connection Summer / Fall 2004
News and activities of the Dalhousie Medical School

New Dean of Medicine Appointed Dalhousie Medical School has a new Dean. Dr. Harold Cook assumed the Medical School’s top job on July 1, 2004, having served as Interim Dean for 11 months prior to that.

An Evening of Excellence
Dalhousie Medical School’s outstanding staff and faculty received well-deserved kudos at the fourth annual Faculty of Medicine Community of Scholars Dinner in May. More than 300 members and supporters of the medical school community joined in the celebration of excellence.

Integrated Brand Marketing and the Faculty of Medicine
On May 19, Dalhousie University launched a new Dalhousie University logo with the tag line Inspiring Minds. The logo and tag line are important components in an integrated marketing communications initiative aimed at positioning the university as a strong and unified organization, albeit one with many faculties, departments, divisions, and units.

New Obs/Gyn Award for Clerks
Thanks to a $25,000 endowment from Dr. Nessim Isa, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Director of undergraduate training at the Atlantic Health Science Corporation, an annual $1,000 award is available for a clinical clerk doing his or her core training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Saint John Regional Hospital.

Cancer Programs
Appropriate, accessible continuing education for health professionals is the foundation of quality cancer care. In response to health professional needs assessments, Cancer Care Nova Scotia is currently developing interprofessional education modules for community-based, primary care health professionals.

Awards & Accolades
As usual, Dalhousie Medical School faculty, students, and staff have been successful in recent award and grant competitions. In fact, Faculty members win so many accolades, connection was becoming an awards bulletin instead of a newsletter (not a bad ‘problem’ to have!)! From now on, connection will include a page dedicated to announcing the outstanding achievements of our Medical School community.

Convocation 2004 Eighty-six Doctor of Medicine degrees were conferred during this year’s convocation ceremony. In the group were 44 Nova Scotians, 18 New Brunswickers, seven Prince Edward Islanders, nine Ontarians, one Newfoundlander, two British Columbians, and five international students. Dr. Erika Tanner of Lunenburg, NS, was valedictorian.

Department Profile: Urology The field of urology is vast in scope. As the discipline responsible for all aspects of the urinary system in females and the urogenital system in males, it studies and treats a wide range of conditions – including infections, obstructions, dysfunctions, and malignancies – in patients of all ages.

Continuing Medical Education
The office of CME has completed another busy academic year, and planning is well underway for the fall CME season.

Graduate Student Research Day In May, graduate students held their annual Research Day. Ten awards, each valued at $250, were granted to deserving students. The awards were based not only on scientific content, but on the student’s ability to answer questions and demonstrate knowledge of the topic presented.

International Medical Development and Research
Faculty, students, staff, and alumni gathered in July to honour Dr. Kenneth Wilson, the winner of the 2004 John Savage Award in International Health. Wilson is Chief of Surgery and Head of the Division of Plastic Surgery at the IWK Health Centre.

Annual meeting ACMC and AME Dalhousie recently hosted the annual meeting of the Association of Canadian Medical Colleges (ACMC) and the Canadian Association of Medical Education (CAME).

Education for New Brunswick
The academic year 2004-2005 will see 19 individuals commencing their family medicine residencies in New Brunswick; they will complete their entire two years of residency in the province.

Page Turners Celebrate First Anniversary
The Page Turners, a book club founded by staff members in the Faculty of Medicine, recently celebrated its first anniversary. Co-founders, Ms. Anne Weeden and Ms. Dilly MacFarlane, discovered their mutual passion for reading and believed that others would benefit from the fellowship and enjoyment of a staff book club.

First Annual ‘Rich Man, Poor Man’ Fundraising Dinner
More than 150 Dalhousie medial students and faculty attended the International Health Office’s first annual ‘Rich Man, Poor Man’ fundraising dinner.

In Memoriam...
Please visit the In Memoriam section to remember Dr. John Szerb & Dr. Aden Irwin

Students’ Corner
I am very excited to be writing to you as the new President of the DMSS. We have an amazing Council for the coming year, and everyone is eagerly looking forward to making this year one of the best yet for the DMSS and for the Medical School.