Southern Alberta Preceptor Summit

Opening Plenary - Building Academic Medicine and Health Professions Programs in Northern BC: The Northern Medical Program and Beyond

Time: 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. MT

Hosted by Dr. Paul Winwood

By the end of this session, participants will be equipped to:

1. Understand the challenges and opportunities for an academic culture in Indigenous, rural and remote communities;
2. Develop strategies and approaches for the success of new health professions programs in rural and remote communities;
3. Develop approaches for health research programs in and to serve rural and remote regions.

Time: 10:45 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. MT

Hosted by Dr. Elaine Godwin and Dr. Jacqueline Hui

By the end of this session, participants will be equipped to:

1. Explain how storage, encoding, retrieval, and cognitive load theory apply to clinical feedback;
2. Incorporate cognitive learning principles to a structured feedback model (eg. Pendleton's);
3. Practice delivering and eliciting feedback that promotes reflection and learning.

Time: 12:00 p.m. - 12:30 p.m. MT

Hosted by Dr. Rick Buck

By the end of this session, participants will:

1. Know the academic and construction update for the Southern Alberta Medical Program (SAMP);
2. Know about next steps in the process of setting up SAMP;
3. Know about future opportunities for Southern Alberta preceptors.

Panel Discussion - The Interface of Teaching and Business: How to Run Your Business While Having Medical Students

Time: 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. MT

Moderator: Dr. Jonathan Somerville  Panelists: Dr. Gloria Tainsh, Dr. Rithesh Ram, Dr. Ryan Torrie and Dr. Sonya Lee

By the end of this session, participants will be equipped to:

1. Describe teaching opportunities and challenges among different payment models;
2. Compare strategies for managing the interface of teaching and business among colleagues and the expert panel;
3. Select strategies to try in their own practice, and plan how to implement them.

Time: 3:15 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. MT

Hosted by Dr. Kristy Penner

By the end of this session, participants will be equipped to:

1. Understand why team leadership and team membership are a key physician and preceptor skill;
2. Optimize your supervision and delegation skills as a preceptor;
3. Leverage alllied health in the teaching unit.

Closing Plenary - the Diversity of Rural Family Practice

Time: 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. MT

Hosted by Dr. Sarah Makhdoom

By the end of this session, participants will:

1. Learn about the variety of choices in rural family medicine in Alberta;
2. Learn how an international medical graduate navigated the initial hurdles to practice in Alberta;
3. Explore the pathways to improve satisfaction in their career choice.

Dr. Elaine Godwin obtained her MD from University of Saskatchewan and completed family medicine residency at the University of Alberta, including a 5 month rural rotation in Hinton Alberta in the early days of RPAP. She practiced in Olds for a year, followed by 25 years in Lethbridge Alberta. She was the Lethbridge Rural Residency Site Director from 2017 to 2024. Dr. Godwin recently moved to Calgary where she works with the Lougheed Maternity Group at Peter Lougheed Hospital and as a UME faculty advisor in the SAWH office. 
She is married with three adult sons, a daughter in law, and her first grandbaby is expected to arrive late 2025! She has an incorrigible Siamese kitty and a goofy 6 year old yellow lab. Dr. Godwin loves to hike and ski in the mountains, garden, and spend time with family.

Dr. Jacqueline Hui practices Palliative Care in Calgary. She is the Director of Teacher Development with the Office of Faculty Development at the University of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine and the Director of Faculty Development for the Department of Family Medicine. 

Dr. Rick Buck was recently appointed as the Associate Dean for the Southern Alberta Medical Program and is excited to kickstart this incredible opportunity for Southern Alberta. When not at work, Rick enjoys gardening with his partner, David, running in the coulees with his dog, and curling in the winter time. 

Dr. Gloria Tainsh is a family physician based in Medicine Hat, Alberta, where she practices longitudinal family medicine. Since moving to Medicine Hat in 2017, she has been an active member of the local healthcare community and currently serves on the Palliser Primary Care Network board. Gloria qualified as a family doctor in Scotland and earned her medical degree in Nigeria, where she grew up. She is passionate about building long-term patient relationships, training medical students and residents, and contributing to the ongoing improvement of primary healthcare in the region. Like many Albertans, she enjoys a lazy day in the sun and camping with her husband, 2 daughters and 3 dogs. 

Dr. Jonathan Somerville works in Sundre as a rural generalist, and has been practicing there since completing residency in 2014. He recently began working as the assistant director of the University of Calgary Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship. Teaching has always been a highlight of his practice and he enjoys the enthusiasm and curiosity that students bring. He is passionate about bringing POCUS and simulation training into rural medical education, and has a special interest in rural mental health. He is very thankful for his wife and two young daughters and the joy and support that they bring. 

Growing up, Dr. Rithesh Ram, like many children, was fascinated with space and dreamed of one day being an astronaut. Fast forward to present day, while going into space still fascinates him (he did go through several rounds of the Canadian astronaut selection process), Rithesh now can't imagine being anything other than a rural physician. Dr. Ram is formally trained as a family physician, but his passion is that of a rural generalist in Drumheller, Alberta. Aside from his MD, he has a BSc in Electrical Engineering from the University of Alberta and a PhD in Epidemiology from the University of Calgary.

Dr Ram is passionate about teaching with clinical appointments at both the U of C and the U of A. He is also Director of the UCLIC Program (University of Calgary Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship) which is a research-based, educational experience that allows medical students to learn in the continuum of patient care throughout southern Alberta.

Dr. Ram is highly involved in many leadership roles locally, provincially and nationally including treasurer of his PCN, President of the Alberta Medical Association Section of Rural Medicine, Alberta Representative to the Society of Rural Physicians of Canada.

A medical entrepreneur, in 2017 Dr. Ram opened an award winning and highly recognized patient medical home, primary care practice in Drumheller, Riverside Medical, winning Business Professional of the Year due to that accomplishment. The practice, as well as Dr. Ram, have been subsequently recognized numerous times from various organizations, including being awarded the Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee Medal.  

Dr. Sonya Lee is a family physician who has practised in Calgary since 2001 and was appointed as the academic department head of Family Medicine at the University of Calgary in 2020. Prior to taking on the department head role, Dr. Lee held numerous leadership roles with the department, including director of continuing professional development, education site lead for the Central Family Medicine Teaching Clinic, chair of the Alternative Relationship Plan Management Committee, vice-chair of the Academic Medicine and Health Services Program Management Committee, and deputy department head.

Throughout her career, Dr. Lee has taught in undergraduate medical education and clinical clerkship, been a preceptor for residency learners, and contributed to faculty development and continuing professional development. Dr. Lee was also a board member for the Alberta College of Family Physicians, and board member and chair for the Foundation for Medical Practice Education.

Dr. Kristy Penner is a rural generalist in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta and a passionate rural educator. In her free time, she can be found outside enjoying the recreational opportunities of her big backyard with her friends and family.