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:
Calgary Pride Week takes place from Aug. 31 - Sept. 6 and includes a variety of events, performances, and celebrations happening across the city throughout the week, culminating in the Pride Parade on Sunday, Sept. 6 - free for all to watch! Show your support for UCalgary’s 2SLGBTQIA+ student community by marching with the Graduate Student Association in the Pride Parade on Sunday, Sept. 6. Register here.
The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) invite feedback on the steps taken to remove accessibility barriers since the agencies published the NSERC-SSHRC Joint Accessibility Plan for 2026-2028 on the NSERC and SSHRC websites. Input is requested on progress to date, especially from members of NSERC’s and SSHRC’s research communities who have one or more disabilities to help inform the annual accessibility progress report. Complete the confidential and anonymous survey here by EOD Aug. 16. Questions can be directed to:
Sept. 8, 11:00am – 3:00pm MT: The Office of Indigenous Engagement is hosting Tipi Training for campus community members who plan to use the tipi and take part in set up and take down. Successful completion of the Tipi Training Workshop will allow workshop participants to set up the Tipi(s) at their own events with approval and collaboration of the Indigenous Engagement office. This workshop is an incredible opportunity for members of the campus community to deepen their knowledge of Indigenous history, cultural significance of land and to build relationships with one another. Details and registration here
Sept. 17 - 18: The Federation of Medical Women of Canada’s 2026 Conference and AGM takes place in Edmonton, with the theme Beyond One Identity: Women Physicians Shaping the Future. Sessions include reflections from women physician leaders, bias at the bedside, and rewriting the hidden curriculum.
Articles and Resources:
Cornel Grey from Western University, writing in The Conversation, discusses how Jason Arday’s tragic death reveals the intense skepticism Black scholars face and how his alleged failures will now be used to further question Black academic legitimacy and diversity initiatives more broadly.
The Lancet recently published an article, Attacks on LGBTQ+ Health are a Threat to All, discussing how support for LGBTQ+ people is regressing, not only through legislation – in the US and Alberta, but also how individual support is lessening. The message in the article is that “movements that seek to undermine LGBTQ+ people are those that seek to control all of us—our freedom of expression, our personal medical decisions, and our privacy.”
A recent article in JAMA Network looked at the Mental Health of Youths Who Use Puberty Blockers. The study found that puberty blocker prescription was associated with partial attenuation of mental health disparities for transgender youths, suggesting mental health benefits.
Recordings of recent webinars, podcasts and presentations:
The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund hosted a recording with Becky Han who spoke about Inuit Songs and Storytelling, sharing music, songs, and stories from the Inuit culture.
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.
The Two-Spirit Program team at Community-Based Research Centre (CBRC) are producing a special 5-part series of the Dénht’ā podcast, A Journey to Knowing. Through stories and data, this series will present a snapshot of the Two-Spirit community’s realities when it comes to sexual and reproductive health and discuss ways to improve these realities. Check out the first three episodes discussing Two-Spirit mental health, accessing healthcare services, and lived experience as expertise in Indigenous research.
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.