ZONE NEWS

Scroll down to view a collection of updates, news and upcoming events relevant to physicians across Alberta.

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Wellness

For more, follow on X (formerly Twitter): 
@CSM_PESJO

Online events, webinars, courses and conferences:

  • July 30, 12:00 – 1:30pm MT: AVA, the Alliance against Violence & Adversity, presents a free webinar, “I Know A Guy”: Abuse Thrives in Silence and Has No Boundaries. This interactive session will focus on men’s experiences with various forms of abuse and discuss empirical work and national data that may provide a more comprehensive understanding of abuse. Details and registration here

  • July 31 – Aug. 1: The Canadian Black Scientists Network presents its annual conference, Black Excellence in Science, Technology, Mathematics, Medicine & Health (BE-STEMM 2025). Taking place at the University of Calgary EEEL building, this conference includes multi-disciplinary STEMM talks, posters, career development, and networking. Special rates for trainees!

  • Aug. 13, 9:00am – 2:00pm MT: UCalgary is hosting Collaborations for Change, a virtual conference connecting research and practice in post-secondary mental health and well-being. Registrants will have the opportunity to attend keynote speeches, panel discussions and workshops, and connect with post-secondary mental health and well-being professionals and community leaders.

    Articles and resources:

  • The Community Based Research Centre is conducting its annual Our Bodies, Our Health national online survey, open to members of the 2S/LGBTQIA+ community. The survey aims to better understand the community’s priorities for sexual and reproductive health care across Canada.

  • Statistics Canada recently released Softening the Blow of Discrimination: The Role of Social Connections In Mitigating the Harms Associated with Racism and Discrimination. This report examines the self-reported experiences of discrimination against racialized people in Canada, the prevalence and nature of discrimination based on race or ethnicity, and the relationship of discrimination with wellbeing and perceptions of Canadian society. Highlighting the impact of discrimination, the rate of fair or poor mental health was almost double among racialized Canadians who faced discrimination (24%), compared to other racialized Canadians (13%).

  • The CSM Office of Faculty Development focused on health equity in two recent episodes of the AI Rounds podcast, a new podcast dedicated to the transformative role of artificial intelligence in healthcare and education. The AI, Health Equity and Implementation Science episode discusses the ethical and equity considerations of applying AI in real-world healthcare settings. Thinking About Gender Bias and Patient Participation in AI Development delves into the issue of gender bias in AI.

    Recordings of recent webinars, podcasts and presentations:

  • The Docs With Disabilities Initiative has released a recording from the International Congress on Academic Medicine (ICAM), a panel discussion on Facing Ableism: What’s Our Role in Building Inclusion. This conversation between residents, clinicians, and advocatess unpack how ableism—both overt and subtle—shows up in admissions, clinical training, patient care, and everyday interactions.The Lancet has a recorded video examining the disparities, frequently exacerbated by intersectionality, that impact women’s healthcare globally.

  • Past webinars presented by the National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health are available for viewing with some recent webinars focusing on advancing health equity.

     

Physician Wellness

Resources available to support you in your wellness:

Well Doc Alberta
Well Doc Alberta is an initiative aimed at advancing a collaborative, co-operative, pan-provincial approach to physician wellness. Their work, focused on education and prevention, is supported by the science of physician wellness and driven by need. Well Doc works with physicians at the grassroots level and with leadership to grow capacity, empower change, shift culture, and achieve their vision of “Shaping the future of physician wellness, together.”

Alberta Medical Association Physician & Family Support Program
The AMA's Physician and Family Support Program provides confidential support and help with personal health issues and enhances the quality of patient care and public safety by promoting health and well-being for the medical profession that cares for all Albertans. More resources are posted on the AMA website link above.

Their phone line is available for you at any time:
1.877.SOS.4MDS (767.4637)
International: 403.930.0529 (you may call collect)
CONFIDENTIAL 24 hours a day/7 days a week/365 days a year

Canadian Medical Association Physician Wellness Hub
This Hub provides reliable wellness tools and resources to empower physicians, medical learners and leaders to create change in the culture of medicine.

Community Collect YYC
Community Connect YYC is a collaborative of Calgary-based agencies committed to helping community members quickly and easily access mental health and other social support services.

Vital Signs

Vital Signs began in 1996 as a black-and-white stapled newsletter. It evolved over the years, eventually becoming a sleek and modern digital magazine until it was discontinued in 2020. To learn more about the history of Vital Signs and those who helped create it over the years, take a look at the final issue.

Archives
Click on links below to view each year's issues in pdf format.