The new academic year is a very busy time for the Department of Family Medicine, especially now as we are launching into our 50th anniversary year! We are actively preparing for the special anniversary edition of our Annual Retreat, to be held on October 24-25 at the Faculty Club. There are still spaces available and registrations close on October 2 so sign up quick! Everyone (physicians, support staff, and patients) is also encouraged to participate in our to celebrate our discipline of Family Medicine.
As part of these celebrations, we will be highlighting three Family Medicine Heroes, nominated by you, the department members, in this newsletter each month. For this inaugural month, our heroes are the late Prof. Pierre Pluye; Dr. Laurie Musgrave; and Ms. Marie Posfei. Congratulations! To nominate someone as a Family Medicine hero, .
Today we are also releasing our Annual Report and, as you will be able to see, this past year has been memorable for many reasons. I hope you enjoy reading all about it!
This month I would like to highlight three individuals for special kudos received in September:
- Prof. Jeannie Haggerty was awarded the Médaille de la députée at the National Assembly of Quebec on September 10! Congratulations, Jeannie!
- Dr. Rhian Touyz was honoured with fellowship in the Royal Society of Canada. Congratulations, Rhian!
- Resident physician Dr. Alexis Ricard became Lauréat du Prix Nadine St-Pierre, awarded by the College of Family Physicians of Canada. Congratulations, Alexis!
Also, Department members conducted three site visits this month:
1. On September 13, Dr. Hersson-Edery, Program Director for PGME, and I visited the construction site of the new Vaudreuil Hospital where the residents from the Department’s newest U-FMG will ultimately work (photos coming soon!).
2. On September 18, Dr. Hersson-Edery and I were joined by many clinician teachers for the opening of a new clinic at the Lakeshore General Hospital which will become a U-FMG in July 2025.
3. On September 25, Dr. Hersson-Edery and Ms. Talithea MacInnis (far right on the photo below), Administrative Student Affairs Coordinator for PGME, visited our U-FMG in Val d’Or.
The Department is saying farewell to Prof. Amy Shawanda, who joined us one year ago, as she will be transferring to the McGill Department of Public and Global Health on October 1. We wish you all the best, Amy, in your new academic home! The Department also welcomes Hyunjung Jho, a palliative care physician from South Korea, who came to McGill’s Department of Family Medicine as a visiting scholar this month and is going to stay for a year!
On September 25, as part of McGill Indigenous Awareness Weeks, the Department held an event with Jennifer Petiquay-Dufresne from the Office of Joyce’s Principle, to underscore our commitment to Joyce’s Principle, passed by our Department’s Executive Committee one year ago.
Next month is Queer History Month and I will be introducing , to which everyone is invited.
As always, you can follow all our ongoing events here: /familymed/events
Wishing everyone a wonderful academic year!
Very warmly as always,
Marion
