The 2024 recipient of the Staff Excellence Award is Ms. Jenessa Grabski, the Coordinator for Projects and Program Evaluation in the Department of Family Medicine. Jenessa has established herself as the person to go to when you need something done right. She is smart, kind, direct, organized, and efficient, and when she sees an unfilled need in the department, she is the first to investigate it and then work to fulfill the need, regardless of whether or not it’s in her job description. 

A few recent examples include her spearheading of the planning for the Department of Family Medicine’s very successful 50th Anniversary Gala, her dedicated work to develop the admissions process for the Master of Physicians Assistant Studies program, and her ongoing work to assure successful accreditation of the Department of Family Medicine. 

Congratulations, Ms. Grabski!
 

The 2024 recipient of the Leadership Excellence Award is Dr. Ian Whetter. Dr. Whetter has established himself as a champion of competent medical care for underserved populations, leading the way in educating doctors about issues transgendered and racialized populations face when accessing healthcare, and how to provide trans-competent anti-racist care to patients. 

His work as the medical director of Ongomiizwin – Health Services has seen him advocating for equitable, excellent, and compassionate access to healthcare for Metis, First Nations, and Inuit populations. 

This role was especially challenging at the height of the pandemic, when Dr. Whetter had to balance in-community patient care with provincial guidelines that aimed to protect those same populations from the risk of COVID.

It is no wonder then that Dr. Praveena Senthooryogan, chose to nominate him for this award, stating: “Dr Whetter is a culturally safe and comprehensive family medicine physician. He is excellent, warm, and open minded, and is a fierce advocate for patients from all walks of life. 
He excels as an educator, from med student to resident to fellow colleagues. He is industrious and continues to try and foster a practical, innovative mixed practice.” 

We are honoured to have Dr. Whetter in our ranks, as a DFM faculty member and alumnus, and as a family physician who regularly demonstrates the positive transformative changes that are possible for patient care.

Congratulations, Dr. Whetter!
 

Now for the Resident Leadership Excellence ward, which is being presented this year to Dr. Karan Dhillon, who completed his family medicine residency in Brandon, where he served as lead resident. During his time there, he served on multiple committees, including the Brandon Site Education Committee, and as the resident representative for the Sioux Valley Teen Clinic, a resident-run teen clinic for underserved teen populations, at quarterly meetings.

 He was also involved with the Brandon Satellite Deans Council meetings, RPC, and RPS. He was instrumental in leading the orientation for incoming year one residents, and provided invaluable support for incoming IMG residents. Says his nominator, Dr. Joanne Maier, “He is a fantastic lead resident. He is always willing to help with additional events, and took the lead role in ongoing case discussions monthly for residents. He is always able to bring great thoughts for quality improvement of the residency stream in Brandon.”

Dr. Dhillon has begun his career showing his unwavering commitment to improving the field of family medicine and providing medical care where it is most needed. We feel so fortunate that this excellent young physician will be serving as a fine alumnus of the University of Manitoba’s Department of Family Medicine. We very much look forward to seeing where his career takes him!

Congratulations, Dr. Dhillon!

The 2024 Early Career Development Award went to Dr. Sameer Kassim, who holds the Department of Family Medicine’s Professorship in Family Medicine Research and Innovation and serves as an assistant professor. In addition to putting his diploma  from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine to good use in Manitoba by serving as a consultant physician for Shared Health’s Tick Collaborative Care Service, Dr. Kassim is the Associate Medical Director of Nine Circles Community Health Centre, and, more recently, the Director of Clinical Skills for Undergraduate Medical Education at the University of Manitoba.

His research focuses on better care for underserved patients living with HIV, studying comorbidities and co-infections that often go underreported, as well as battling HIV-related stigmas and health inequities. He is also researching issues surrounding HIV care in immigrant, urban and Indigenous patients. 

Dr. Kassim’s commitment to research and scholarship elevates the University of Manitoba’s Department of Family Medicine, providing our students with valuable learning opportunities.

 More importantly, it also improves the quality of healthcare that underserved and vulnerable populations in Manitoba will receive, helps to improve their potential health outcomes, and will be an important part of the medical canon in supporting patients from all backgrounds living with HIV and related co-infections.

Congratulations, Dr. Kassim!
 

And finally, we would like to honour the 2024 Teaching Site of the Year, the Dauphin Medical Clinic. 

All of our clinical sites work hard to lift up the next generation of family physicians, but there is perhaps no finer testament to the care, compassion, mentorship, and education that a site provides that when it is spoken by the residents who learn, work, and serve in the community, so we will honour you by reading the words of residents you have supported and trained.

The first letter of support for this nomination comes from nominator Dr. Chavi Tejpal, a Postgraduate Year 2 lead resident:

“I write this letter in support of Dauphin for multiple reasons. Dauphin, created in 1991, is the second oldest rural training program in Canada for Family Medicine. With its strong roots and training, Dauphin provides more than academic opportunities for our residents. 

Having been a part of this program, I have experienced firsthand the exceptional community foundations, resources, and support structures it offers to its residents. One of the standout features of the program is its unwavering commitment to the health of the community. 
The availability of resources such as the Primary Care Outreach Clinic (PCOC), public health initiatives such as breast feeding and immunization clinics, and multimodal mental health services ensures that residents are equipped to effectively address a wide range of patient needs.

 Moreover, the program fosters a culture of collaboration and support among inter-professionals, providing residents with invaluable opportunities for interdisciplinary learning to enhance patient care. The inclusion of community support through multiple teaching sessions further enhances this supportive environment, allowing residents to network, share experiences, and learn from one another.
Dauphin stands out as a welcoming place with abundant recreational opportunities, enriching the overall experience for residents and their families. The programs emphasis on resident wellness is commendable, with regular wellness events that encourage family involvement and provide holistic support for physical, emotional, and social well-being.

I am particularly impressed by the dedication of preceptors who open their homes as spaces for wellness activities, demonstrating a personal investment in the growth and development of residents. The active involvement and presence of a dedicated dietitian and mental health worker further illustrates the programs commitment to comprehensive care and resident support.
Academic excellence is also a cornerstone of the program, with full academic day sessions complemented by wellness activities designed to nurture both professional and personal growth. Often these events take place in various community resources such as Northgate trails, Vermillion Park, and Obsolete brewery. 

Furthermore, the accessibility of local specialists enhances the learning experience, providing residents with exposure to diverse medical perspectives and specialties such as a geriatric, adult and child psychiatrist, surgeons and unique niches in family medicine such as cancer care, geriatrics, dermatology, obstetrics, anesthesia and emergency medicine. 

Additionally, the programs’ flexibility in scheduling and emphasis on individual interests empower residents to pursue their passions and thrive professionally. The encouragement to "bloom where we are planted" reflects a philosophy that values each resident’s unique journey and aspirations.

In conclusion, the Dauphin Rural Parkland Family Medicine Training Program embodies excellence in medical education, community engagement, and resident support. I wholeheartedly endorse this program and believe that it offers an unparalleled opportunity for aspiring family medicine physicians to excel and make a meaningful difference in the communities they serve.”

Dr. Anthony Wightman, who is completing his first year of the residency program adds:

“Manitoba has a vast catchment, diverse population, and skilled physicians. It is the best province to train for family medicine in, and the Parkland program is the best family medicine site within Manitoba for three reasons: its location, the resources, and the team.

The Parkland family residency program is close enough to Brandon and Winnipeg that specialist support is available in emergencies. However, it is far enough that its physicians and residents must often differentiate and effectively treat their patients before support is available or accessible. 
This relative isolation means that the residents are driven to be independent, assertive, and skilled in the clinic, ER, and hospital. Residents who graduate from the Parkland program often pursue additional training in anesthesiology and emergency medicine, providing benefit to the residency program and the community as a whole, which is necessitated by Dauphin’s remoteness.

The Parkland program’s remoteness is balanced by a significant support network. It incorporates a clinical dietitian, respiratory therapists, and community mental health workers into its training team, which other sites do not. Parkland’s physical setup is also excellent. The emergency room is clean, modern, and has easily accessible ultrasound machines which residents are encouraged to use. 
The hospital is easily navigable, accessible, and a point of pride to the community. Dauphin Clinic is across the street. The physicians there are required to practice in the ER, and the clinic dictates how the ER runs, as opposed to Prairie Mountain Health. 

This ensures total continuity of care for residents and their patients. Within Dauphin Clinic, the physicians work in group pods, which facilitates constant interaction and support between physicians and residents.

Parkland’s physician team is highly skilled due to the remoteness of Dauphin and operates within an excellent support network. These physicians are the Parkland program’s greatest asset. 
With over 20 physicians, Dauphin has a wealth of family doctors, plus-ones in emergency medicine and anesthesiology, obstetricians and general surgeons to learn from. 

As Dauphin is so well staffed, these physicians have ample time to teach and support residents. They are uniformly kind, welcoming, and instructive. Parkland residents also have the unique opportunity to work with many different physicians over the course of their training. Unlike other sites, where residents work with the same preceptor for two years, Parkland residents rotate after a few months. This ensures a breadth of experience in disciplines covering obstetrics, pediatrics, general medicine, geriatrics, addictions, emergency, anesthesiology, and palliative care.
The Parkland family medicine residency program produces highly skilled physicians who serve people across Manitoba and Canada. This is a testament to Parkland’s excellent learning environment, support structure, and physicians. 

I recently completed a month of training at the HSC ER - many of the doctors there trained in Parkland and spoke highly of it. On all my off-service blocks, attendings have spoken positively of the program. Now, after several months, I am honored to be able to attest to its excellence myself. The Parkland family medicine residency program is the best teaching site in Manitoba.”

Congratulations, Dauphin Medical Clinic. We are thrilled to know how well you care for both your residents and your community. You are a pillar of medical education and public service in Manitoba.