Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Seminar Series:
Ableism in medicine: Examples and recommendations from a study on the pregnancy care of people with disabilities
In this seminar, Dr. Hilary Brown presented her research program, which examines maternal and child health, with a focus on populations with disabilities and chronic illness, health equity, and the social determinants of health.
The objectives of this session are:
- Summarize recent data on the pregnancy outcomes and health care experiences of people with disabilities in Ontario;
- Discuss how ableism may contribute to some of these outcomes and experiences; and;
- Explore the role that health professionals, including physicians, play in making pregnancy care equitable and inclusive for people with disabilities.
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Advancing Health Care and Health Outcomes Through Inclusive Excellence
In this seminar, Saba Khan presented key concepts and provided evidence-based examples to demonstrate how inclusive excellence can work in tandem with health equity and human rights frameworks to enrich clinical care, education, and research.
The objectives of this session are:
- Define key terms and concepts related to EDIIA (equity, diversity, inclusion, Indigeneity, and accessibility) through a human rights and health equity lens;
- Understand how EDIIA practices can advance inclusive excellence in clinical care, education, and research through evidence-based examples.
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From eugenics and institutionalization to meaningful participation in biomedical and medical research
In this seminar, Dr. Emilio Alarcon presented some of the barriers that prevent the participation of persons with disabilities in biomedical and medical research not only as patients but also as individuals doing research.
The objectives of this session are:
- Identify the barriers persons with disabilities face in biomedical research.
- Explain the difference between accommodations and accessibility.
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A History of Violence: The Legacy of Environmental Racism in Canada
In the seminar, Dr. Ingrid Waldron presented the legacy of environmental racism in Canada, and the health effects of environmental racism and outlined what I have done to address environmental racism since 2012.
During this session, participants will review:
- Analyze and describe the systemic underpinnings of environmental racism in Canada.
- Identify and explain the specific health effects of environmental racism on affected populations in Canada.
- Evaluate and discuss strategies for using multidisciplinary partnerships to address environmental racism in Canada.
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Gender Equity in Academic Medicine
In the seminar, Dr. Larissa Shamseer presented evidence that gender equity in academic medicine and research supports health policy-making and health care that better serves patients. Despite this, gender inequity remains a problem in academic healthcare and research settings.
This talk will explore the prevalence of gender inequity in academic medicine, and why gender equity is important, COVID-related.
During this session, participants will review:
- Understand the impact of gender inequity in academic medicine and research settings
- Recognize the importance of gender equity in supporting effective health policy-making and patient care.
- Identify strategies to promote gender equity in academic health care and research
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Teaching While Trans
Gender transitioning is on the rise among students, but it’s also happening among faculty too!
In the seminar Professor Stacey Smith? presented her experience while gender transitioning and defines some transgender basics and highlights some of the challenges faced in mid-career academia as a result of transitioning from male to female. These include name changes and publications, university and online journal bureaucracies and interactions with students and colleagues.
Finally, tips will be provided on how to be a good trans ally and small but helpful changes that can be made in the classroom to make the environment more inclusive.
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How Irish Government Initiatives are Breaking the Glass Ceiling!
In the seminar, Prof Ita Richardson presented on the importance of diversity in the Universities, and how not considering diversity reduces the talent pool for organizations.
She discuss how both the implementation of Athena SWAN by the Higher Education Authority in Ireland, its endorsement by Irish funding agencies, and the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act (2014) have supported a shift in the consideration of Diversity in our teaching and our research.
She includes examples such as changes to Recruitment and Promotions policies, inclusion of Female Researchers in grant proposals, and outreach programs to second-level schools.
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How it started. How it's going: An anti-racism curriculum in Family Medicine
In the seminar, Dr. Lewis & Dr. Bair will discuss the response to nationwide efforts to address systemic racism in medicine, an anti-racism curriculum was developed by the uOttawa Department of Family Medicine for learners and faculty.
This session aims to present the principles and purpose of this evolving curriculum, review its structure and implementation, and discuss resident experiences to date.
During this session, participants will review:
- The purpose and principles of the DFM anti-racism curriculum.
- The integration of the antiracism eLearning modules into the postgraduate family medicine curriculum.
- To review resident feedback about this new curriculum.
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What's in a value? Contextualizing sociodemographic equity data in Canadian Higher Education
This seminar by Evelyn Asiedu will discuss Canadian Universities that are proclaimed to be vestiges of acceptance where all can be successful. Specifically, in physical sciences objectivity is revered; and upheld as the great equalizer leading us to innovation and is foundational to discovery. However, objectivity has perhaps prevented open commentary about the human aspects of science. Bias is inherent in us all, and privilege has shaped who we deem worthy to hold the title of scientist.
During this session, participants will review:
• Historical discrimination and the ways systemic biases impact access to and success in Academia.
• The barriers to success which are present in higher education challenge us to consider the impact on current and future scientists in our country.
• Considerations for ethical sociodemographic data collection and complementary qualitative data.
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Specialized Navigators Key to helping trans patients access health care: University of Saskatchewan Research
This seminar will describe the process of working with community-based organizations, healthcare providers, and researchers to develop the Trans Research and Navigation Saskatchewan (TRANS) Project.
There will be a discussion about how they developed the trans health navigators’ job description and decided on the credentials the navigators needed. Dr. Madill will also discuss how we implemented the “nothing about us, without us” principle, and how we used focus groups and data collected by the navigators themselves to adjust their jobs as the pilot year went along. Dr. Madill will also discuss the effect of the pilot on the navigators themselves and what we would do differently next time.
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Describe the importance of centring trans voices in research for and about them.
- Explain the value of employing people with lived experience as navigators instead of healthcare providers.
- Apply the “nothing about us, without us” principle meaningfully to their own work.
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The Burden of Identity: How can we dismantle systemic oppression in Healthcare?
This seminar will integrate theory, empirical evidence, and theory to address concepts relating to systemic oppression in healthcare and the challenges educators face in attempting to dismantle discrimination that exists within our training and practice programs.
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Describe the minority stress model, including distal and proximal minority stress processes.
- Explain the lens of systemic oppression, including the intersection of individual, interpersonal, and systemic contributors.
- Identify strategies to reduce systemic oppression in both healthcare and education settings.
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Faculty Wellness Program (FWP) Seminar Series:
Rethinking Physician Well-Being: Addressing Ableism and Improving Accessibility in Medicine
Dr. Michael Quon provided a talk about rethinking physician well-being: Addressing Ableism and Improving Accessibility in Medicine.
In this seminar, the speaker provide his reflections on the challenges of working with disability-facing structural ableism in medicine. He will highlight his leadership at The Ottawa Hospital and his advocacy with the Ontario Medical Association to raise awareness for physicians who require accommodations. He will demonstrate how ensuring an accommodating workplace is a pressing health issue that can affect us all.
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Demonstrate the systemic and cultural barriers commonly faced by physicians living with disabilities
- Examine the structural ableism in current physician well-being strategic plans
- Identify organizational and individual opportunities to improve accessibility and inclusion in medicine
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Shame competence: What it is, why we need it, and how it can transform healthcare organizations?
Dr. William Bynum provided a talk about shameful competence: What is it, why do we need it and how can it transform healthcare organizations?”.
In this workshop, the speaker will introduce the concept of shame competence, a set of skills, principles, and practices that facilitate constructive engagement with shame, to participants.
He will outline the distributed nature of shame and the need for shame competence at multiple levels of an organization.
He will then engage participants through skills-building and discussion activities to build foundational shame competence. Specific skills will focus on recognizing hidden shame, avoiding shaming treatment, and providing proactive support to a learner experiencing shame.
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Define shame and outline its psychological origins
- Explain the distributed nature of shame in a healthcare organization
- Define shame competence and outline the basic principles that inform it
- List specific steps to building foundational shame competence in a healthcare environment
- Report increased comfort supporting a learner or peer through a shame experience
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Caring for the carers: Improving the psychological well-being of the health workforce
Professor Ivy Bourgeault provided a talk about Caring for the Carers: Improving the Psychological Well-being of the Health Workforce.
Professor Ivy Bourgeault shares data on the wellness of the health workforce from Statistics Canada's Canadian Community Health Survey and her Healthy Professional Workers project, as well as a series of profession-specific and agnostic toolkits to address mental health, burnout, and psychological health and safety of workers.
She also shares insights from using said toolkits across a range of mental health, primary care and tertiary care clinical sites and new work to be undertaken in long-term care settings.
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Discuss the range of mental health experiences of health professionals.
- List the different types of evidence-informed interventions to support the mental health of health workers fostering psychological health and safety.
- Identify and apply important considerations in the implementation of interventions to improve health worker wellness.
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Academic Accommodations and Universal Design for Learning
Get ready to learn about Academic accommodation. This recording offers a fantastic opportunity to expand your knowledge. Don't miss out on this exciting opportunity to gain valuable insights!
Please note that the speaker will alternate between French and English during the session.
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Cultivating Compassion and System Thinking to Transform Medicine
Dr. Agnes Wong provided a talk about Cultivating Compassion and System Thinking to Transform Medicine.
Based on the scientific principles of neuroplasticity, epigenetics, and inborn goodness, Dr. Wong will present the scientific evidence supporting compassion as both innate and trainable.
She discusses the difference between empathy and compassion, and explains why compassion fatigue is a misnomer. Contrary to common beliefs, compassion is an inexhaustible source of energy and resilience that acts as an antidote to burnout, which is a multi-faceted phenomenon.
She introduces system thinking to guide us to look deeply into the systemic and structural factors contributing to physician distress. By cultivating compassion and system thinking, we can transform both ourselves and the system so that we can all flourish in medicine and build a kinder, gentler society.
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- To discuss the scientific evidence affirming that compassion is both innate and a trainable skill.
- Develop system thinking skills so we can look deeply into the systemic and structural factors contributing to physician distress.
- Using these trainable skills to build inner resources and improve the healthcare system so we can flourish in medicine.
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Empowering your time: How to do more of what matters with less stress
Dr. Christina Shenvi provided a talk about empowering your time: How to do more of what matters with less stress.
Too often we are busy without being productive. Our days are full without being fulfilled. We have too much on our plates and not enough time for the things that matter most.
Managing your time is not just something you do, it's how you do everything in your life. When we think about time management, often things like task apps, calendars, and scheduling programs come to mind. However, good time management requires a much deeper understanding of our own minds. The reasons you procrastinate or avoid certain tasks go much deeper than just needing another app on your phone.
In this session, Dr. Shenvi use concepts that range from Stoic philosophy to modern educational psychology literature to explain why we avoid certain tasks and will give practical strategies to help you manage your time better with less stress.
By the end of the session, participants will be able to:
- Decide intentionally what is most important for you.
- Planning your work with deep and shallow frameworks.
- Understanding how your emotions influence your work.
- The importance of reflection for continuous improvement.
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Narrative Medicine: Re-humanizing the practice of medicine
Dr. Regine Krechowicz provided a talk about Narrative Medicine as a discipline that integrates aspects of literary studies with the practice of medicine. The concept was developed by Internist Dr. Rita Charon at Columbia University as a response to a medical system of training and patient care that de-personalizes both patient and healthcare workers.
By the end of the session, participants will be able to:
- Describe Narrative Medicine and understand how integrating it into your practice can build resilience
- Recognize the types of illness narratives told by patients and learn practical tips to better handle the most challenging narratives
- Learn how creative writing can help process difficult cases
- Get experience "doing" Narrative Medicine
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Medicine: Renovating Toxic Culture - Cultivating a Health Promoting Learning & Work Environment
Dr. Melanie Lewis, Chief Wellness Officer and Professor of Paediatrics at the University of Alberta provided a talk in which participants explored Occupational Hazards in Medicine: Addressing the Wellbeing Crisis.
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Identify the fertilizer and the pests in health-promoting learning and work environments.
- Illuminate the barriers to meaningful change in academic and clinical environments.
- Discuss the systemic and structural drivers of unhealthy learning and work environments.
- Review tangible interventions to support positive health outcomes and enhanced professional fulfillment for learners and clinicians.