Call for nominations: Learner representative for the Space Allocation Committee

Call for nominations: Learner representative for the Space Allocation Committee

Dear Colleagues,

I hope this message finds you well. We are currently seeking nominations for a learner representative to join the Space Allocation Committee at the Detweiller Pavilion or at Strangways. This is a unique opportunity for non-faculty learners to contribute to important decisions regarding space allocation within our facilities.

Eligible Nominees

  • Any non-faculty learners based at the Detweiller Pavilion.
  • Nominations can be submitted by Principal Investigators (PIs) or through self-nomination by individual learners.

Selection Process:

If multiple nominations are received, the representative will be selected through a random lottery to ensure fairness.

How to Nominate:

Please send your name [or the name of the nominee proposed by a PI], along with a brief statement of interest [not to exceed 200 words], to Terena Zhao, Administrative Assistant – Division Heads (terena.zhao@ubc.ca), by September 19th.

On behalf of the Space Allocation Committee, I encourage you to consider this opportunity to represent the learner community and have a voice in the allocation of our shared resources. Your participation will play a crucial role in shaping the environment in which we all work and learn.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to receiving your nominations.

Sincerely,

Dr. Sophia Frangou, MD, PhD, FRCPsych, FRCPC
Chair, Space Allocation Committee
President’s Excellence Chair in Brain Health
Associate Head – Research
Professor of Psychiatry

REMINDER: Deadline for 2024 Stimulus Grant Applications | October 1

Dear Colleagues,

This is a friendly reminder to apply for the Stimulus Grants Initiative, which is designed to enhance research capacity and provide vital support to clinicians and junior academics. The grants support small, self-contained studies or pilot projects aimed at securing more comprehensive funding in the future. The current application period closes at 11:59 pm on October 1, 2024. Don’t miss out on this valuable opportunity to secure funding through one of the following streams:

  • Stimulus-Clinician Grant
  • Stimulus-Junior Academic Grant
  • Stimulus-Child & Youth Mental Health Grant

Each Application Package must include:

Please submit your application package as a single PDF document using the online SUBMISSION PORTAL by October 1 deadline. Only applications using the templates provided will be considered. Should you have any specific questions about the Stimulus Grants, please direct them to me at sophia.frangou@ubc.ca.

Please see our website for further details: https://psychiatry.ubc.ca/research/stimulus-grants-initiative/.  

I encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Dr. Sophia Frangou, MD, PhD, FRCPsych, FRCPC
President’s Excellence Chair in Brain Health
Associate Head – Research
Professor of Psychiatry

Translating Mental Health and Substance Use Research into Health Systems Planning

September 17, 2024
4:00pm – 5:00pm PT

Summary

This webinar explored the process of translating mental health and substance use research findings into health systems planning. Of note, translational medicine frequently focuses on the first step of the translational continuum (“bench to bedside”), and this presentation highlighted the importance of also prioritizing the “bedside to community” step, a key component that frequently explains the multi-year gap that affects scale-up of evidence based interventions to the population level. This step is illustrated by the presenter’s work as British Columbia’s Chief Scientific Advisor for Psychiatry, Toxic Drugs, and Concurrent Disorders. The webinar offers valuable insights and practical knowledge to enhance practitioners understanding of the underpinnings of health systems planning. This webinar is essential for researchers looking to advance the population level impact of their work and deliver innovative strategies in mental health care.

Speaker

Dr. Daniel Vigo

Dr. Daniel Vigo is a psychiatrist, clinical psychologist, and public health specialist, originally from Argentina. After obtaining a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology, an MD, a University Specialization in Psychiatry, and a Doctorate in Public Health, Dr. Vigo worked in clinical, research, teaching, and leadership positions across the public and private sector, academia, and Government. In these roles, he has published peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and reports on public health, health systems, global mental health, psychiatric epidemiology, psychopharmacology, psychotherapy, and e-mental health. Dr. Vigo leads/led several landmark projects in BC, Canada, and globally, including on e-Mental Health for University Students, Needs-Based Planning for Mental and Substance Use Disorder Services, Care Options for People with Severe Substance Use Disorders at Imminent Risk of Death and Disability, Estimating Coverage and Quality of Care for Mental Disorders, and Estimating the Disease Burden of Mental Disorders. His contribution to improving the estimation of the disease burden caused by mental illness is among the most impactful papers in the field of mental health in recent years. He is currently an Assistant Professor at UBC’s Dept of Psychiatry and School of Population and Public Health, the Medical Lead for Tertiary Care for VCH’s Regional Mental Health and Substance Use Program, The Provincial Medical Lead of BC’s Assertive Community Treatment Advance practice, the Chief Scientific Advisor for Psychiatry, Toxic Drugs and Concurrent Disorders, and a member of the UBC Academy of Translational Medicine.

FRAMES OF MIND Mental Health Film Series | “The Hearing”, Wednesday September 18 | The Cinematheque

A monthly film series promoting professional and community education on issues pertaining to mental health and illness. Presented by The Cinematheque and the Institute of Mental Health, UBC Department of Psychiatry. Screenings are generally held on the third Wednesday of each month at The Cinematheque, 1131 Howe St, Vancouver, BC.

Film Description

The Hearing explores the hidden world of asylum hearings—the process that millions of refugees worldwide experience when applying for citizenship in a new country. Through carefully crafted reenactments by real-life asylum seekers and employees of the State Secretariat for Migration in Switzerland, director Lisa Gerig vividly portrays the emotional stakes of these life-changing encounters. Each asylum seeker shares deeply personal stories of fleeing their home country; their vulnerability is underscored in stark contrast to the bureaucratic office setting in which the meetings take place. In a powerful role reversal, those seeking refuge challenge State interrogators with questions of their own, poignantly exposing the unbalanced power dynamics at play. Gerig’s social experiment not only sheds light on the asylum process but also raises critical questions about how best to reduce mental health stigma and encourage trauma-informed practices when working with those who are seeking refuge.

In English, Dari, French, German, and Tamil with English subtitles

Share Tweet Forward

“Some ideas can be surprisingly simple, and the perfect execution of such an idea can result in something brilliant. That happens in The Hearing.” — Nick Cunningham, Business Doc Europe


Post-screening Discussion:

Post-screening discussion with Dr. Kirby Huminuik, a registered psychologist who has worked with refugees for over 20 years and Lesley Stalker, staff lawyer at the Immigration and Refugee Legal Clinic in Vancouver.

Moderated by Dr. Harry Karlinsky, series director.

About the Panel:

Dr. Kirby Huminuik holds a PhD in Counselling Psychology from UBC and has completed the Global Mental Health: Trauma and Recovery Certificate Program from the Harvard Medical School Department of Continuing Education. Dr. Huminuik provides clinical and assessment services for refugees, and consults with organizations and the government on refugee mental health. She is active in the profession of psychology and has served on the APA Task Force on Human Rights and the executive committee of the Human Rights and Social Justice Committee at CPA.

Lesley Stalker works with people who are looking for a safe place to live. Early in her practice, Lesley realized there is a conundrum in refugee law: those who are most in need of protection are often the least able to articulate that need due to the effects of trauma. She took a gap in her practice to work as regional legal officer with the United Nations Refugee Agency in Vancouver and worked with local groups to establish the READY Tours, a project which helps claimants understand the refugee process. Lesley also served as a member (decision-maker) with the Immigration and Refugee Board.

Dr. Harry Karlinsky, the Series Director of Frames of Mind and a Clinical Professor in the UBC Department of Psychiatry, has a longstanding commitment to professional and public education. He has presented nationally and internationally on topics ranging from Alzheimer’s disease to information technology to narrative medicine to PTSD and to the use of films in health care education.


Want to be a regular at Frames of Mind screenings on the third Wednesday of every month? Subscribe to the email list and be the first in line for tickets!

Examiners needed for live virtual Multiple Mini Interview Assessment of International Medical Graduates

** Sent on behalf of the UBC Faculty of Medicine Postgraduate Medical Education Team. Please direct related inquiries to imgbc.postgrad@ubc.ca **

Dear Psychiatry Clinical Faculty,

The International Medical Graduate BC (IMGBC) Program invites Clinical Faculty to apply to participate as an Examiner for the 2024 IMG Clinical Assessment Program (CAP) Multiple Mini-Interview (MMI).

IMGs seeking to be matched to a residency position in British Columbia are required to participate in UBC’s Clinical Assessment Program (CAP). The 2024 IMG CAP MMI will be held in live virtual format on November 16 and 17, 2024 using the Kira Talent platform.

Commitment:

To be an MMI Examiner, you must commit to ALL of the following:

  1. Kira Talent MMI Examiner Training Session: Attend the mandatory online platform training hosted by Kira Talent via Zoom, 7:00 – 8:30 PM (PST) on either:
  2. Tuesday, November 12, 2024, or
  3. Wednesday, November 13, 2024
  • MMI Examination: Examine live online candidate interviews undisturbed via the Kira Talent Platform, 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM* (PST) on:
  • Saturday, November 16, 2024, and/or
  • Sunday, November 17, 2024

*This includes the mandatory IMG CAP MMI Examiner Orientation hosted by the IMGBC Program via Zoom, 7:30 – 9:00 AM (PST).

Program Timeline:

  • Examiner Recruitment: Physicians who are interested in becoming an IMG CAP MMI Examiner must fill out the application survey below by Sunday, September 8, 2024.
  • Examiner Confirmation: Upon reviewing the physician’s eligibility and availability, the IMGBC Program will provide MMI examiner position confirmation by the week of September 9, 2024.
  • MMI Examiner Orientation by Kira Talent: Confirmed examiners must attend this orientation, 7:00 – 8:30 PM, on Tuesday, November 12, 2024 or on Wednesday, November 13, 2024.
  • MMI Weekend: The IMG CAP MMI will be delivered on Saturday, November 16 and on Sunday, November 17, 2024.
  • CaRMS Submission: Following review of the MMI results, the IMGBC Program will submit them to CaRMS by November 25, 2024.

MMI Examiner Qualifications:

To qualify as a MMI examiner in the IMG Clinical Assessment Program, the examiner:

  1. Is an MD with full registration and licensed for independent practice, currently practising medicine in British Columbia,
  2. Or is a resident, PGY-3 or higher, and holds a registered position in a UBC FoM Postgraduate program (Note: Residents must not already be scheduled clinically, as attendance at the MMI Examiner Orientation and participation as an MMI Examiner should not interfere with clinical schedules.),  
  1. Is not under professional investigation, and
  2. Must not have family, friends, or a colleague applying to the program this year or in the near future.

Remuneration:

MMI Examiners will be compensated for the following hours at the UBC Faculty of Medicine rates:

Breakdown of Hours
3 hours of MMI Examiner Training/Orientation Kira Talent MMI Examiner Training Session, 1.5 hoursIMG CAP MMI Examiner Orientation, 1.5 hours
6.5 hours of Candidate Examination & Scoring

Practising Physicians/UBC Clinical Faculty – $106.03/hour
Residents – $69.30/hour

If you are interested in becoming a MMI Examiner, please complete the application survey linked below.

The survey will ask for your basic information, availability, and your program/discipline – all of which will be taken into consideration as we select a diverse group of examiners. It will take no more than five minutes to complete and will close at 11:59 PM on Sunday, September 8, 2024.

Please note:

  • You must attend the Training and Orientation sessions and commit to the program timeline.
  • You do not have to be based in Vancouver to participate as a MMI Examiner.
  • Selection of MMI Examiners is not made on a first come, first served basis.

Your availability and eligibility will be reviewed and a position confirmation will be sent to you the week of September 9, 2024. 

For more information about the IMG Clinical Assessment Program, please visit: https://imgbc.med.ubc.ca/clinical-assessment/

Thank you for your support. If you have any questions, please contact imgbc.postgrad@ubc.ca.

Sincerely,

IMGBC Office
Faculty of Medicine | Postgraduate Medical Education
The University of British Columbia
Email: imgbc.postgrad@ubc.ca

We humbly acknowledge, with gratitude, that we live, work, and play as an uninvited guest on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil- Waututh) Nations. 

Satinder Narang

Clinical Instructor, UBC Department of Psychiatry

Email: satinder.narang@fraserhealth.ca

Invitation to teach psychiatry clinical skills sessions in fall 2024

AUGUST 27 2024

Dear Faculty,

As we approach the final stages of recruitment for this year’s Year 2 Psychiatry Clinical Skills Sessions, we are seeking additional support for a few remaining sessions, as outlined in the table below.

These sessions will be held in person at the Gordon and Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre (DHCC), 2775 Laurel Street, Vancouver, BC; and Faculty will be remunerated through TTPS where applicable and eligible.

DateDaySessionGroup Session Time
6-Sep-24FridayPsychiatry 2 (Anxiety)1:00 pm – 4:30 pm
23-Sep-24MondayPsychiatry 2 (Anxiety)1:00 pm – 4:30 pm
7-Oct-24MondayPsychiatry 3 (Depression)1:00 pm – 4:30 pm

If you are interested and available, please reach out to Sarah Liu, Year 2 Program Coordinator, at y2.cs@ubc.ca to sign up and full information.

See the previous invitation below for further information.


JUNE 21, 2024

Dear Faculty, 

We invite you to teach our Year 2 Psychiatry Clinical Skills Sessions in MEDD 421 this fall (September, October, and November 2024). 

We only require preceptors for Psychiatry 2 and Psychiatry 3. 

Psychiatry 1 is an online asynchronous module that introduces the principles of psychiatric interviewing and the mental status examination. Students will have protected time in the curriculum to complete Psychiatry 1 before Psychiatry 2 and Psychiatry 3. 

The two preceptor-led sessions involve students interviewing a standardized patient (SP): 

Psychiatry 2: SP Daniela (Anxiety) 

Psychiatry 3: SP Ada (Depression) 

Preceptors will be asked to complete a Workplace-Based Assessment (WBA) after Psychiatry 3 to evaluate each student’s performance in their group. Each student group will have Psychiatry 2 and Psychiatry 3 over two consecutive weeks on the same day of the week, either on a Monday or a Wednesday. If possible, we encourage you to select both consecutive sessions so you can teach the same group. Training materials will be provided by the Clinical Skills program. We need 4 tutors per day to maintain optimal group sizes. 

These sessions will be held in person at the Gordon and Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre (DHCC), 2775 Laurel Street, Vancouver, BC, on Mondays, Wednesdays or occasionally Fridays from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

Preceptors participating in these sessions are compensated through TTPS, where applicable and eligible. All preceptors should have a faculty appointment or an appointment in progress. If you do not have a current appointment, please contact us. 

Fellows and eligible non-clinical faculty are also welcome to sign up to teach these sessions and may be eligible for compensation depending on their appointments. For questions regarding eligibility, please reach out to us. 

How to sign up: 

If you are interested, please complete the Qualtrics survey to provide your availability. 

https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cZKXGFvoA3OS59k

We appreciate your willingness to contribute to the education of our students. For additional information, please contact Sarah Liu, Year 2 Program Coordinator, at y2.cs@ubc.ca

Tian Gee

Clinical Instructor, UBC Department of Psychiatry

Email: tian.gee@interiorhealth.ca

Reza Kiani

Clinical Instructor, UBC Department of Psychiatry

Oshin Maheshwari

Clinical Instructor, UBC Department of Psychiatry