Roundup

*Sent on behalf of Sharon Straus*

Words will never be sufficient to provide solace at such a distressing time. They will not alleviate the horror of the Hamas terrorist acts perpetrated against civilians in Israel. And, they will not reduce the fear that our Jewish friends and colleagues are experiencing worldwide. This fear has escalated with the recent global threats made by the terrorist organization, Hamas, for October 13.  While there is no known specific threat in the GTA at this time, we know that this is frightening for people.

We encourage you to continue to reach out to colleagues to check in. There are support services available including those at the OMA and the new Jewish Affinity Group, being established at Unity Health (see information below).

Some of our Department members have asked about a link to where they could obtain information about supporting health care needs and here is a link provided by Jeff Zaltzman:

https://www.timesofisrael.com/where-people-abroad-can-donate-to-israels-hospitals-troops-survivors-and-more/

With thanks to Jeff and Natalie for input on this note and to all of you for supporting and caring for each other and the learners.

Please let me know how best I can support you; my cell is 647 938 4525

Sharon

Please see below for the following updates

• Join the Jewish Affinity Group at Unity Health
• Social Media Guidelines for Faculty
• Flu and COVID-19 vaccines available beginning Monday, Oct. 16: See schedule for Fall vaccination clinics
• 2023 Angels Den
• Request for Core Internal Medicine 2023 CaRMS Interviewer/File Reviewer Availability

Dear Colleagues

The horrific terrorist acts against civilians in Israel this past weekend brought tremendous distress and sadness. Many of our Jewish friends and colleagues have experienced loss of or injuries to loved ones and continue to feel fear and anxiety for their friends, relatives, and themselves. Many of our Arab friends and colleagues also feel distress at the ongoing misery and loss of life.  Many in our Department have civilian friends and family who will be caught up in the miseries of war.

As Tim Rutledge noted in his email yesterday, sadly, we have also seen an increase in anti-Semitism, anti-Palestinian racism and Islamophobia over this weekend.

Now is the time for all members of our Department to re-affirm our shared values, our commitment to the sanctity of life, and our compassion and kindness for each other.  As such, our thoughts are with those living in the region as the events evolve and with our colleagues experiencing misery and distress.  I know that our Department members will continue to care for each other as we work side by side during these sad and distressing times.

Please reach out to staff wellness as needed and encourage your learners to reach out to wellness resources as well.  Physicians can reach out to wellness resources through the university TFOM and the OMA:

https://temertymedicine.utoronto.ca/wellness-resources-faculty

PHP toll-free confidential line at 1-800-851-6606

And, please let me know how best I can support you. My cell is 647 938 4525.

I acknowledge and am grateful to Michelle Sholzberg, Natalie Wong and Ahmed Bayoumi for their thoughtful contributions to this message.

Sharon

Sharon Straus, CM MD MSc FRCPC

Physician-in-Chief, St. Michael's Hospital

Please see below for the following updates:

• Nazik Hammad appointed Faculty Lead for the Toronto Addis Ababa Academic Collaboration
• A huge congratulations to Kamran Khan on the success of Blue Dot!
• UHT PGME Director Update
• Educational resources from Ontario Ministry of Health and Ontario Medical Association
• CAME Rising Star Certificate of Excellence Award
• Ahmed Bayoumi makes his New York Times crossword debut

Please see below for the following updates:

• Review masking and sick leave absence protocols heading into flu season
• CALL FOR APPLICATIONS | PGME Faculty Lead, Internal Review Committee (IRC), Royal College Programs

Please see below for the following updates:

• RSVPs for the CPA day
• Sign up for San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training
• Learn about the new Unity Health startup: Genetics Adviser
• Accreditation Information
• ‘Music heals’: Medical resident plays violin concert for patients at St. Michael’s Hospital

Please see below for the following updates:

• Congratulations to Samir Grover!
• Quality Improvement Partnership with the CPSO
• The Division of General Surgery and Department of Surgery welcomes Dr. Anna Dare
• Jeffrey C. Lozon Physician Leadership Award

Please see below for the following updates:

• 2022/2023 Annual Activity Reports – Due on September 30
• New Staff Profile: The Department of Medicine is delighted to welcome Dr. Lauren King, Division of Rheumatology, to the active staff!
• LMS Project - UAT – Physician
• Postings: early career faculty lead postings / call for committee membership recruitment
• OHT/DET-Family Physician Network Event
• Guidelines for using generative AI tools like ChatGPT at Unity Health
• Update – EPAs in the MD Program and Impact on PG Learners

Hi Everyone

As we head towards the fall, I wanted to thank all of you for your incredible work this summer to launch another academic year!  I know that there was a lot happening at the hospital, the university, and elsewhere over this summer, which meant that the pace did not slow down for many of you.

Huge thanks for coming together to support the admission surge we are seeing. The GIM CTUs have been experiencing much higher inpatient volumes than is typical for August and your assistance to help offload them has been fantastic and much appreciated. For example, the incredible collegiality in relaxing admission criteria to GI, respirology and neurology facilitated patient care and learner experience.  One of the residents remarked to me today that they were so amazed and grateful to see this happen, as they hadn’t had a similar experiences elsewhere.

Thanks for role modeling this and for your continued commitment to collegiality!

Sharon

Please see below for the following updates:

1. N95 Respirator fit testing at St. Michael’s
2. Angels Den 2023 – 2 Free Tickets Remain

Please see below for the following updates:

• Recipients for Excellence in Postgraduate Teaching
• Call for Proposals:  2023-24 SMHA AFP Innovation Funds - Aug 21/23 submission internal review deadline
• Reminder: Do not use the St. Michael’s Emergency Department to enter the hospital
• MRI staffing update
• Interim executive program coverage
• Vera Dounaevskaia is the Inaugural Program Medical Director for Medicine at Unity Health
• Medical Humanities Education Matching Funding Grant - Call for Proposals Fall 2023
• Update – Research Consolidating to LKSKI and 193 Yonge St.

Please see below for the following updates:

• Hand Hygiene education updates
• Call for Proposals:  2023-24 SMHA AFP Innovation Funds - Aug 21/23 submission internal review deadline
• Available Chair Opportunity - Endowed Chair in Homelessness, Housing and Health
• Changes in CPOE ordering of plasma on Soarian
• IM PD Posting