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 24 is Métis Nation Day, a time to celebrate the distinct history, culture, and identity of Métis peoples. Learn more about the history of the Métis in Alberta through this timeline created by the Otipemiskiwak Métis Government. Rupertsland Institute has a large selection of Métis education resources, including changemakers, art, and an augmented reality app. The Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada has compiled an extensive collection of the history of the Métis peoples in Canada from the fur trade to current day.

  • July 29, 12:00 – 1:00pm MT:  Join the CHI Speaker Series for the next webinar on When There Are No Answers: Building New Pathways Forward in Women’s Health.  Participant will learn about the unique challenges in women’s health and the impact of the sex and gender data gap, and gain practical strategies for moving beyond the system barriers that limit progress. Details and registration here

  • Aug. 13, 11:00am – 12:00pm MT: The Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion presents a virtual workshop, Shining a Light on the Rise of Polarization in Canadian Workplaces. In this evidence-based webinar, learners will explore the ripple effects of social and political polarization in workplaces today and learn how to identify and challenge misinformation while building opportunities to develop ethical practices and critical analysis skills.  AHS is a partner with CCDI and those registering with an AHS email can attend at no cost by selecting ‘employer partner’. Details and registration here

  • Oct. 29 - Nov. 2:  Registration is now open for the Community-Based Research Centre (CBRC) 2026 Summit: Building Our Futures, taking place in Toronto. This conference provide an opportunity for knowledge exchange focused on 2S/LGBTQIA+ health research, programming, and advocacy. Early-bird rates are available until Sept. 12.

    Articles and Resources:

  • ICES (formerly known as the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences) has developed A Toolkit to Guide Equity-Centred Community Engagement in Research, an online resource on how to engage communities in meaningful ways, especially when working with administrative data, equity-related research questions and health system initiatives. This toolkit includes case examples, reflection questions and planning templates to build authentic and respectful relationships with communities. It also supports examining issues of power and positionality, sharing decision-making where appropriate and integrating community expertise into research design, interpretation, and knowledge mobilization.

  • Dr. Gregor Wolbring, faculty member in the CSM’s Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies is conducting a research project involving an anonymous online survey that explores perspectives on the utility of the concepts of Ability justice/injustice in relation to health equity/inequity. The survey should take approximately 30 minutes to complete. Please help this research by participating in the survey here

  • An article was recently published by CSM disability scholars on Ableism, Disablism, and other Ability Judgment terms: Mapping out the Academic Literature to support ability judgment justice research, teaching and advocacy.  

    Recordings of recent webinars, podcasts and presentations:

  • The SuperPsyched Podcast hosted Minette Norman, discussing The Magic Ingredient: Psychological Safety and the consequences for an organization (including healthcare errors) when people don’t feel they can ask question, make mistakes, or voice differing views without embarrassment or repercussions.

  • Recordings of the sessions at the Health Data Research Network Canada’s 4th annual public forum, Health Data for All of Us: Our Health Data Journey, that took place in Ottawa in April are now available for viewing. The forum explored key ethical, equity and privacy challenges related to how our personal data move through the health system.

  • The Community-Based Research Centre (CBRC) recently hosted a webinar, Defining Gender-Based Violence with 2S/LGBTQIA+ Communities that shared key findings from a BC study, exploring how 2S/LGBTQIA+ communities define and experience gender-based violence (GBV). The webinar highlighted how definitions and understandings of GBV are often limited within mainstream frameworks and may not fully reflect the lived realities of 2S/LGBTQIA+ communities.

     

     

Physician Wellness

Resources available to support you in your wellness:

The Well Doc Initiative
The Well Doc Initiative (comprised of “Well Doc Alberta” and “Well Doc Canada”) is a non-profit organization that advances a collaborative, co-operative approach to physician wellness by working with interested groups and organizations across Canada. They aim to help physicians, physician groups, and healthcare system leaders embed policies, practices, and programs in their healthcare systems to proactively enhance the wellness of physicians across Canada.

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.