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MAC Chat
The official newsletter of Obstetrics and Gynecology | Volume 2 - June 2021
Message from the Chair
Summer has finally arrived and I couldn't be more excited! I hope everyone has a chance to get out and enjoy the sunshine. June was a very busy month here in the department. Thank you to all that attended and presented in the Academic Department Business Meeting that took place on June 8. It was great to hear all the exciting things that have been happening within the department along with what is planned to come down the pipe. Working together as a team is the way that we will be able to turn the ship into the new direction to include more focus on research all while maintaining the stability - the leadership team and you; the faculty and staff working together is the key to our success. 

Best Regards,

Jon Barrett
Chair, Obstetrics and Gynecology
Department Updates

Gynecologic Oncology - Accreditation Approval

Congratulations to Dr. Lua Eiriksson in leading the Gynecologic Oncology program through a very successful accreditation process! This is a fantastic achievement that has resulted from Lua's  passion and dedication to developing a high calibre training program. Thank you Lua, for all of your efforts. 

Grant Award

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) have completed the adjudication process for the 2021 Encouraging vaccine confidence in Canada grant competition. The agencies have approved our application:  Encouraging vaccine confidence among pregnant and breastfeeding Canadians. Congratulations to the team involved, thank you for your contributions, time, and effort!  

Resident Appreciation Night

Thank you to Colleen and Kali for organizing the Resident Appreciation Night and to Dr. Michelle Morais for hosting. It was a wonderful event that gave us the opportunity to celebrate our Residents and all the hard work they do. Wishing all those graduating the best of luck in their future endeavors!

 

Dr. McDonald would like to thank the faculty, nurses, PAs, and residents for the incredible support provided in mentioning the SNACS trial examining 1 vs 2 doses of betamethasone! 
What a fantastic team we have here at Mac  - 22 patients have already been recruited!

More Info

Welcome Dr. Jennifer Blake

Please join me in welcoming Dr. Jennifer Blake to McMaster. She joins our team as a part time faculty member and with her a wealth of knowledge and experience. She is also the current CEO of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada. We look forward to having Dr. Blake on our team!

Award Winning Faculty

2021 Postgraduate Medical Education:

Faculty Mentor Award

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Katy Tafler on being selected as the winner of the 2021 Postgraduate Medical Education: Faculty Mentor Award. We appreciate everything you do that goes beyond the call of duty and so glad that you are recognized for your work with advancing the residency and fellowship programs for our Learners.

Well done and well deserved! Thank you for all you do - congratulations again!

2021 MSA Consultant and Family Medicine Awards

Congratulations to Dr. Waldo Jimenez who is the recipient of the Dr. Dan Dwyer Award for his work at the Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Clinic. This is a well-deserved award that recognizes the amazing work that you continue to do. Thank you for everything you do!

Top Preceptor Award

Congratulations to Dr. Nicholas Leyland who has received the Top Preceptor Award (Lecturer) for the 2020-2021 Academic Year. Thank you for your commitment to the Surgical Foundations residents and your contributions to their education and experience.
Thank you for your passion - the award is truly well deserved. Congratulations!

 

Faculty and Staff Spotlight

New Monthly Feature

A new addition we have added to MAC Chat is the "Faculty and Staff Spotlight". Each month we will be featuring a different faculty member and a staff member as a way for everyone to get to know the team. You will be contacted when you are the featured faculty/staff member of the month.

Shout out to Dr. Val Mueller and Karyn Martinovich for the idea to include this new feature in the MAC Chat monthly mailer. Thank you both for the idea to include and your help with the feature!

Jon Barrett

To start things off it seemed fitting to begin with our newest faculty member, Dr. Jon Barrett!

Jon’s 2 minute elevator speech: "The Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at McMaster University is embedded in one of the leading research institutes in the world. My role in the next 10 years is to make this department worthy of this title by being leaders in research, education and quality care by investing in epidemiological methods in how to best treat patient conditions and then ensuring these best treatments are implemented."

Why did you decide to do OB/Gyn?: "I knew I wanted to care for mothers and babies since the age of 5! My late father being an OB/Gyn, most dinner conversations revolved around his practice and his patients. I admit to a brief flirtation with Pediatrics until I realized the sadness related to managing sick children. OB/Gyn provided the perfect balance between medicine and surgery however, I admit that birthing is my area of passion."

What do you still love about this job?: "Making a difference. My father taught me that the role of a doctor was to cure sometimes, alleviate often and comfort always and I believe that even when the outcome is not as expected, I can make a difference by always providing comfort."

Favourite oncall meal?: "Leftovers provided by an excellent chef, my wife! Brought to work in a lunchbox with my name on it."

Favourite things to do on a sunny weekend: "Boating and mountain biking with my family" (wife, 4 children and 3 grandchildren!)

The movie you have watched more than 10 times and still love?: "Lord of the Rings and Braveheart."

On your nightstand?: "Prayer book, cellphone, and Apple watch."

Anything else we should know?: "My passion is singing! I'm a member of a choir (pre-COVID) and have a high-end karaoke machine at home."

Party at Dr. Barrett's house after the pandemic!

Karyn Martinovich

 

Title: "Program Assistant"

How long have you worked at McMaster?: "First day was March 1st!"
 
Your job in a nutshell: "I support CME and Postgrad education events as well as Rounds and the Fellowship Programs."
 
What do you like best about what you do?: "The best part about my job is the wide variety of people I get to interact with on a daily basis. I learn something from each and everyone. I feel very privileged to be able to develop professionally through the experiences of other."
 
What’s your favourite drink at Starbucks?: "Iced green tea lemonade!"
 
What are you most excited to do for Summer of ’21? "Meet my new colleagues in person for the first time later this Summer."
 
What made you decide that you wanted to work in your role/or at McMaster?: "I wanted to work in Healthcare and in education so it was a top choice for me! On a more personal level I really wanted to work somewhere whose mission reflected some of my own goals and values such as integrity, inclusiveness, and excellence."
 
What is one thing that someone will always see on your desk?: "Its strategic….candy or chocolate! Always. It encourages others to drop by even people I don’t know and in turn allows me to get to know people better and build relationships with my co-workers."

The Scoop

Wellness Committee Update


The Wellness Committee has had its first meeting and we are excited to move forward with finding out more about what will help you, our faculty members!  Keep an eye out for a survey that will help us understand how everyone is managing in these challenging times and will ask you what are the three things the department can do to make your life easier ....maybe it is changing handover time, or switching to 12 hour call or having coverage for vacation. Or maybe something else! We want to know! Keep an eye on your inbox!

Chair's Drop-In Hours

 
We all know how busy everyone's schedules are, so Dr Barrett is implementing drop-in hours for informal chats. Every Wednesday from 7am-8am is reserved time to accept calls from you, no need to make an appointment - just give him a call! There are no parameters around the calls, maybe you have a question, suggestion, need some help, or just want to chat! 

Please reach out to Katie Naccarato (naccak1@mcmaster.ca) if you need Dr. Barrett's phone number. 

Canada Day - Thursday, July 1, 2021

 
In addition to July 1st holiday, McMaster has offered everyone an extended Canada Day weekend: July 2 will be a university holiday. This is to promote the health and wellness of our McMaster community. Please refer to the email sent on May 27, 2021 for more information or reach out to your direct supervisor as some people might not have the opportunity to take July 2 as a day off and will need to make arrangements for an alternate lieu day over the next few months.

FHS Research Needs Assessment

 
The Faculty of Health Sciences Office of Health Research Services is connecting with the Program for Faculty Development to conduct a needs assessment for researchers within our faculty. Your help is needed to discover what new ways we can support and grow research within our already amazing faculty. Please register if you are interested in participating in this initiative.
Register Here
From the Office of the Chair, 
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McMaster University
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