— Dr. Suzanne Wong, Director of Faculty Development
We are introducing a regular segment in our newsletter devoted to our wellness and development as we strive to enhance and further strengthen our relationships with each other as a Department.
In keeping with our theme from our recent Faculty Professional Development Day, “Health and Healing: Cultivating Physician Wellbeing for a Supportive Academic Environment,” we will continue the momentum of support throughout the year, ensuring a sense of community and collaboration in our work in advancing our own wellness as we work in clinic, lab, or research.
You may recall we had Dr. Mamta Gautam as plenary speaker in 2021. She gave a powerful and thought-provoking plenary on physician wellness. We reflected on the 5 Cs of resilience: control (reminding people of what they can and cannot control); the importance of connections; incorporating calming practices; encouraging care for self; and commitment to reconnect with our purpose and remind ourselves as we conduct our clinical, reseach, education, or leadership work that we are making a difference. You may wish to explore her leadership program for women that focuses on integrating leadership and wellness: https://peakmd.ca/the-raft/
Would you like to know more about how to assess the clinical clerks with the new Entrustable Professional Activities (EPA) evaluations? Read about an important concept called a “Growth Mindset”: https://harvardmacy.org/blog/growth-mindset-and-medical-education
We had an amazing presentation by Professor Michael Corrin, Department of Biomedical Communication, on using visual medial in oral presentations to effectively communicate with your audience. He outlined a process for scripting and integrating visuals in a presentation. You can consider collaborating with Professor Corrin or reach out to him if you have specific questions regarding your work. He was open to communication with anyone interested in learning more: https://bmc.med.utoronto.ca/work-with-our-students
We also had a talk on financial health with Dr. Stephanie Zhou and on the future of the surgeon parent with Dr. Shirin Dason and Dr. Andrea Simpson. Now, they have combined forces to produce a helpful video on medical and financial tips for planning for pregnancy in Canada
For those interested in general financial health check you might check out another video by Dr. Zhou:
If you have suggestions that will support our development and wellness please reach out. We’d love to hear from you and to share your learnings.
Also, be sure to save the date for our next Faculty Professional Development Day: Monday, Nov. 11, 2024.
