The month of October has been a whirlwind of both positive and negative moments. On October 23 and 24 our Annual Department Retreat took place and was a tremendous success! On Day 1, we discussed the realities, opportunities and challenges of Distributed Medical Education. It was great to see so many of our rural teachers come together. On Day 2, we explored the theme of Human and Digital Integration in Family Medicine. Thank you to all those who participated so wholeheartedly -- your commitment, curiosity and passion came through. Together, we were truly Connected by Care!
Then that night of October 24, Quebec’s National Assembly adopted Bill 2 which marks a major turning point in our medical practice. The College of Family Physicians of Canada released a statement about Bill 2. Almost all department members are experiencing strong emotions such as anger, sadness and worry. The FMOQ and FMSQ are organizing a protest for November 9 at 2 pm (doors open at 1 pm) at the Bell Centre in Montreal (more info at FMOQ.org). If you need support in this time, please remember there are services at the Programme d’Aide aux Médecins du Québec (more info at PAMQ).
We have created a survey for members of our Department to express their thoughts and emotions on Bill 2. The survey is anonymous but the results may be shared for others to see our collective thoughts on the subject. Participate in the survey.
There were many other notable positive moments in October:
- October 6: We welcomed Bhinesha Seetaram, Program Administrator for Faculty Development, who is replacing Maria Morrison during her maternity leave. Welcome to Family Medicine, Bhinesha!
- October 14: Congratulations to our Family Medicine students who graduated at the Fall Convocation! We are very proud of you, best of luck in your future endeavors.
- October 28: In celebration of Queer History Month, the Department of Family Medicine's EDI Committee hosted a seminar where two Family Medicine graduate students, Brigitte Durieux and Joshua Ramos presented their research and led a conversation on the importance of inclusive language.
Coming up, here are other important events I’d like to let you know about:
- November 19: Palliative Care National Grand Rounds: Courageous Conversations with Children, Adolescents and Young Adults Living with Lori Wiener. Register here.
- December 1-3: McGill Annual Refresher Course for Family Physicians. Register here.
- December 4: Department of Family Medicine holiday party (in person at Côte-des-Neiges).
In the meantime, wishing Happy Halloween to those celebrating, and let us continue to embody the values that we hold dear: our commitment to our patients, our passion for family medicine, and our devotion to teaching.
Until next month,
Marion
