manitobans pursuing careers in medicine, nursing, medical rehabilitation and research,” said Dr. J. Dean Sandham, Dean of Medicine.
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Science Technology Energy & Mines Minister Hon. James Rondeau, U of M President and Vice-Chancellor David Barnard, Dr. George Yee and Dr. Dean Sandham at ribbon cutting for the George & Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare Innovation
From Poverty to Pathologist… manitoba medicine | spring 2009
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Principled North End Alumnus Gives Back to Med School
The Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba announced last November an incredible $2.5 million gift by Dr. George Yee (MD/60) – one of its largest gifts ever by an alumnus – to establish the George & Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare Innovation and the George & Fay Yee Fellowship in Health Service Design and Quality Improvement.
by: Ilana Simon
Yee, now a respected and successful pathologist in Windsor, Ontario, grew up in one of Winnipeg’s roughest districts. He recalls Henry Avenue in the 1940s as being filled with “rubbies, bootlegging joints and drunks.” During the Depression, his father’s restaurant, the Moon Café, which served Ukrainian food, had fed the hungry free soup and bread. But, in the 1940s, the restaurant was put off limits to the soldiers due to so many fights taking place there.
Dean Sandham and Dr. George Yee survey the new George & Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare Innovation
Despite tough times, Yee’s parents put a lot of stock in a university education – a luxury they themselves never had. “Ever since I was a small boy living in the city core at the edge of the north end, of immigrant parents with limited education and of mixed heritage, I was told along with my brother and sister that I would have to go to university,” Yee told a packed media conference announcing his generous gift back to his alma mater. “They might just as well have told me I was going to the land of Oz. I never questioned it, I just accepted that I was going to university, wherever that was. When I finally did get to university my father died. He never lived to see me graduate. Had he lived, he would have been so proud.”
Serving as a nucleus for inter-disciplinary study, teaching and research,the innovative centre is an extension of the faculty’s existing partnership with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority. “We are privileged to have among our alumni such generous and forward-thinking people as George Yee. George and Fay Yee’s remarkable gift to the Faculty of Medicine is a leadership investment,” said Dr. J. Dean Sandham, Dean of Medicine, University of Manitoba. “The new centre will position Manitoba and the Faculty of Medicine as leading experts in patient-centered quality care and safety and will propel the University as the vanguard in this area.” Yee has long remained connected to his alma mater. Since 2003, Yee has donated $200,000 to establish, in honour of his parents, the Charles and Pauline Yee bursary in Medicine to help medical students in financial need complete their program. His donation was matched by the Manitoba Scholarship & Bursary Initiative. In 2006, his class held their 46th reunion and he generously matched his classmates’ total gift amount to support the Medicine Class of 1960 Entrance Scholarship award. This gift, a group effort, helps medical students with the financial pressures of medical school, a pressure he remembers himself as a medical student.
The University of Manitoba Medical School opened up a different world to Yee . “I was accepted. The Hippocratic Oath says you accept your colleagues as brothers. Everybody looked at me as though there weren’t any differences,” he recalled. “I was inspired by the dedication of my professors, the other doctors, how much they gave, and I was helped…I was in pretty tough financial straits but the Dean came and said ‘you know George you need some money’ and gave me a bursary. That had a big impact on me because I came from a place where nobody helps anybody out, you got to fight for whatever you have. “Education enabled me to achieve success and I vowed that if I was ever fortunate enough, I would give back.” The George & Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare Innovation (CHI) will bring together healthcare expertise from the faculties of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy and School of Medical Rehabilitation; experts in quality improvement from the I. H. Asper School of Business; systems and process design engineers from the Faculty of Engineering; computer and measurement scientists from the Faculty of Science; and health informatics experts.
“The University of Manitoba is very proud of all of its graduates and in particular graduates like Dr. Yee who remember the days of getting in to medical school, always grateful for the support he received, and ready to give back to the school that gave him his start in life.” said Dr. David Barnard, University of Manitoba President and ViceChancellor. “Dr. Yee exemplifies what we like to see in graduates: he is a thoughtful and humane person. It’s that humane exchange between people that actually shapes the university experience.” Yee, a former Winnipeg Rods football player whose team is recognized in the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame, takes pride in being a graduate of the University of Manitoba. “I am proud to be a doctor and a graduate of the U of M medical school,” said Yee. “The vision for the Centre for Healthcare Innovation intrigued me...I appreciate the importance of teamwork and the Centre will teach and train physicians and students in new methods of working together to give more benefit to patients.” MbM
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I was inspired by the dedication of my professors, the other doctors, how much they gave, and I was helped…
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student news
U of M Welcomes Largest Med School Class Ever The University of Manitoba Faculty of Medicine ushered in a new era in medical education in the province last August with110 new medical students—our largest medical school class ever. First-year medical students began their first official day at the Faculty of Medicine by participating in a symbolic White Coat ceremony that includes reciting the Hippocratic Oath. The Inaugural Day Exercises event formally welcomed the Class of 2012 into the Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba and into the medical profession. University of Manitoba alumnus and award-winning author Dr. Kevin Patterson (MD/89) presented an insprining keynote address reflecting on his life experiences in challenging
health-care environments. Dr. Patterson is an award-winning author of Consumption, Country of Cold and The Water In Between. The Class of 2012 is comprised of 99 Manitoba residents and 11 out-of-province residents. Of the 110 students, six selfdeclared as Aboriginal and 26 self-declared as rural. “Over the last six years, we have seen in Manitoba the largest growth in health professional education in two generations,” says Dr. J. Dean Sandham, Dean, Faculty of Medicine. “We celebrate the largest class of new medical students in Manitoba with pride and we thank our partners in the community and government for this exciting, and important, opportunity.” MbM
FIRST-IN-CANADA PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT PROGRAM AT UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA manitoba medicine | spring 2009
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Twelve University of Manitoba students made history last fall as they began classes in Canada’s first university-based, graduate-level physician assistant program, launched by the faculties of Medicine and Graduate Studies. Physician assistants (PAs) are highly skilled healthcare professionals. The two-year Physician Assistant Education Program (PAEP) is designed to prepare graduates for primary generalist practice with emphasis on a team approach to the delivery of health care. As integral members of the Physician-PA team, PAs can improve patients’ access to high quality health care while safely enhancing physician effectiveness. Under physician supervision, PAs gather and evaluate medical data,
participate in the process of clinical decision-making, and provide a broad range of diagnostic, therapeutic, preventative, and health maintenance services. Clinically, Physician Assistants may work in a primary care setting or in medical or surgical specialties under supervision. Students in the University of Manitoba’s PAEP class of 2010 come from diverse backgrounds including nursing, nutritional science, community health science, paramedicine, medicine (international), physiotherapy, occupational therapy, athletic therapy, biomedical engineering, and basic sciences. These are mature learners whose previous education and clinical experiences have prepared them well for the rigor and intensity of physician assistant education. MbM
Free Biomedical Summer Camp for Inner-City Youth by: Ilana Simon
“We want to expose students to science at a young age so they will consider careers in the medical and health professions,” says Dr. Francis Amara, Associate Professor, Biochemistry and Medical Genetics and Director, Biomedical Youth Program. “We are targeting the disadvantaged populations that would not normally have the opportunity to go to science camp.” University of Manitoba medical students served as camp leaders/instructors successfully inspiring some of their charges to think about following in their foot steps. “It was an
For Zachary Harpe, 14, and Katrina Novak, 11, learning about DNA stood out. “It was cool…I’m going to tell my friends about this,” Harpe said. Novak said that during Biomedical Youth Summer Camp she learned what DNA stands for and saw what kidney stones look like in the gross anatomy lab. MbM
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This is the second annual free, week-long science camp offered by the Faculty of Medicine and aimed at new Canadian, refugee and First Nations, Métis and Inuit students.
amazing opportunity,” said Keisha Luzige, 15. Her favourite part was the gross anatomy lab and seeing the cadaver and how all the major organs work. So much so, she added, “I am considering a career in the health sciences.”
Inner-city students learn how to do DNA testing during Biomedical Summer Youth Camp.
More than 50 inner-city students spent an eye-opening week last July conducting genetic engineering science experiments with DNA, studying the skeletal system through x-rays, learning about sports injuries and career opportunities in the School of Medical Rehabilitation, and using hands-on simulation technology at the Faculty of Medicine’s Biomedical Youth Summer Camp.
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news briefs
Illustrious Alumnus Inspires at Joe Doupe Lecture
by: Janice Labossiere
As a University of Manitoba medical student more than 40 years ago, Hugh Smith (B. Sc. Med./65, MD/65, Hon. D.Sc./08) had an unforgettable formative experience under the tutelage of Dr. Joe Doupe. “Joe Doupe had a profound influence on my career. He was interested in how you thought as a student,” Dr. Smith said of the professor known for questioning students and teaching them how to become critical thinkers. That has held Dr. Smith in good stead as he went on to become a renowned cardiovascular researcher, educator, and practitioner, ultimately serving as Chair of the Board and CEO of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Fittingly, Dr. Smith presented a lecture entitled “Do We Know What We Know?” at the annual Joe Doupe Memorial Lecture last September – named in his mentor’s honour – to more than 350 students, faculty, staff and members of the public. “Do We Know What We Know?” focused on a physician’s life-long learning process and how technology is changing the way doctors learn, gather patient data, and process vast amounts of patient information now available to them. The annual Joe Doupe Memorial Lecture recognizes and honours Dr. Doupe’s legacy within the University of Manitoba Faculty of Medicine where he served as Professor and Head of the Department of Physiology from 1948-1966. MbM
Sir Michael Marmot Challenges Health Inequity by: Janice Labossiere Professor Sir Michael Marmot, Chair of the World Health Organization’s Commission on Social Determinants of Health, presented a passionate plea to end health inequity to 350 faculty, staff and students at the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada McLaughlin-Gallie Fellowship Lecture held at the University of Manitoba in February 2009. “Closing the Gap on Health Equity” focused on how life expectancy is related to socio-economic status and what changes are required to bring greater world-wide health equity. “We are dealing with these huge inequities within countries, and the inequities between countries, and they overlap. This is a problem for all of us,” Dr. Marmot said. “So close is the link between economic and social factors that you can say that health, and the distribution of health, tells us how well a society is doing.” With data ranging from life expectancy by socio-economic status and education to social mobility statistics based on paternal income, Dr. Marmot’s lecture challenged audience members to work towards closing the health equity gap within a generation. “The reason for taking action on the social determinants of health in order to promote health equity is one of social justice.”
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During Dr. Marmot’s visit, the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy hosted three interactive sessions focusing on child health, Indigenous health, and primary care/public health with Dr. Marmot and small groups of academics, clinicians, government representatives, graduate students, public health researchers and community members. Dr. Marmot’s career in public heath and research on health inequalities has spanned more than 30 years. In 2000 he was knighted by Her Majesty the Queen for services to epidemiology and understanding health inequalities. This was the first time the University of Manitoba has hosted a prestigious Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada McLaughlin–Gallie fellow and the U of M was one of only three Canadian faculties receiving Dr. Marmot’s visit. MbM
donor news
Diabetes Foundation of Manitoba – John A. Moorhouse Fellowship by: Alexis McEwen
In 1981, Moorhouse founded the Diabetes Foundation of Manitoba to further research in the field of diabetes, the area of his own practice and research. And 25 years after its establishment, the well dug by Moorhouse began to overflow, prompting the local charitable organization to consider how to best use its excess funds, which ultimately led to the creation of the Diabetes Foundation of Manitoba – John A. Moorhouse Fellowship at the Faculty of Medicine. “John saw a need for research and an opportunity to fund it through the Diabetes Foundation of Manitoba,” says Eric Lister, one of three founding directors of the foundation, with Moorhouse along with his friend and patient Ray Scouten taking on its other director positions.
The Foundation continues to carry out its mandate, although Lister notes, “We are moving from a charity that does its own research to a true foundation that funds other research.” The inaugural Diabetes Foundation of Manitoba – John A. Moorhouse Fellowship was awarded to Suresh Mishra, PhD, of the Section of Endocrinology and Metabolism. The $525,000 gift from the Foundation to establish the Fellowship was announced at the Joe Doupe Lecture in September 2008. The Fellowship’s aim is to support new academic faculty members for research in endocrinology and in particular diabetes research, with a goal to finding a cure and improving healthcare of those suffering from diabetes and related diseases. Lister credits public awareness about diabetes, Manitobans’ desires to contribute to a fund with local ties and Moorhouse’s reputation for the Foundation’s ability to establish an endowed Fellowship at the Faculty of Medicine, to which the Foundation will continue to make contributions. Says Lister, “The goal is to make sure that John’s legacy is carried out.” MbM
Message from Development Our Faculty of Medicine graduates are working in many centres around the word – yet they journey back to Winnipeg every year to celebrate their class reunions. At last year’s Homecoming, the Class of 1968 started a class campaign during their reunion to provide bursaries to support the students in medical school today. What a success and an inspiration! Here are a few of the ‘special gifts’ we have received recently. Thank you to all of our supporters: George (MD/60) & Fay Yee gave an incredibly generous legacy gift of $2.5 million to establish the George & Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare Innovation and the George & Fay Yee Fellowship in Health Service Design and Quality Improvement. Glaxo Smith Kline donated $1,000,000 to establish an endowed research chair in
by: Barbara Becker
Immunobiology of Infectious Disease, with matching funds from the Province of Manitoba’s Department of Science, Technology, Energy and Mines. The Manitoba Paraplegic Association has made a commitment to give $600,000 over the next five years to establish the Will to Win Professorship, pending Senate approval. This Professorship will support a professor in the area of spinal cord research. Gloria Brown, wife of Dr. Roy Brown,(MD/39), established the Dr. Roy Brown and Gloria Brown Entrance Scholarship in Medicine to award our top students entering first year Medicine with an entrance scholarship. David Bloom, (MD/61), and his wife, Rosalind Bloom, established the David S. Bloom, M.D., and Rosalind Dalfen Bloom Bursary in Medicine to help students with their educational expenses while they are attending medical school. MbM
Diabetes Foundation of Manitoba board members present a generous cheque to the Faculty of Medicine
Rural Tech Pilot Project by: Alexis McEwen Every year, University of Manitoba Med III students do a portion of their clinical clerkship in a rural area. However, access to a computer and a high speed connection in many rural and remote areas is not always readily available. To that end, the Murphy Foundation has generously donated $100,000 to fund a pilot project starting in fall 2009 that will provide students placed in rural clerkships with personal digital assistants loaded with selected educational materials and clinical management guidelines. “Distributed Medical Student Education using Health Informatics – A Pilot Project” will compare the educational outcomes for two groups of third year students: one group will be equipped with the hand-held computers and the second group will work using conventional paper based materials. The project’s findings, in addition to student evaluations, could change the way medical education is delivered in the future, by equipping students with the tools they need to diagnose and treat patients, better preparing them for being physicians in remote areas with limited access to resources. MbM
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Research funding can be like clean drinking water: plentiful at times – when you know where, and how, to collect it. But what do you do if the spring is dry and the rain barrel stays empty? John A. Moorhouse (MD/50) might suggest you take matters into your own hands and dig a well.
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faculty awards Dr. Allan Becker (MD/69) Professor of Pediatrics and Immunology, will head the Winnipeg site of the new $12M national CHILD Asthma and Allergies Study, co-funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health and AllerGen NCE Inc. This study will follow 5,000 children from the womb to early childhood, investigating the roles of indoor and outdoor environmental exposure, infections, nutrition, and genetics on the development of asthma and allergies. Dr. Charles Bernstein (MD/85) Professor of Internal Medicine, was elected to Fellowship in the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, one of the highest honours for individuals in the Canadian health sciences community. He also received an additional $1.5M in CIHR funding for the Manitoba Inflammatory Bowel Disease Cohort Study, bringing total CIHR funding for the project to $2.7M. Dr. Harvey Chochinov (MD/83, PhD/98), Professor of Psychiatry and Canada Research Chair in Palliative Care, was reappointed to the CIHR Governing Council for a three year term and became a Fellow in the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. Since 1990, Chochinov has been conducting palliative care research and is acknowledged as one of the world’s leading experts and investigators in end-of-life care, garnering over $10 million in research funding and writing over 150 publications. Dr. Heather Dean, Professor of Pediatrics & Child Health and Associate Dean (Academic Affairs) was awarded the Gerald S. Wong Award in recognition of significant contribution to the diabetes community. She is a consultant for many provincial, national and international organizations regarding the care of children with diabetes and endocrine diseases and is the Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Journal of Diabetes. Her major research interest is the epidemiology, care, education, support and prevention of Type 2 diabetes in youth.
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Dr. Kent HayGlass, Professor of Immunology, Medical Microbiology, and Pediatrics & Child Health, is the 2008 recipient of the Bernhard Cinader award lectureship, given to a Canadian scientist who exemplifies distinguished scientific leadership and accomplishments in Immunology. Dr. Geoff Hicks (PhD/91) was appointed Director and Senior Scientist for the Regenerative Medicine Program through the Dean of Medicine’s Strategic Recruitment Initiative for Biomedical Research. Dr. Hicks has established an
international reputation in embryonic stem cells and large scale mammalian functional genomics. Within the Faculty, he has developed a research program that includes 22 scientists in the team and he is funded by four major grants from CIHR, NCIC and Genome Canada. He is currently the Scientific Director of the Genetic Modeling Centre at U of M. Dr. Edwin Kroeger (M.Sc./68, PhD/70), Assistant Dean, Graduate Studies is the recipient of the Harry Rowsell Award for Outstanding Service to the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC). Dr. Kroeger is only the third Canadian recipient of this award. Dr. Patricia Martens (B.Sc./72, M.Sc./94, PhD/99), Director of the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy and Associate Professor, Department of Community Health Sciences, has been awarded a CIHR Applied Public Health Chair, a $925,000 award over five years. The award comes from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s Institute of Population and Public Health, in partnership with the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Centre de recherché en prevention de l’obésité. Dr. Gisèle Pereira (BPT/79) Senior Instructor, Department of Physical Therapy, School of Medical Rehabiliation is the 2008 recipient of Founders Award of the Lung Association. Ms Pereira was recognized for her significant and longstanding commitment to the “Catch Your Breath “ program offered annually at SMR. This award honours individuals who have devoted themselves to the affairs of the Lung Association and the course of respiratory health and recognizes exemplary innovation or commitment towards lung health. Dr. Grant Pierce (PhD/83), Professor in Physiology and Assistant Dean Research, was elected to Fellowship in the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences in recognition of his outstanding career accomplishments and exceptional leadership, creativity, and commitment to advancing academic health sciences. He has made pioneering contributions to the identification of cardiomyopathy in diabetes and to determining an important mechanism responsible for ischemic heart disease. Dr. Cheryl Rockman-Greenberg, Professor and Head, Department of Pediatrics & Child Health, Professor of Biochemistry & Medical Genetics, was awarded the Michael Wright Award for Community Leadership from the Huntington Society. It is presented to individuals who have made a difference in the lives of people with Huntington disease.
One Day Wonder:
Class of 1968 Legacy Fund by: Alexis McEwen “Our class felt we got a very good medical education and felt it was time to do something to give back,” said William Rennie (MD/68), one of four class leaders. That something was raising $117,000 in one day to establish the Class of 1968 Legacy Fund, a bursary fund designed to provide financial resources to students in need. To date the class has raised $128, 800!
Dr. Dean Sandham met Faculty of Medicine grads at a U of M Alumni Association reception in Ottawa in November 2008.
Dr. Dean Sandham and President David Barnard with Medicine alumni at a dinner in California in January 2009.
Dr. Rennie and the other class leaders, Edward Lyons (MD/68), Robert Ramsay (MD/68) and Ronald DeVere (MD/68) were motivated to encourage their classmates to contribute to a class campaign and prepared to make it happen. “We met as a class and talked about the class gift,” noted Dr. Ramsay, adding that with the help of development officer, Blair Nicholls, they were well-informed of the possible uses for the funds raised by their class campaign. A couple of classmates made very impassioned pleas for bursaries. “They had received bursaries and without the contribution they wouldn’t have made it through medical school,” said Dr. Rennie. “Bursaries impact individual students, and that is a good legacy for our class,” said Dr. DeVere, now practicing in Austin, Texas who returned to Winnipeg for the reunion. With the decision made to establish a bursary fund, the class leaders set out to encourage their classmates to make a contribution at their final reunion event. Later that evening, with extra pledge forms in hand, the first pledge of $10,000 was made and as Dr. Rennie remarked, “Once it started, it just snowballed.” Of his classmates’ generosity Dr. Lyons said, “Perhaps it is where we are in our lives, with people starting to retire, and taking a look back at our lives. This was clearly the right thing to do looking towards the future.” MbM
the university of manitoba faculty of medicine
A class reunion is a time for reconnecting with old friends, reliving fond memories and, in the case of the Class of 1968’s 40th reunion, raising more money in one day than any medical class has ever raised during a reunion.
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Homecoming 08 Approximately 200 Medicine alumni attended the Dean’s Homecoming Breakfast in September 2008.
School of Med Rehab Physical Therapy Class of 1968 celebrated 40th reunion at Homecoming 2008.
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Check Up on Alumni
Helmut T. Huebert (MD/58) FRCSC volunteers with Mennonite Brethren Church and has served on its local, provincial and national boards. A serious history buff, Dr. Huebert has published seven books on Mennonite History. Harvey Guyda (MD/62) won the Allan Ross Award in 2008. He has been the chair of pediatrics at McGill since 1996 and was made a Fellow at the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences in 2006. Mary Lou Ozohan (B.Sc. Med., MD/68) continues to practice radiation oncology in Los Angeles. She is happy to announce the arrival of first grandchild, Owen Luis Camacho in October 2007. Peter Tomy (B.Sc. Med., MD/68) still works everyday and enjoys traveling to other countries. He has four children, all physicians and five grandchildren all in Manitoba. Diane Biehl (MD/69) retired in 2006 and currently serves as Vice-President on the Board of Directors of the Manitoba Medical College Foundation. Howard A. Zaren (MD/71) was appointed medical director of the Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer & Research Pavilion at St. Joseph’s/Candler in Savannah, Georgia. He will also be SJ/C’s principal investigator for the National Community Cancer Centers Program pilot project of the National Cancer Institute. The Pavilion is one of only 10 organizations selected for the three-year pilot which will change how cancer patients are treated nationally in the community hospital setting. Dr. Zaren has been the principal investigator on numerous national clinical trials and brings a wealth of knowledge to southeast Georgia and the South Carolina low country. Dr. Zaren was previously the chair of the Department of Surgery at the John H. Stroger Hospital of Cook County, Chicago, and is a tenured professor of Surgical Oncology at the University of Illinois. He also served as the principal investigator of the Minority Based Community Clinical Oncology Program funded by the NCI. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Albert Chudley (MD/74) Professor, Department of Pediatrics & Child Health, and Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, received the Founders Award from the Canadian College of Medical Geneticists in 2008. It is given in recognition of members of the CCMG who have had an outstanding career in medical genetics in Canada or abroad.
Bob Lotocki (B.Sc./71, MD/75) Section Head, Gynecology, was recognized with the 2008 APGO (Association of Professors and Gynecologists in Obstetrics) Excellence in Teaching Award, presented to outstanding teachers in ob-gyn medical education. He is also the medical director of the Manitoba Cervical Cancer Screening Program, a program charged with increasing the utilization of Pap smear testing in Manitoba. Daryl Hoban (B.Sc./70, M.Sc./73,PhD/77) Professor, Department of Medical Microbiology in the Faculty of Medicine and Clinical Microbiologist at the Health Sciences Centre was awarded the 2008 Distinguished Microbiologist Award from the Canadian College of Microbiologists.. Dr. Hoban has published over 600 papers and abstracts in the area of infectious disease, antimicrobial resistance and laboratory diagnostics. GW (Hardy) Bock (MD/80) received a specialist certificate in Diagnostic Radiology from the Royal College in 1991. He is currently in a group Radiology practice in Winnipeg Dawn Clemett (MD/98) is a hospitalist at Foothills Hospital, Calgary, AB. She is married with three children. Annie Cyr-Hornick (MD/98) is owner of Laser Away Ltd. She is a hospitalist at Concordia Hospital in Winnipeg and works in Concordia ER. She is married and has three children: Alyssa, Ethan and Talia. Jon-Jon Santiago (B.Sc. Hons./04, M.Sc./06) is keenly interested in cardiovascular research and regenerative medicine. He is currently working with Dr. Elissavet Kardami at St. Boniface General Hospital Research Centre, and will complete his PhD program in 2010. He is vice-president of Health Sciences Graduate Students’ Association and is a member of the Manitoba Medical College Foundation Board of Directors representing graduate students within the Faculty of Medicine. Randy Fransoo, (B.Sc.(IE)/88, M.Sc./94; PhD/07) an Assistant Professor in Community Health Sciences, won a 2008 CIHR Rising Star Award, given annually to five Canadian graduate or post-doctoral fellows for excellence. Fransoo was recognized for his contribution to two projects - studying the impact of socioeconomic status on educational outcomes, and a new approach to disseminating research results.
Do you have news regarding your career, retirement, published work, travel and family for publication in the alumni news section of MB Medicine? Mail to: Ilana Simon, Editor, MB Medicine Magazine Room 290 Brodie Centre, 727 McDermot Ave. Winnipeg, MB R3E 3P5 Fax to 204.977-5690 E-mail to simoni@cc.umanitoba.ca
the university of manitoba faculty of medicine
T. Kenneth Thorlakson (MD/49) was appointed an Officer in the Order of Canada in 2007. “Dr. Ken” is known as an outstanding supporter of Manitoba’s Icelandic community and has made many contributions as a volunteer and a legendary fundraiser dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Icelandic heritage. Respected as a surgeon and a teacher at the University of Manitoba, he’s been a mentor to many young physicians over the years. Thorlakson is also a Knight of the Icelandic Order of the Falcon.
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obituaries We extend our condolences to all family and friends of our University of Manitoba Faculty of Medicine alumni and colleagues who have recently passed away. KATHERINE ANNE HAMILTON KLASSEN June 20, 1974 - July 14, 2008 Katherine grew up in North Kildonan and attended Maple Leaf Elementary School and MBCI. Following high school, Katherine earned a B.Sc. in Biology followed by a B.N. (with distinction) in 2000. Katherine practiced nursing at Concordia Hospital and at the same time, after receiving a fellowship from the University of Manitoba, entered the Master’s of Nursing program. During her studies she decided that she could contribute far more to the field of health care by becoming a physician in family practice, and consequently set out to further her education by applying to the University of Manitoba School of Medicine. Without a word to family or friends, she completed the preparatory requirements and subsequently received her acceptance for the class of 2009. She began her studies in the fall of 2005, but became ill three months into the program, forcing her to withdraw in order to receive active treatment. By the fall of 2007, after a difficult but determined recovery process, Katherine was ready to resume her studies and returned to medical school with the class of 2011. She successfully completed year one in the spring of 2008. Katherine’s desire to become a physician was reflective of her deep caring and loving nature. She wanted to make a difference in this world by becoming a physician who would compassionately listen, react, and support those who came to her for care. The Katherine Klassen Memorial Award has been established by the Faculty of Medicine to carry on her legacy. Katherine’s family contributed to the development of the terms of reference for the Award which will recognize annually a graduating medical student who emulates Katherine’s personal goal, which was to treat every patient with compassion and dignity, and to take a patient-centered approach to delivering health care. The inaugural award will be presented at Convocation on May 15, 2009. DR. BARRY JOSEPH KAUFMAN MD B.SC. (MED.), FRCPC
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Dr. Barry Joseph (BJ) Kaufman passed away on Tuesday, November 11, 2008, at the Health Sciences Centre, the place where he had worked for 45 years, and where he received the very best and kindest of care. BJ was a family man. And he was a doctor, the world of medicine his parallel sphere, his calling. He graduated in Medicine from the University of Manitoba in 1957, the top of his class with two gold medals, the Chown medal for medicine, a year later the Prowse medal for outstanding clinical research. He breathed his life in medicine: His residency at Montreal General Hospital, a city he embraced. His focus on diabetes, endocrinology. His years on the Medical Council of Canada. On the Medical Review
Committee (2002 to 2007), deterring abuses in the system. As medical consultant for the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON). And his primary roles as Professor of Medicine and clinician in the Department of Medicine at Health Sciences Centre: the wards, clinics, students, colleagues, clerks, nurses, secretaries, and especially, patients, he valued so. He was there for anyone and everyone who cared to call. And did. (His home telephone number was in the book.) In 2005 the Department of Internal Medicine inaugurated, at a gala dinner in the Hotel Fort Garry ballroom, the annual Barry J. Kaufman Award for exceptional performance in the role of CTU (Clinical Training Unit) attending physician, teacher and mentor. Barry was a doctor’s doctor, Dr. Arnold Naimark noted in his funeral eulogy. Many colleagues and their family members sought him out or were referred to him and it is worth a moment to reflect on why that was. The obvious answer is that they turned to him to benefit from the depth of his knowledge, wisdom and expertise. But there was much more than that. Doctors as patients want and expect what other patients want and expect of their doctors—trust, confidence, integrity, authority, responsibility and reliability. In Barry they— we—found these attributes in full measure. Should friends desire, contributions may be made in Barry Kaufman’s memory to Cancer Care Manitoba Foundation (Myeloma), 675 McDermot Avenue, Room ON1160, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 0V9, telephone 787-4177, or the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Manitoba, telephone 949-2000. DR. PHILIP F. HALL MD A humble and brave spirit until the end, Phil died peacefully on the morning of November 27, 2008. After delivering many babies including the first set of quintuplets born at Ottawa General, Phil and family moved to Winnipeg in 1989, where Phil joined the University of Manitoba St. Boniface General Hospital as Professor of Ob/Gyn Reproductive Sciences. Most recently he was Director of the St. Boniface Fetal Assessment Mb. Obstetric Outreach Programs and Chair, Medical Advisory Council. Phil was an incredibly thoughtful, generous and gentle human being. He will be remembered as a true renaissance man, a voracious reader, orator, and lover of music, fine wine, food and dusty martinis. Time spent at Lake of the Woods was important to him, particularly with Judith and friends over the past two years, where he felt the most at peace. He was a proud supporter of the arts community in Winnipeg, and past Board Chair of St. John’sRavenscourt School and Shakespeare in the Ruins. As an expression of sympathy, donations may be made to CancerCare and/or Palliative Care at St. Boniface Hospital through the St. Boniface Hospital Research Foundation, 237-2067, and to the Dr. Phil F. Hall Library gift fund at the University of Manitoba, 474-7132.
obituaries
Clive was born in Gloucester. He obtained a Ph.D. from Cambridge University and accepted his first faculty position at the University of Aberdeen. In 1969, Clive joined the faculty of the Department of Pharmacology Therapeutics at the University of Manitoba. Throughout a long and distinguished career as a cardiovascular scientist, he trained numerous graduate students and published important papers in whole animal physiology. He was also awarded for his excellent teaching skills. Clive was appointed Department Head from 1982 to 1989 and again from 1994 to 1996, before taking an early retirement. Clive was an avid gardener, photographer and stamp collector. He also enjoyed building elaborate model railways and had a special love for the steam-powered trains he grew up with in England.
Manitoba medical community as a physician, teacher and innovator and as a favourite of medical staff and patients wherever he practiced. Retirement in the 1980s led to further accomplishments as the author of two books, Almost an Elephant and A Mennonite Odyssey, and a wide range of volunteer contributions to seniors’ retirement education, children’s love of reading and Mennonite history. Donations would be most welcome to the University of Manitoba Faculty of Medicine in recognition of Rhinehart’s lifelong devotion to the practice and teaching of medicine.
Dr. Dorothy Emeline Saxton MD/34 – October 11, 2008 Dr. Leonora Hawirko MD/37 – October 4, 2008 at Winnipeg, MB Dr. Peter Winston Jaron MD/39 – May 4, 2008
If friends so desire, donations in his name may be made to the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada.
Dr. Gordon Robinson Dyker MD/42 – May 11, 2008
DR. RHINEHART F. FRIESEN MD FRCSC January 6, 1914 - February 6, 2009
Dr. Park Judson Rich MD/44
Rhinehart was born in the family home at Gretna, Manitoba. After graduation from the Mennonite Collegiate Institute at Gretna in 1930, he attended Normal School in Winnipeg from 1931 to 1932. He took his first job teaching Elementary School in Winkler, Manitoba. While teaching in Winkler he boarded at the home of Dr. Cornelius Wiebe who inspired Rhinehart’s journey into medicine.
Dr. Jean-Marie Huot MD/45 – January 31, 2009 at Winnipeg, MB
Upon completion of his medical internship, Rhinehart and Eira were married February 11, 1944. Shortly thereafter Rhinehart, with the rank of Captain, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, was posted to Halifax and Debert, Nova Scotia, and Goose Bay, Labrador.
Dr. Donald Lyn Dunlop MD/52 – January 4, 2009
Following the war he began a residency at Royal Victoria Hospital in Halifax. Rhinehart’s residency was interrupted in 1946 when he contracted tuberculosis giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to a dying patient. He spent a year in Ninette Sanatorium. Expected never to be strong enough to practice medicine but greatly respected by his professors, he was awarded the position of Medical Director of the Manitoba Cancer Relief and Research Institute. However, after six years and the birth of three of his four children, he restarted his career with a residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Manitoba and was awarded his F.R.C.S.C in 1957. Rhinehart built up his solo practice in Obstetrics and Gynecology committed to excellence as a physician treating both body and spirit regardless of financial ability. In 1964, in collaboration with Dr. Jack Bowman, Rhinehart performed the first successful intrauterine transfusion saving babies threatened by Rh disease. He became an international expert in the technique and lectured extensively at conferences worldwide. Through the 1960s and 1970s he became a respected leader of the
Dr. Donald Ralph Collins MD/43 – July 30, 2008 at Powell River, BC Dr. Helen Alice Bean MD/45 – February 8, 2009 Dr. James Claude Osborne MD/46 – August 31, 2008 at West Vancouver, BC Dr. Thomas E. Kinash MD/48 – September 16, 2008 Dr. Edward Rooklidge Siddall MD/49 – July 6, 2008 at Winnipeg, MB Dr. Vernon Raymond Knowles MD/51 – February 13, 2009 Dr. Nancy Katharine Vaughan Sirett MD/52 – October 3, 2008 at Winnipeg, MB Dr. Alexander Robert Smith Cumming MD/54 – March 16, 2008 Dr. Marvin L Stern MD/54 – at Los Angeles, CA Dr. John Laidlaw Fumerton MD/55 – December 1, 2008 Dr. Paul Hilton Good MD/56 – May 7, 2008 at Regina, SK Dr. Nicholas Jack Kaluzniak MD/56 – September 7, 2008 at Fargo, ND Dr. Myles MacLennan MD/57 – June 1, 2008 Dr. Alfonso Lawrence Molaro MD/57 – June 1, 2008 at New York, NY Dr. Richard Edwards MD/62 – April 25, 2008 at Hugo, MN Dr. Gary Lorne Haywood MD/62 – January 7, 2009 Dr. Leon R. Lapointe MD/65 – September 6, 2008 at Wichita, KS
the university of manitoba faculty of medicine
DR. CLIVE VICTOR GREENWAY March 6, 1937 - November 16, 2008
22
09 homecoming
Calling all Faculty of Medicine Alumni! Reconnect with fellow classmates, old friends and your alma mater at a Medicine class reunion. Many Faculty of Medicine class reunions will take place over the University of Manitoba Homecoming Weekend September 11-13, 2009. All Faculty of Medicine alumni – including those not celebrating reunions – are invited to join us for the Medicine Homecoming Breakfast and Tours at Brodie Centre Atrium, 727 McDermot Ave. The breakfast, on September 12, 2009, begins at 8:30 a.m. with tours starting at 10:00 a.m. The new Clinical Learning & Simulation Facility, located on the lower level of the Brodie Centre, will be a highlight of the tour. For more information about participating in any of the 2009 Medicine reunions or the Homecoming Breakfast or becoming involved in organizing your own class reunion in 2010, please contact Darcy Routledge, Alumni Affairs & Events Officer at (204) 977-5650 or routledd@cc.umanitoba.ca.
Class of 1954 - 55th Reunion June 11 -14, 2009 - Winnipeg
Class of 1969 - 40th Reunion September 11-13, 2009 - Winnipeg
June 11 - Welcome Reception at The Fairmont Hotel June 12 - Scientific Sessions / Lunch / Faculty Tour / Dinner at Bergmann’s on Lombard June 13 – Dinner at The Fairmont Hotel June 14 - Brunch at The Fairmont Hotel Class Leaders: Dr. Allan Downs Dr. Stefan Carter Dr. Thomas Cuddy
September 11- Welcome Reception at The Fort Garry Hotel (Salon C) September 12 – Faculty of Medicine Homecoming Breakfast, Brodie Centre Atrium at 8:30 a.m. & Tours: 10:00 a.m. / Get Together / Dinner at the Fort Garry Hotel September 13 - Brunch at the Art Gallery Class Leaders: Dr. Diane Biehl Dr. Allan Becker
Class of 1959 - 50th Reunion September 11-13, 2009 - Winnipeg
Class of 1974 - 35th Reunion September 11-12, 2009 - Winnipeg
September 11 – Welcome Reception at Sydney’s at the Forks September 12 – Faculty of Medicine Homecoming Breakfast, Brodie Centre Atrium at 8:30 a.m. & Tour at 10:00 am / Parliament Tour / Dinner at The Fort Garry Hotel September 13 – Brunch at the Fort Garry Hotel Class Leaders: Dr. Robert Blanchard Dr. Douglas Cain Dr. William Bebchuk Dr. Victor Chernick Dr. Robert Corne Dr. Paul Peters
Class Leaders: Dr. Richard Blouw Dr. Eric Sigurdson Dr. Arthur Blank Dr. Ab Chudley Dr. Chris Emery Dr. Nora Kobinsky Dr. Sylvia Kovnats Dr. Wayne Hildahl Dr. Linda Nugent
Class of 1964 - 45th Reunion September 11-12, 2009 - Winnipeg September 11 - Welcome Reception - Gilbert Welch’s Home September 12 - Faculty of Medicine Homecoming Breakfast, Brodie Centre Atrium at 8:30 am & Tour at 10:00 am / Scientific Sessions / Dinner at The Gates Class Leaders: Dr. Harold Wiens Dr. Keith Merrick Dr. Gerald Bristow
Publications Mail Agreement Number: 40063171
Return undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: University of Manitoba Faculty of Medicine Office of the Dean 260 Brodie Centre, 727 McDermot Ave. Winnipeg, MB R3E 3P5 Contact us:
Editor: Ilana Simon Phone: (204)789-3427 E-mail: simoni@cc.umanitoba.ca Web address: umanitoba.ca/medicine
Class of 1989 - 20th Reunion September 12, 2009 - Winnipeg September 12 - Faculty of Medicine Homecoming Breakfast at the Brodie Centre Atrium 8:30 am & Tour at 10:00 am / Group Activity / Dinner at Terrace 55 Class Leaders: Dr. Kristel van Ineveld Dr. Michael Raabe
Class of 1999 - 10th Reunion September 11-13, 2009 - Winnipeg Class Leaders: Dr. Krishna Balachandra Dr. Tara Miller Dr. Alla Kirshner