Happy holidays! As the final weeks of 2017 wind down, many of us are reflecting on what we’ve accomplished this year and focusing our priorities for 2018.

At the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences Town Hall on Dec. 7, our six vice-deans shared news, achievements and exciting plans for the months ahead.

I was proud to announce personally that in June 2018, the Rady Faculty will once again partner with Habitat for Humanity to construct a house for a family in need.

This marks the fourth time we have committed to raising funds and stepping up as volunteer construction workers for a Habitat build. The house will be built on the Bannatyne campus and transported to its permanent site. I know that our students, faculty and staff will put their caring values into action by participating.

Many reports at the Town Hall emphasized collaboration. Dr. Christine Ateah, vice-dean, education and acting dean of nursing, spoke about the inter-professional collaborative care curriculum now in place for first- and second-year Rady Faculty students.

Dr. Ateah quoted a student’s reflection on being part of a team of learners from dentistry, medicine, nursing, pharmacy and rehabilitation sciences who collaborated to assess a patient.

“Everyone had their own insight and knowledge that others may have missed, or not thought of,” the student observed – a fitting comment on how inter-professional teams can enhance patient care.

Dr. Ateah also announced that the U of M Senate has approved changes to our bachelor of health sciences and bachelor of health studies degrees (within the Interdisciplinary Health Program). New concentrations in these degree programs will be launched in September.

Dr. Peter Nickerson, vice-dean, research, reported that in the coming year he will work with Dr. Sara Israels, vice-dean, academic affairs, on ways to appropriately recognize research team members for promotion and tenure.

“Classically, it’s the individual who is being evaluated,” Dr. Nickerson said. “As we’re promoting more and more team science, we have to be able to recognize academic contribution and scholarship within that framework.”

Dr. Catherine Cook, vice-dean, Indigenous health, gave an update on the Rady Faculty’s Reconciliation Action Plan. In the new year, she said, the five Rady colleges will work on specific actions that support reconciliation, such as “pipeline” programs to prepare Indigenous youth for health-science education.

Dr. Hope Anderson, vice-dean, graduate studies, highlighted several “firsts” that will improve the Rady Faculty graduate student experience. These include career workshops and a Bannatyne campus career fair in February that will assist grad students in marketing their skills and connecting with employers.

Dr. Christine Polimeni, vice-dean, continuing competency and assessment, outlined recent accomplishments in the continuing professional development (CPD) area, such as integrating the voices of patients into CPD programs and planning committees.

“We are really proud to see that our colleges are collaborating,” Dr. Polimeni added, citing events such as the MEDS (Medications, Evidence and Decision Support) Conference and Back to Anatomy programs.

Let’s continue to engage with our stakeholders and find ways to be more collaborative in 2018. I wish you all the very best of the season and a joyous new year.

What collaborative goal have you set for the coming year?  

• Click to view the December 7 Town Hall video
• View the PowerPoint presentation