Western Deans Medical Conference 2025
Calgary, Alberta
Distributed Medical Education - Challenges and Opportunities
Dear Colleagues,
On behalf of our organizing committee, it is my pleasure to welcome you to Calgary for the Western Deans Conference 2025. This year’s theme, Distributed Medical Education: Opportunities and Challenges, reflects the dynamic landscape of medical education and the critical role we play in shaping the future of healthcare delivery across our regions.
As our medical schools expand their reach through regional campuses, increased class sizes, and innovative distributed learning models, we face both unprecedented opportunities and complex challenges. This conference provides a unique forum to explore best practices in our local context, share experiences, and engage in meaningful discussions on how to best respond to diverse societal needs, within the current systems of training physicians.
We will delve into key topics such as regional medical campus development, curriculum innovations, faculty support, and the integration of new technologies to enhance learning. We will also focus on distributed medical education in the context of advocacy - both from advocating for expansion, but also education around advocacy and the similarities and differences in urban, regional, and rural settings.
Calgary’s vibrant academic and healthcare community serves as an ideal setting for this exchange of ideas. We encourage you to take full advantage of this opportunity to connect with peers, build collaborations, and gain insights that will help shape the future of distributed medical education.
We look forward to productive discussions and a shared commitment to excellence in medical education. Welcome to Calgary!
Amy B. Bromley, MD, FRCPC (she/her)
Associate Dean, Undergraduate Medical Education
University of Calgary
Event Program
Registration and reception
5:30 — 8:30 p.m.
Held at Alt Hotel
All meetings held at Health Science Centre
HRIC Atrium
7:30 – 8:30 a.m. | Full breakfast buffet
8:30 – 10:00 a.m. | Full group session
10:00 a.m. –12:00 p.m. | Morning breakout sessions
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. | Lunch buffet
1:00 – 4:00 p.m. | Afternoon breakout sessions
6:00 p.m. | Optional group dinner
Held at Alt Hotel
7:30 – Coffee
8:30 a.m. | Brunch
8:30 –12:00 p.m. | Full group session
12:00 p.m. | Departure - Snacks to go.
Alt Hotel - Calgary University District
Located in the heart of the expanding University District, just steps away from tthe Alberta Children's Hospital, the University of Calgary, and the Olympic Oval. This hotel provides direct access to Highway 1 for swift access to the Canadian Rockies