2024 Mackid Symposium

Dr. Fiona Mattatall is a Royal College-certified Obstetrics and Gynaecology specialist who pursued her career after completing her education in Calgary and Queen’s University. Despite a background in biochemistry, she found her passion in medicine and women’s health through research and family history exploration. Following a residency at Dalhousie University focusing on obstetrics, she returned to Calgary in 2005 to work at Rockyview General Hospital, where she later served as Deputy Site Lead. Dr. Mattatall now practices at Chrysalis Clinic and provides care for the transgender community in Calgary, alongside her work in community Obstetrics and Gynecology in Calgary.

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

1. List health care issues unique to gender diverse patients.
2. Consider how to make your office/clinic space more inclusive.
3. Reflect on how to be a good advocate for gender diverse people.

Julia Carter is a family physician, in practice in Calgary since 2000, and has been the Medical Director of the Calgary Sexual and Reproductive Health clinics since 2008. She completed a medical degree at U. of C., family medicine training at Queen's and a third year of women's health training also at Queen's.

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

1. Describe the use of intrauterine devices (IUDs) and new and emerging indications.
2. Explain new oral contraceptive pills and how they differ from other pills and identify those who may benefit from being prescribed them.
3. Advise on the contractive implant and implement tips and tricks for insertion, removal, and management of side effects.

Sonja Wicklum is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Calgary. She practices at the Central Family Medicine Teaching Clinic in downtown Calgary and has extensive experience practicing both rural (Montana and Ontario) and urban family medicine. Her research focuses on planetary health, and obesity prevention and management in primary care and specific to Indigenous populations. She has co-authored the prevention chapter of the new Canadian Adult Obesity Clinical Practice Guidelines, a policy brief to Alberta Health on climate change resiliency, and a scoping review on greening family medicine. She is the North American Co-chair of the WONCA Planetary Health Working Group and the University of Calgary representative to the AFMC Planetary Health Committee. 

Learning Objectives 

Participants will be able to: 

1. Define the climate crisis in the context of Planetary Health. 
2. Identify the medical system’s contributory role to Planetary Health and the paradoxical burden on the medical system. 
3. List priorities areas for change, both mitigation and adaptation for Family Doctors.

Dr. Alex Kennedy completed his Family Medicine Residency and Addiction Medicine Fellowship at the University of Calgary. His clinical practice consists of concurrent disorders, inpatient, and outpatient addiction medicine.

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

1. Counsel patients on Canada's new 2023 low risk alcohol use guidelines.

2. Risk stratify patients in alcohol withdrawal and provide appropriate management.

Charlene Lyndon MD FRCSC is an Obstetrician Gynecologist. Charlene is a 5th generation settler in Alberta who grew up in Calgary. She completed her first degree at Queen's University, her MD at the University of Toronto followed by her residency at Dalhousie University.

Throughout her career Charlene's clinical practice and committee work has centered around system safety and health equity. Recent involvement includes the Indigenous Committees with the AMA and CPSA as well as equitable healthcare access options for rural Albertans. After 35 years of practice her clinical work is now focused on reproductive care and creating equitable access for Albertans.

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

1. Explain the history of abortion in Canada and the current legal status.
2. Empathize the barriers faced by Albertans and the resultant harm experienced when accessing reproductive health options.
3. List abortion options in Alberta.
4.  Apply the evidence which supports harm-reduction medical abortion.

Dr. Arnold is a geriatrician in Calgary and is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary. She has been involved with the MAID program as an assessor/provider since 2017. In 2022 she took over as Medical Lead for MAID in the Calgary zone. She completed medical school in Southampton, UK followed by Internal Medicine and Geriatric Medicine residencies in Calgary.

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

1. Describe the history of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) in Canada.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the patient's journey through the MAID process in Alberta.
3. Explain of the eligibility criteria for MAID in Canada.
4. List the ways they may support their patient through the MAID process.