Award Purpose: The Louis Horlick “Spirit of the College of Medicine Award” was established by the Alumni Association in honour of Dr. Louis Horlick, Professor Emeritus, Department of Medicine, for his contributions to the College of Medicine. The annual award is presented to an individual associated with the college who has contributed service over and above the call of duty and shows the spirit, dedication, and enthusiasm that Dr. Horlick has exemplified over his career.

Number Available: One award will be awarded annually.

Prize: Two tickets to the annual Highlights in Medicine Banquet and the presentation of a plaque during the program.

Eligibility: All College of Medicine Medicine staff, faculty, alumni, residents, and students are eligible for nomination.

Nomination materials will be uploaded below and must include:

1. 1 Letter of Nomination addressing the criteria below, which must be signed by at least 2 people.

🟧 Note: Self-nominations are not accepted. Please do not submit any additional materials - they will be removed from the nomination package prior to adjudication. 

Award Criteria: The Letters of Nomination and Support must address the following:

1. Evidence of service over and above the call of duty.
2. Evidence of spirit, dedication, and enthusiasm.

Selection Process

• The adjudication committee will consist of members of the College of Medicine of varied gender, position, and tenure.
• Each committee member will use this adjudication rubric.

Template Letter: please note, this was created using ChatGPT and is meant for guidance only. It is not prescriptive and we encourage you to personalize your letter accordingly.

Examples of Previous Nomination Letters: please note, these are not prescriptive. Requirements may have changed so please be aware of the current criteria posted above.

Previous Recipients:

• 2024: Valerie Arnault-Pelletier
• 2023: Mark Inman
• 2022: Trustin Domes
• 2021: Rachel Asiniwasis
• 2020: Kathy Lawrence
• 2019: Dr. Annette Epp
• 2018: Dr. Jose Francisco Lopez
• 2017: Dr. William (Bill) Albritton
• 2016: Dr. George Pylypchuk
• 2015: Dr. Garth Bruce
• 2014: Daphne Tkachuk
• 2013: Dr. Don Stefiuk
• 2012: Dr. Jack Haver
• 2011: Dr. David Keegan
• 2010: Dr. Ian Holmes
• 2009: Dr. Earl DeCoteau
• 2008: Dr. Robert Card
• 2007: Dr. Lorne Hansen
• 2006: Dr. George R. Armitage
• 2005: Robert A. Hickie
• 2003: Dr. H.J Spooner

• SUBMIT NOMINATION

Award Purpose: This award is made possible through the generosity of Alumni Drs. Ivan Jen and Suzanne Yip, who wished to memorialize Sydney Inskip, a staff member who made an impact on the couple when they were undergraduate medical students. The award is a tribute to Inskip’s kind spirit and recognizes non-academic staff members who have made outstanding contributions and have enhanced the work environment in the CoM.

Prize: A specially designed ring, and a personal trophy to be presented at a College of Medicine appreciation event.

Eligibility: All staff members employed by the CoM are eligible, no matter role, union, phase, location, etc.

Nominations materials will be uploaded below and must include:

1. 1 Letter of Nomination addressing the criteria below, which must be signed by at least 2 people.

🟧 Note: Self-nominations are not accepted. Please do not submit any additional materials - they will be removed from the nomination package prior to adjudication. 

Award Criteria: The Letter of Nomination must address the following:

1. Evidence of enhancement of the work environment by providing extraordinary service to the CoM.
2. Evidence of inspiration, support, and respect for the endeavors of others.
3. Evidence of distinction achieved through dedication and commitment.

Selection Process: An ad hoc committee of CoM members will adjudicate the nominations. Committee members will use this adjudication rubric.

Template Letter: please note, this was created using ChatGPT and is meant for guidance only. It is not prescriptive and we encourage you to personalize your letter accordingly.

Examples of Previous Nomination Letters: please note, these are not prescriptive. Requirements may have changed so please be aware of the current criteria posted above.

Previous recipients:

• 2023: Sherrill Bueckert
• 2022: Shannon Bay
• 2021: Barb Smith
• 2020: Nicole Toutant
• 2019: Kathy Evans
• 2018: Dr. Bruna Bonavia-Fisher
• 2017: Krystyna Schornagle
• 2016: Carla Zorn
• 2015: Janice Skilliter

• SUBMIT NOMINATION

Award Purpose: The Living our Values Staff Award recognizes individual staff members who in the last year have been exceptional in exemplifying one or more of the College of Medicine’s values in their work and actions. The number of awards given will be at the discretion of the judges.

College of Medicine Values

1. Collegiality
2. Fairness and Equitable Treatment
3. Inclusiveness
4. Integrity, honesty, and ethical behaviour
5. Respect

Number Available: The number awarded each year is at the discretion of the adjudicators. 

Prize: Recipients will be awarded with a personal trophy at a College of Medicine Appreciation Event.

Eligibility:

1. All staff members employed by the CoM are eligible, no matter role, union, phase, location, etc.
2. Staff employed by the SHA can be nominated as long as they contribute significantly to the College.
3. The nominee must be an individual. For team recognition, consider the Team Achievement Award.

Nomination Materials will be uploaded below and must include:

1. 1 Letter of Nomination adressing the criteria below, which must be signed by at least 2 people.

🟧 Note: Self-nominations are not accepted. Please do not submit any additional materials - they will be removed from the nomination package prior to adjudication. 

Award Criteria: The Letter of Nomination must address the following:

1. Describe the nominee’s specific actions in the last year that have exemplified one or more of the College values.
2. Describe how the actions of the nominee have been exceptional.
3. Describe the impact of the nominee’s actions.

Selection Process

• An ad hoc committee of CoM members will adjudicate the nominations.
• Each committee member will use this adjudication rubric.

Template Letter: please note, this was created using ChatGPT and is meant for guidance only. It is not prescriptive and we encourage you to personalize your letter accordingly.

Examples of Previous Nomination Letters: please note, these are not prescriptive. Requirements may have changed so please be aware of the current criteria posted above.

Previous Recipients:

• 2024: Karen Amundson, Tracy Arnold, Jeanine Dice, Natalya Mason, and Sue Schmidt
• 2023: Fazle Rafi and Shelley-May Neufeld
• 2022: Sherrill Bueckert, Stephanie Kehrig, and Cindy Matthews

• SUBMIT NOMINATION

Award Purpose: The Strategic Star Awards recognizes individual College of Medicine staff members whose exceptional actions in the last year contributed to one of the College of Medicine Strategic Priorities listed below. The number of awards given will be at the discretion of the judges.

College of Medicine Strategic Priorities (see here for details):

1. Strengthen Research Capacity
2. Quality Education
3. Social Accountability
4. Indigenous Health
5. Faculty Engagement
6. School of Rehabilitation Sciences
7. Enablers

Number Available: The number awarded each year is at the discretion of the adjudicators.

Prize: Recipients will be awarded with a personal trophy at one of the College of Medicine appreciation events.

Eligibility:

• All staff members employed by the CoM are eligible, no matter role, union, phase, location, etc.
• Staff employed by the SHA can be nominated as long as they contribute significantly to the College.
• The nominee must be an individual. For team recognition, consider the Team Achievement Award.

Nomination Materials will be uploaded below and must include:

1. 1 Letter of Nomination adressing the criteria below, which must be signed by at least 2 people. 

🟧 Note: Self-nominations are not accepted. Please do not submit any additional materials - they will be removed from the nomination package prior to adjudication. 

Award Criteria: The Letter of Nomination must address the following:

1. Describe the nominee’s specific actions in the last year that have contributed to one of the CoM strategic priorities.
2. Describe how the actions of the nominee have been exceptional.
3. Describe the impact of the nominee’s actions on the strategic priority.

Selection Process

• An ad hoc committee of College of Medicine members will adjudicate the nominations.
• Each committee member will use this adjudication rubric. 

Template Letter: please note, this was created using ChatGPT and is meant for guidance only. It is not prescriptive and we encourage you to personalize your letter accordingly.

Examples of Previous Nomination Letters: please note, these are not prescriptive. Requirements may have changed so please be aware of the current criteria posted above.

Previous Recipients:

• 2024: Kristine Hunter, Jennifer O'Brien, and Krista Trinder
• 2023: Cindy Wruck

• SUBMIT NOMINATION

Award Purpose: The Team Achievement Staff Award recognizes a team (formal or informal) of staff members (2 or more individuals) whose exceptional actions in the last year, including demonstration of collegiality, respect, and inclusiveness, have been key in the achievement of an outcome, or in making progress towards an outcome, in either a lead or supporting role. 

Number Available: The number awarded each year is at the discretion of the adjudicators. 

Prize: Recipients will be awarded with a personal trophy at a College of Medicine appreciation event.

Eligibility:

1. All staff members employed by the CoM are eligible, no matter role, union, phase, location, etc.
2. The team members can be located at any site.
3. The team might include non-staff members (faculty, learners, residents, etc), however, the nomination letter mustfocus on the staff team members, of which there must be at least 2 individuals.
4. The team may include individuals who are employed by a partner organization (such as SHA), community organization,and others.

Nomination Materials will be uploaded below and must include:

1. 1 Letter of Nomination adressing the criteria below, which must be signed by at least 2 people.

🟧 Note: Self-nominations are not accepted. Please do not submit any additional materials - they will be removed from the nomination package prior to adjudication. 

Award Criteria: Nominations must address the following:

1. Describe the team’s specific actions in the last year, including how they demonstrated collegiality, respect, andinclusiveness, that have been key in the achievement of an outcome, or in making progress towards an outcome, in either a lead or supporting role.
2. Describe how the actions of the team have been exceptional.
3. Describe the impact of the team’s actions.

Selection Process:

• An ad hoc committee of CoM members will adjudicate the nominations.
• Each committee member will use this adjudication rubric.

Template Letter: please note, this was created using ChatGPT and is meant for guidance only. It is not prescriptive and we encourage you to personalize your letter accordingly.

Examples of Previous Nomination Letters: please note, these are not prescriptive. Requirements may have changed so please be aware of the current criteria posted above.

Previous Recipients:

• 2024:
  • Academic Family Medicine Team: Rhonda Bryce, Cynthia Carey, Jaclyn Randall, Sheila Smith, Jalene Jepson, Georgie Blackwell, Janice Skilliter, Heidi Brown, Jana Knezackova, Kristen Huebner, Bobbie McLaughlin, Kayla Woo, Tracy Arnold, Shelley Christianson, Michelle Koehn, and Dorothy Whitbread.
  • Advanced Diagnostics Research Laboratory Team: John DeCoteau, Karen Mochoruk, Tselmeg Ulzii, Lindsay Sellar, Carolina Gonzalez, Holly Giasson, Anita Lazkowski, Taryn Welford, Shena Dagenais, Tatiana Katrii, Lori Podaima, Tracey Wichart, Gaby Tanumihardja, Audrey Doepker, Yvonne Beaudry, Darryl Yu, Hui Wang, Roark Franke.
  • Postgraduate Medical Education Accreditation Oversight Team: Loni Desanghere, Maureen Lumbis, Audrey Kincaid, Tanya Robertson-Frey, and Ope Okunola.
  • Regina Simulated Patient Education Team: Kayla Trevena and Wyatt Wiebe
• 2023:
  • Year 1 Regina Dynamic Duo: Cassie Eskra and Meghan Nelson
  • The Admissions Team: Sherrill Bueckert, Davis Frerichs, Carla Millsap, and Krista Rhode
  • The Accreditation Team: Marianne Bell, Patricia Williamson, and Athena McConnell
• 2022:
  • UGME Administration: Sonja MacDonald and Cheryl Pfeifer
  • Pediatrics Administrative Personnel Team: Jeanine Dice, Michelle Haley, Nancy Groenveld, Mary Grace Benedicto, Christie Klein, Kathy Tunnicliffe, Jennifer Simpson, Laurel Scherr, Sheri Olain, Kathy Doell, Jody Garnett and private department admins Susan Jackson, Radmila Jovic, Cecile Tuerca, Roxanne Rathgeber, Rebecca Florizone, Gina Kangas, Heather Sobry, Kelsey Heagy, Kristy Lang, Larysa Noehring, Tracy Wry, Kerilyn Yaholnitsky, Debbie Milhomens and Angele Thiessen.

• SUBMIT NOMINATION

Award Purpose: The Louis Horlick “Spirit of the College of Medicine Award” was established by the Alumni Association in honour of Dr. Louis Horlick, Professor Emeritus, Department of Medicine, for his contributions to the College of Medicine. The annual award is presented to an individual associated with the college who has contributed service over and above the call of duty and shows the spirit, dedication, and enthusiasm that Dr. Horlick has exemplified over his career.

Number Available: One award will be awarded annually.

Prize: Two tickets to the annual Highlights in Medicine Banquet and the presentation of a plaque during the program.

Eligibility: All College of Medicine Medicine staff, faculty, alumni, residents, and students are eligible for nomination.

Nomination materials will be uploaded below and must include:

1. 1 Letter of Nomination addressing the criteria below, which must be signed by at least 2 people.

🟧 Note: Self-nominations are not accepted. Please do not submit any additional materials - they will be removed from the nomination package prior to adjudication. 

Award Criteria: The Letters of Nomination and Support must address the following:

1. Evidence of service over and above the call of duty.
2. Evidence of spirit, dedication, and enthusiasm.

Selection Process

• The adjudication committee will consist of members of the College of Medicine of varied gender, position, and tenure.
• Each committee member will use this adjudication rubric.

Template Letter: please note, this was created using ChatGPT and is meant for guidance only. It is not prescriptive and we encourage you to personalize your letter accordingly.

Examples of Previous Nomination Letters: please note, these are not prescriptive. Requirements may have changed so please be aware of the current criteria posted above.

Previous Recipients:

• 2024: Valerie Arnault-Pelletier
• 2023: Mark Inman
• 2022: Trustin Domes
• 2021: Rachel Asiniwasis
• 2020: Kathy Lawrence
• 2019: Dr. Annette Epp
• 2018: Dr. Jose Francisco Lopez
• 2017: Dr. William (Bill) Albritton
• 2016: Dr. George Pylypchuk
• 2015: Dr. Garth Bruce
• 2014: Daphne Tkachuk
• 2013: Dr. Don Stefiuk
• 2012: Dr. Jack Haver
• 2011: Dr. David Keegan
• 2010: Dr. Ian Holmes
• 2009: Dr. Earl DeCoteau
• 2008: Dr. Robert Card
• 2007: Dr. Lorne Hansen
• 2006: Dr. George R. Armitage
• 2005: Robert A. Hickie
• 2003: Dr. H.J Spooner

• SUBMIT NOMINATION

Award Purpose: This award acknowledges College of Medicine members involved in faculty development (FD) who have presented their work contributing to needs identified by UGME, PGME, or CPD. The award also recognizes inclusive presentation skills, and interaction and engagement with the audience in a meaningful way. 

Number Available: The number awarded each year is at the discretion of the adjudicators. 

Prize: Recipients will be awarded with a personal trophy at a College of Medicine appreciation event.

Eligibility: Nominee is a faculty, staff, or learner member or team with the College of Medicine.

Nomination materials will be uploaded below and must include:

1. 1 Primary Letter of Nomination from learner, staff, or faculty member, which must be signed by at least 2 people.

🟧 Note: Self-nominations are not accepted. Please do not submit any additional materials - they will be removed from the nomination package prior to adjudication. 

Award Criteria: The Letters of Nomination and Support must address the following:

1. Evidence of FD involvement and presentation(s) on a topic that contributes to the needs of UGME, PGME, or CPD in the CoM.
2. Evidence of inclusive presentation skills, and interaction and engagement with the audience in a meaningful way. 

Selection Process

• The adjudication committee will be a subcommittee of the Faculty Development team.
• Each committee member will use this adjudication rubric.

Template Letter: please note, this was created using ChatGPT and is meant for guidance only. It is not prescriptive and we encourage you to personalize your letter accordingly.

Previous Recipients:

• 2024: Andries Muller
• 2023: Sean Polreis

• SUBMIT NOMINATION

Award Purpose: This award pays tribute to the work done by Deirdre Bonnycastle as an innovator in Faculty Development who created and managed a nationally recognized wiki on medical education. The award acknowledges those in the College of Medicine who go above and beyond in contributing to faculty development and creating change in medicine.

Number Available: The number awarded each year is at the discretion of the adjudicators. 

Prize: Recipients will be awarded with a personal trophy at a College of Medicine appreciation event.

Eligibility: Nominee is a faculty or staff member with the College of Medicine.

Nomination materials will be uploaded below and must include:

1. 1 Primary Letter of Nomination from learner, staff, or faculty member, which must be signed by at least 2 people.

🟧 Note: Self-nominations are not accepted. Please do not submit any additional materials - they will be removed from the nomination package prior to adjudication. 

Award Criteria: The Letter of Nomination must address the following:

1. Evidence of a major contribution related to faculty development.
2. Demonstrated impact in creating change in medicine.

Selection Process

• The adjudication committee will be a subcommittee of the Faculty Development team.
• Each committee member will use this adjudication rubric.

Template Letter: please note, this was created using ChatGPT and is meant for guidance only. It is not prescriptive and we encourage you to personalize your letter accordingly.

Examples of Previous Nomination Letters: please note, these are not prescriptive. Requirements may have changed so please be aware of the current criteria posted above.

Previous Recipients:

• 2024: Helen Chang and Rob Woods
• 2023: Division of Social Accountability: Manuela Valle-Castro, Carlyn Séguin, Natalya Mason, Erin Walling, and Joanna Winichuk

• SUBMIT NOMINATION

Award Purpose: The award recognizes an individual faculty member in the College of Medicine who has shown outstanding leadership and achievements while exhibiting care in building a healthy workplace, teams, and citizens.

Potential Areas of Leadership include (but are not limited to):

• Medical education
• Research
• Social accountability
• Indigenous health
• EDI
• Mentorship
• Wellness

Number Available: The number awarded each year is at the discretion of the adjudicators. 

Prize: Recipients will be awarded with a personal trophy at a College of Medicine appreciation event.

Eligibility: Nominee has a faculty* appointment with the CoM *(faculty includes all medical faculty or employed faculty)

Nomination materials will be uploaded below and must include:

1. 1 Letter of Nomination from a faculty member, learner, or staff member, which must be signed by at least 2 people. 
2. Nominee's CV

🟧 Note: Self-nominations are not accepted. Please do not submit any additional materials - they will be removed from the nomination package prior to adjudication. 

Award Criteria: The Letter of Nomination must address how the nominee has shown leadership in any area (some suggestions listed above) through the following:

1. Evidence of leadership through (but not limited to):
   • committee or other volunteer roles (at local, provincial, national, or international levels) and/or;
   • peer recognition (awards, invited presentations, lectures, workshops) and/or;
   • feedback from colleagues or learners about the effectiveness of the nominee in making change or leading innovation.
2. Evidence of achievements at local, provincial, national, or international levels such as (but not limited to):
   • record of peer reviewed scholarship and/or;
   • impact on local and/or external programs, units, institutions, etc., and/or;
   • commitment to advocacy and/or;
   • community impact
3. Evidence of a caring approach to building a healthy workplace, teams, and citizens, such as (but not limited to) the capabilities outlined in the LEADS framework.

Selection Process:

• An ad hoc committee of CoM members will adjudicate the nominations.
• Each committee member will use this adjudication rubric. 

Template Letter: please note, this was created using ChatGPT and is meant for guidance only. It is not prescriptive and we encourage you to personalize your letter accordingly.

Examples of Previous Nomination Letters: please note, these are not prescriptive. Requirements may have changed so please be aware of the current criteria posted above.

Previous Recipients:

• 2024: Bill Roesler
• 2023: Jacqueline Kraushaar (Regina) and Roona Sinha (Saskatoon)

• SUBMIT NOMINATION

Award Purpose: The award recognizes faculty in the College of Medicine who have exhibited the highest level of excellence and had a significant impact on research over the past year. Excellence can be in the form of innovation, engagement, impact, and productivity in research. This can be demonstrated by advances in knowledge in biomedical, clinical, and population health areas as well as through research related to patient health, health services, health equity, behaviour, social impacts, and/or medical education.

Number available: There will be one award announced per year, but no obligation to award if suitable nominations are not received.

Prize: Recognition of those receiving the award will be through the following means:

• Their name on a plaque in the COM administrative office along with previous awardees
• A personal awards letter
• Announcement on social media and COM communications
• Attend and honour at the COM spring recognition event
• An invited lecture opportunity
• $1500 research credit

Eligibility: The award is open to all faculty members whose primary academic appointment is from the College of Medicine (COM). This includes USFA and non-USFA faculty; faculty located from any region of Saskatchewan; and faculty from any research discipline including but not limited to biomedical, clinical, population health, patient-oriented, community engaged, and medical education.

The COM encourages nominations of individuals from equity groups including persons of Indigenous descent, women, members of visible minorities, and people who experience disability. Research shows that these groups are under-represented in receiving research awards. As such, we encourage nominators to consider their colleagues who may have historically been passed over.

Nomination Process: Candidates will be nominated by two colleagues from within the College of Medicine. These colleagues will organize and submit a nominations package. The nomination package will include:

1. A nomination letter summarizing the nominee’s research achievements and addressing the selection criteria. 3 pages max.
2. One letter of support from academic, community, or other stakeholders (e.g. community partner (organization), industry partner, student, staff, etc.) describing the impact of the nominee’s research.
3. An up-to-date University of Saskatchewan curriculum vitae.

🟧 Note: Self-nominations are not accepted. Please do not submit any additional materials - they will be removed from the nomination package prior to adjudication. 

Award Criteria: The following criteria may be considered in the recipient selection:

1. Demonstrated excellence including research advances
2. Recognition by professional societies, community organizations, or other external bodies
3. Contributions to the local, national, and international research environment from administrative or infrastructure perspectives
4. Contributions to the training and education of highly qualified personnel
5. Leadership

Selection Process:

• All nomination packages will be reviewed by an OVDR Awards Evaluation Committee. 
• Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) principles will be considered in the decision-making process. While it is not mandatory to provide a statement about EDI, the nominee, or nominators with consent of the nominee, may provide a brief statement regarding the EDI context of the nominee.
• Committee members will use this adjudication rubric.

Template Letter: please note, this was created using ChatGPT and is meant for guidance only. It is not prescriptive and we encourage you to personalize your letter accordingly.

Examples of Previous Nomination Letters: please note, these are not prescriptive. Requirements may have changed so please be aware of the current criteria posted above.

Previous Recipients:

• 2023: Gary Groot and Alexandra King 

• SUBMIT NOMINATION

Award Purpose: The award recognizes faculty in the College of Medicine who have had significant research impact over the course of their career. This includes recognition of excellence, leadership, and capacity building through their research program as demonstrated by advances in knowledge as well as through research related to patient health, health services, health equity, behaviour, social impacts, and/or medical education.

Number available: There will be one award announced per year, but no obligation to award if suitable nominations are not received.

Prize: Recognition of those receiving the award will be through the following means:

• Their name on a plaque in the COM administrative office along with previous awardees
• A personal awards letter
• Announcement on social media and COM communications
• Attend and honour at the COM spring recognition event
• An invited lecture opportunity
• $1500 research credit

Eligibility: The award is open to all faculty members whose primary appointment is/was held in the College of Medicine (COM) who have served at the University of Saskatchewan for at least 10 years. This includes USFA and non-USFA faculty; faculty located from any region of Saskatchewan; and faculty from any research discipline including but not limited to biomedical, clinical, population health, patient-oriented, community engaged, and medical education. Awards may be given after retirement or posthumously.

The COM encourages nominations of individuals from equity groups including persons of Indigenous descent, women, members of visible minorities, and people who experience disability. Research shows that these groups are under-represented in receiving research awards. As such, we encourage nominators to consider their colleagues who may have historically been passed over.

Nomination Process: Candidates will be nominated by two colleagues from within the College of Medicine. These colleagues will organize and submit a nominations package. The nomination package will include:

1. A nomination letter summarizing the nominee’s research achievements and addressing the selection criteria. 3 pages max.
2. One letter of support from a scholar external to the University of Saskatchewan in the nominee’s main research area discussing the impact of the nominee’s research.
3. One letter of support from an additional stakeholder [e.g. community partner (organization), industry partner, student, staff, etc.].
4. An up-to-date University of Saskatchewan curriculum vitae.

🟧 Note: Self-nominations are not accepted. Please do not submit any additional materials - they will be removed from the nomination package prior to adjudication. 

Award Criteria:

The Research Career Achievement Award is given to individuals who have made a significant impact to research. This will be based on long-term cumulative contributions. Cumulative contributions can be based on research productivity, impact, innovation, and/or advancing research through affecting research infrastructure.

The following criteria may be considered in the recipient selection:

1. Demonstrated excellence including research advances
2. Recognition by professional societies, community organizations, or other external bodies
3. Contributions to the local, national, and international research environment from administrative or infrastructure perspectives
4. Contributions to the training and education of highly qualified personnel
5. Leadership

 Selection Process:

• All nomination packages will be reviewed by an OVDR Awards Evaluation Committee. 
• Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) principles will be considered in the decision-making process. While it is not mandatory to provide a statement about EDI, the nominee, or nominators with consent of the nominee, may provide a brief statement regarding the EDI context of the nominee.
• Committee members will use this adjudication rubric.

Template Letter: please note, this was created using ChatGPT and is meant for guidance only. It is not prescriptive and we encourage you to personalize your letter accordingly.

Examples of Previous Nomination Letters: please note, these are not prescriptive. Requirements may have changed so please be aware of the current criteria posted above.

Previous Recipients:

• 2023: Ali Rajput 

• SUBMIT NOMINATION

Award Purpose: The award recognizes individuals or teams in the College of Medicine who have exhibited the highest commitment to conducting inter-disciplinary research and/or to approaching research areas with novel, outside of the box approaches.

Number available: There will be one award announced per year, but no obligation to award if suitable nominations are not received.

Prize: Recognition of those receiving the award will be through the following means:

• Their name on a plaque in the COM administrative office along with previous awardees
• A personal awards letter
• Announcement on social media and COM communications
• Attend and honour at the COM spring recognition event
• An invited lecture opportunity
• $5000 research credit

Eligibility: The award is open to all faculty members and research teams led by faculty members from the College of Medicine (COM). This includes USFA and non-USFA faculty; faculty located from any region of Saskatchewan. Teams must include members representing more than one discipline including but not limited to biomedical, clinical, population health, patient-oriented, community engaged, and medical education. Inter-disciplinary collaborations can include those with colleges other than the College of Medicine.

The COM encourages nominations of individuals from equity groups including persons of Indigenous descent, women, members of visible minorities, and people who experience disability. Research shows that these groups are under-represented in receiving research awards. As such, we encourage nominators to consider their colleagues who may have historically been passed over.

Nomination Process: Candidates will be nominated by two colleagues from within the College of Medicine. These colleagues will organize and submit a nominations package. The nomination package will include:

1. A nomination letter from the nominators summarizing the nominee’s research achievements and addressing the selection criteria. 3 pages max.
2. One letter of support from academic, community, or other stakeholders (e.g. community partner (organization), industry partner, student, staff, etc.) describing the impact of the nominee’s research.
3. An up-to-date University of Saskatchewan curriculum vitae.

Award Criteria: The following criteria may be considered in the recipient selection:

1. Commitment to conducting inter-disciplinary research, advances or impact of the collaboration, and/or
2. Approaching research areas with novel, outside of the box approaches. The nomination must describe that approach and how it goes beyond the conventional ways of thinking or solving a problem.

Selection Process:

• All nomination packages will be reviewed by an OVDR Awards Evaluation Committee.
• Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) principles will be considered in the decision-making process. While it is not mandatory to provide a statement about EDI, the nominee, or nominators with consent of the nominee, may provide a brief statement regarding the EDI context of the nominee.
• Committee members will use this adjudication rubric.

Template Letter: please note, this was created using ChatGPT and is meant for guidance only. It is not prescriptive and we encourage you to personalize your letter accordingly.

Examples of Previous Nomination Letters: please note, these are not prescriptive. Requirements may have changed so please be aware of the current criteria posted above.

Previous Recipients:

• 2023: The Wellness Wheel Team 

• SUBMIT NOMINATION

Award Purpose: The Rural Medical Education Innovation Award recognizes rural College of Medicine (CoM) faculty members who have created new, or adapted existing, tools, curriculum, or programs, for use in rural-focused teaching and learning. More than one award recipient may be selected.

Examples include but are not limited to:

• Creation of regional/rural simlab program
• Innovative rotation-specific schedules to provide learner-centred teaching in a local environment
• Partnering with community members
• Clinical skills events 

Number Available: The number awarded each year is at the discretion of the adjudicators.

Prize: Recipients will be awarded with a personal trophy, a rural medicine-branded jacket, and membership to Society of Rural Physicians of Canada (SRPC).

Eligibility:

1. Nominee is a medical faculty member with the CoM
2. Nominee lives and works in a rural location in Saskatchewan

Nomination materials will be uploaded below and must include:

1. 1 Letter of Nomination from a colleague, learner, staff, or team member, which must be signed by at least 2 people.

🟧 Note: Self-nominations are not accepted. Please do not submit any additional materials - they will be removed from the nomination package prior to adjudication. 

Award Criteria: The Letter of Nomination must address the following:

1. Evidence of innovation in the creation or adaptation of tools, curriculum, or programs.
2. Demonstrated impact of the innovation (ex: more learner engagement, community focused, embedded the curriculum in family medicine/longitudinal exposure, improved outcomes, etc).

Selection Process:

• The adjudication committee will consist of members of the Saskatchewan Medical Association, Rural and Regional Practice committee, and the CoM.
• Committee members will use this adjudication rubric.

Template Letter: please note, this was created using ChatGPT and is meant for guidance only. It is not prescriptive and we encourage you to personalize your letter accordingly.

Examples of Previous Nomination Letters: please note, these are not prescriptive. Requirements may have changed so please be aware of the current criteria posted above.

Previous Recipients:

• 2023: Daniel Irvine

• SUBMIT NOMINATION

Award Purpose: The Rural Partnership Award recognizes rural College of Medicine members who work in partnership in advancing academic medicine in rural Saskatchewan. Nominations can be for an individual or a team (please see eligibility requirements below). More than one award recipient may be selected.

Examples include but are not limited to:

1. An individual medical faculty member who regularly works with a variety of partners in developing/delivering initiatives relevant to rural academic medicine.
2. A team who has worked together on one or more initiatives focused on rural academic medicine. 

Number Available: The number awarded each year is at the discretion of the adjudicators.

Prize: Recipients will be awarded with a personal trophy and a rural medicine-branded jacket.

Eligibility:

For Individual Nominations:

1. Nominee is a medical faculty member of the CoM, University of Saskatchewan
2. Nominee lives and works in a rural Saskatchewan setting

For Team Nominations:

1. Team members must include at least one rural medical faculty member. Partners may or may not be College of Medicine members, and may be physicians, allied health members, researchers, learners, administrative staff, community members, patients, etc.
2. Team members can be from a mix of rural and urban settings.

Nomination materials will be uploaded below and must include:

1. 1 Letter of Nomination from a colleague, learner, staff, or team member, which must be signed by at least 2 people.

🟧 Note: Self-nominations are not accepted. Please do not submit any additional materials - they will be removed from the nomination package prior to adjudication. 

Award Criteria: The Letter of Nomination must address the following:

1. Evidence of authentic partnerships to develop or deliver initiatives that are tied to academic medicine.
2. Demonstrated impact of the initiative, linked to effectiveness of the partnership(s).

Selection Process:

• The adjudication committee will consist of members of the Saskatchewan Medical Association, Rural and Regional Practice committee, and the CoM.
• Committee members will use this adjudication rubric.

Template Letter: please note, this was created using ChatGPT and is meant for guidance only. It is not prescriptive and we encourage you to personalize your letter accordingly.

Examples of Previous Nomination Letters: please note, these are not prescriptive. Requirements may have changed so please be aware of the current criteria posted above.

Previous Recipients:

• 2023: South East Family Medicine Team: Mahmood Beheshti, Kristin Foy, Aileen Hamilton, and Bobbie McLaughlin

• SUBMIT NOMINATION

Award Purpose: The Continuing Medical Education Teaching Excellence Award recognizes a College of Medicine faculty member who colleagues, learners, and participants deem as excellent in their teaching at the CME level.

Prize: Recipients will be presented with a personal trophy and will be recognized at a College of Medicine appreciation event.

Nomination Process: Nominations will be solicited through a targeted feedback process via the following:

1. Course evaluations
2. Nomination survey to registrants
3. Nomination survey to scientific planning committee
4. Nomination through CME webpage

🟧 Note: Self-nominations are not accepted.

Award Criteria: 

1. Nominee demonstrates exceptional knowledge of their topic
2. Nominee demonstrates superior communication skills
3. Nominee creates engagement with learners

Selection Process:

• Selecting the successful nominee will be based on the highest number of nominations, all of which must meet the three criteria described above. 

Previous Recipients:

• 2023: Alexander Wong

For more information, please contact katherine.churchman@usask.ca.

Award Purpose: This award provides an opportunity to honour individuals who have made significant contributions to the teaching mission of the College of Medicine. Excellence in teaching should not be defined narrowly. However, nominees ordinarily will be acknowledged by their peers and students as being exceptional in practicing their art and craft and have significantly contributed to the teaching mission of the College of Medicine. This would include instructional content and methods, evaluation techniques, and/or administration.

🟩 Please note: The successful recipient of this award will by default be the College nominee for the USask Provost’s College Award for Outstanding Teaching in the same year, as long as eligibility requirements are met.

Number Available: The number awarded each year is at the discretion of the adjudicators.

Prize: Recipients will be presented with a personal trophy, and their name will be added to the award plaque in the Dean's office. Recipients will be recognized at a College of Medicine appreciation event.

Eligibility: Any faculty member in any department of the College of Medicine who:

1. Has taught for three years.
2. Has been recognized as a superior teacher during that time with either a recognizable teaching award received and/or consistent evidence (beyond testimonials) of superior teaching (i.e., student evaluations, additional peer support, evidence of impact, etc.).
3. Has not received this award previously.

Nomination materials will be uploaded below and must include:

1. A single letter of nomination from that describes how the faculty member meets the award criteria listed below. The letter must be signed by at least 2 people.
2. Nominee’s CV
3. Evidence of Teaching including a sample of teaching material and summarized student evaluations or teaching dossier if available.

🟧 Note: Self-nominations are not accepted. Please do not submit any additional materials - they will be removed from the nomination package prior to adjudication. 

Award Criteria: The Letter of Nomination must address the following:

1. Exemplify learning, for example, through:
   • a passion for discovery that contributes to proficiency in one’s field
   • a positive attitude toward, respect for, and trust in students and peers
   • consideration of broad perspectives and worldviews
     
     
2. Strive for excellence in teaching, for example, through: 
   • allowing for students to be inspired and engaged in authentic inquiry
   • using instructional strategies and assessments that align with learning outcomes
   • including learners in creating respectful and empowering spaces
     
     
3. Assess fairly, for example, through: 
   • designing assessments as learning, allowing students to self-assess
   • designing assessments, which accompany opportunities for feedback
   • designing assessments that align with course outcomes
     
     
4. Enhance continuously, for example, through: 
   • reflecting on and enhancing teaching in response to feedback and learning outcomes
   • engaging with other educators to share and learn from each other

Selection Process:

• A committee constituted by the Vice Dean of Education will review nominations.
• Each committee member will use this adjudication rubric.
• Awards will be presented to the recipients at the CoM Recognition Event held in June of each year.

Template Letter: please note, this was created using ChatGPT and is meant for guidance only. It is not prescriptive and we encourage you to personalize your letter accordingly.

Examples of Previous Nomination Letters: please note, these are not prescriptive. Requirements may have changed so please be aware of the current criteria posted above.

Previous Recipients:

• 2024: Kyle Anderson and Jacqueline Kraushaar
• 2023: Nassrein Hussein 
• 2021: Kelsey Brose 
• 2019: Trustin Domes and Sarah Oosman
• 2018: Greg Malin
• 2017: Rashmi Bhargava and Michael Schwandt 
• 2016: Paul Lee and Ann Dzus
• 2014: Soo Kim
• 2013: John Gjevre and George Carson
• 2011: Anne PausJenssen and Regina Taylor-Gjevre 
• 2010: Sharon Card and Kalyani Premkumar
• 2009: Arliss Mcquarrie and Christopher Voll
• 2008: Mario Taillon and Marcel D'eon
• 2007: Janet Markland and Alanna Danilkewich
• 2006: Peggy Proctor and Anurag Saxena
• 2005: James McNeill and Hames Barton
• 2004: Nawal Sharma and Ken Yong-Hing
• 2003: Brian Colquhoun and Susan Hemmings
• 2002: Chiranjib Talukdar and Ken Romanchuk
• 2001: Kempe Gowda and Adel Mohamed
• 2000: Olufemi Olatunbosun
• 1999: Sheila Rutledge Harding

• SUBMIT NOMINATION

Award Purpose: This award provides an opportunity to honour individuals who are early in their academic career have made contributions to the teaching mission of the College of Medicine. 

🟩 Please note: The successful recipient of this award will by default be the College nominee for the USask Provost's New Teacher Award, as long as eligibility requirements are met.

Number Available: The number awarded each year is at the discretion of the adjudicators.

Prize: Recipients will be presented with a personal trophy, and their name will be added to the award plaque in the Dean's office. Recipients will be recognized at a College of Medicine appreciation event.

Eligibility: Any faculty member in any department of the College of Medicine who:

1. Is within 5 years of their academic appointment as Assistant Professor.
2. Has been teaching for at least 2 years.
3. Has been recognized as an excellent teacher during that time through student evaluations, additional peer support, evidence of impact, etc.
4. Has not received this award previously.

Nomination materials will be uploaded below and must include:

1. A single letter of nomination that describes how the faculty member meets the award criteria listed below. The letter must be signed by at least 2 people.
2. Nominee’s CV (suggest using USask format).
3. Evidence of Teaching from the most recent 2 years, such as a sample of teaching material and summarized student evaluations or teaching dossier if available.

🟧 Note: Self-nominations are not accepted. Please do not submit any additional materials - they will be removed from the nomination package prior to adjudication. 

Award Criteria: The Letter of Nomination must address the following:

1. Exemplify learning, for example, through:
   • a passion for discovery that contributes to proficiency in one’s field, which may include development of scholarship related to teaching and learning
   • a positive attitude toward, respect for, and trust in students and peers
   • consideration of broad perspectives and worldviews
     
     
2. Strive for excellence in teaching, for example, through: 
   • allowing for students to be inspired and engaged in authentic inquiry
   • using instructional strategies and assessments that align with learning outcomes
   • including learners in creating respectful and empowering spaces
     
     
3. Assess fairly, for example, through: 
   • designing assessments as learning, allowing students to self-assess
   • designing assessments, which accompany opportunities for feedback
   • designing assessments that align with course outcomes
     
     
4. Enhance continuously, for example, through: 
   • reflecting on and enhancing teaching in response to feedback and learning outcomes
   • engaging with other educators to share and learn from each other

Selection Process:

• A committee constituted by the Vice Dean of Education will review nominations.
• Each committee member will use this adjudication rubric.
• Awards will be presented to the recipients at the CoM Recognition Event held in June of each year.

Template Letter: please note, this was created using ChatGPT and is meant for guidance only. It is not prescriptive and we encourage you to personalize your letter accordingly.

• SUBMIT NOMINATION

Award Purpose: The award recognizes excellence in teaching by an individual faculty member at the Regina Campus. 

Number Available: The number awarded each year is at the discretion of the adjudicators.

Prize: Recipients will be presented with a personal trophy, and their name will be added to the award plaque in the Dean's office. Recipients will be recognized at the College of Medicine Regina campus appreciation event.

Eligibility: The nominee must be a Regina Campus faculty member who teaches in the pre-clerkship, clerkship, or resident training programs on campus. The faculty member must have been involved in teaching in the last two academic years.

Nomination materials will be uploaded below and must include:

1. A single letter of nomination that describes how the faculty member meets the award criteria listed below, which must be signed by at least 2 people.
   

🟧 Note: Self-nominations are not accepted. Please do not submit any additional materials - they will be removed from the nomination package prior to adjudication. 

Award Criteria: The Letter of Nomination must address the following:

1. Exemplify learning, for example, through:
   • a passion for discovery that contributes to proficiency in one’s field
   • a positive attitude toward, respect for, and trust in students and peers
   • consideration of broad perspectives and worldviews
     
     
2. Strive for excellence in teaching, for example, through: 
   • allowing for students to be inspired and engaged in authentic inquiry
   • using instructional strategies and assessments that align with learning outcomes
   • including learners in creating respectful and empowering spaces
     
     
3. Assess fairly, for example, through: 
   • designing assessments as learning, allowing students to self-assess
   • designing assessments, which accompany opportunities for feedback
   • designing assessments that align with course outcomes
     
     
4. Enhance continuously, for example, through: 
   • reflecting on and enhancing teaching in response to feedback and learning outcomes
   • engaging with other educators to share and learn from each other

Selection Process:

• An ad hoc committee of College of Medicine, Regina Campus members will adjudicate the nominations.
• Each committee member will use this adjudication rubric.

Template Letter: please note, this was created using ChatGPT and is meant for guidance only. It is not prescriptive and we encourage you to personalize your letter accordingly.

Examples of Previous Nomination Letters: please note, these are not prescriptive. Requirements may have changed so please be aware of the current criteria posted above.

Previous Recipients:

• 2024 (Spring): Rashmi Bhargava, Taegen Fitch, and Joan Hamilton
• 2023 (Spring): Helen Chang (UGME) and Osama Al-Agha (PGME) 

• SUBMIT NOMINATION

🎉 Deb Quirion, Residency Program Administrator, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine

Deb was recognized by Pramath Kakodkar who said: “I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation for Deb, our exceptional program administrator, whose dedication has greatly improved the lives of pathology residents. Deb consistently goes above and beyond to streamline administrative processes and provide creative solutions, making our program run smoothly. During my time as chief resident, her support and insightful guidance were instrumental in my success. Her commitment to resident well-being and program excellence does not go unnoticed, and we are truly grateful for her tireless efforts. Thank you, Deb, for everything you do to make our program better.”

🎉 Shannon Bay, Executive Assistant, Undergraduate Medical Education, College of Medicine

Shannon was recognized by Cheryl Pfeifer who said: "Shannon, I just wanted to pass along a huge thank you for not only assisting me with getting settled in my new office but also for the other support that you continue to provide. Your assistance is invaluable and always met with a smile and I sincerely hope that you know how much you are appreciated. Thank you so much."

🎉 Willem de Jong, Academic Application Support Specialist, College of Medicine

Willem was recognized by Cheryl Pfeifer who said: “Willem, I wanted to thank you so much for taking the time very early Monday morning to assist me with getting the MEDC 236 Mental Health Assessment set up due to the last-minute changes that were required because of the weekend snowfall. I know the work wasn’t part of your normal responsibilities, but your assistance was invaluable in helping me get everything done in a very timely manner. Your expertise and enthusiasm were appreciated during a time that can be stressful for all concerned and I sincerely appreciate your efforts.”

🎉 Snowmageddon response, College of Medicine members

These members were recognized by Sherry Pederson who said: “I want to give a shout out to Dr. McKague, Dr. Malin, Dr. De Souza, Cheryl Pfeifer, Todd Reichert, and Fazle Rafi for their quick work and response to the snow event on the weekend. The team was proactive and worked Saturday and Sunday to prepare the shift from in-person to virtual on Monday, November 25. Thank you is also extended to the UG team in Regina, that adjusted based on the imposed changes. An additional shout out to the team in facilities that worked long hours to clear the snow, it is greatly appreciated!”

🎉 Tyler Lagacy, Senior Technology Support Specialist, College of Medicine

Tyler was recognized by Cheryl Pfeifer who said: “Tyler, I wanted to say thank you so much for answering my phone call on Sunday evening to help me with changing sessions from live in person to remote learning due the weekend snowstorm. Your time and expertise were valuable for this transition, and I really appreciate your willingness to assist outside your current work hours, it shows how committed you are to student learning. You are always such a help, and I appreciate your support in every way.”

🎉 Case-Based Learning Team, College of Medicine

The CBL Team was recognized by Dr. Helen Chang who said: “Thank you to the CBL team, Dr. Sharon Card, Dr. Azeez Olajide, Kim Basque, & Cassie Eskra for their extra effort, responsiveness and dedication to improving how we teach Case Based Learning in preclerkship! "不经一事，不长一智" (Bù jīng yī shì, bù zhǎng yī zhì) "Without experiencing setbacks, one cannot gain wisdom.”"

🎉 Clinical Learning and Resource Centre (CLRC), Health Sciences

CLRC members were recognized by Sonja MacDonald who said: "I would like to recognize my colleagues at the CLRC for the outstanding work and support that they provide to the UGME Pre-Clerkship team and students: Helen Pocha, Audra Sinclair, Kristina Hughes, Kate Herriot, Salma Imran, Kiel Ruehlen, and Corinne Anderson. We appreciate all the work that is put in to each of our sessions in the CLRC along with your willingness to work with us to ensure we are able to reschedule sessions as needed. Each year you go above and beyond to accommodate our busy schedules in the CLRC and work with us to ensure that things run smoothly! It is truly a joy to work with all of you.”

🎉 Discipline Specific Patient Encounters (DSPE) session members, College of Medicine

DSPE members were recognized by Sonja MacDonald who said: “I would like to send out an appreciation alert to my colleagues who assist with the DSPE sessions and skills days across our Departments: Tracy Lewis – Dept of Family Medicine, Lorianne Neudorf- Dept of Family Medicine, Cammie Morgan Dept of Pediatrics, Angela Vanderlinde – Dept of Internal Medicine, Keri Dewar – Dept of Surgery, Connie Maxwell – PM&R, Judy Classen – Dept of Surgery, Nadine Loran – Dept of Psychiatry. Your hard work in assisting with scheduling and rescheduling each of the Saskatoon Campus Pre-Clerkship students is greatly appreciated! It is always a pleasure to work with each of you. I would also like to send a huge thank you to Twyla Downing and Jaclyn Dalsgaard for their wonderful support to the Year 1 and Year 2 students this term!” 

🎉 Cameron Berg and Centaine Raginski, Research Acceleration and Strategic Initiatives, USask

 🎉 Sherry Pederson, Annie Ethier, Meredith McKague, and Anurag Saxena, College of Medicine

These members were recognized by Catherine MacKay-Wilson who said: “Thank you very much to Sherry Pederson for helping me coordinate a great UGME retreat in Regina on November 13th, 2024. Thank you to Annie for managing the food and arrival and departure of our special guests. Thank you to Dr McKague for pursuing this meeting of the team in one place towards the best Undergrad medical education available, this team is growing together in a positive way with each meeting across distributed sites. Thank you to our Saskatoon peers who travelled to Regina for the day, away from family and work demands, to contribute their ideas towards a collegial energy in the College of Medicine. Thank you to the Regina team for leading the tours and sharing your work space with our peers and showing off our very special campus. We were thrilled to have you visit us and look forward to more visits like this! A very special Thank you to Dr. Saxena for all the work in preparation for this over the past 6 months, for your time and energy, and for sharing stories that helped us see our strengths and encourage us with tools to make action plans and tackle each problem as a team.”

🎉 Nicole Gates Willick, Randi-Lee Bodas, Meghan Nelson, Annie Ethier, Aisling Gamble, and Catherine MacKay-Wilson, Regina campus, College of Medicine

Regina campus staff members were recognized by Rachael Heiser who said: “I'm grateful to everyone for making my visit possible. Thank you for all your efforts and collaboration! I feel truly welcome at the Regina campus, and I am so glad I had the opportunity to visit. I wanted to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude to Nicole Gates Willick, Randi Bodas, and Meghan Nelson for their incredible efforts in organizing and planning my trip to Regina. Thank you also to Annie Ethier for your support! Connecting with both students and staff was the highlight of my trip, and I am grateful for the warm reception I received. I appreciated the chance to discuss electives and enjoyed getting to know everyone better. Sharing knowledge and seeing the enthusiasm for learning was truly rewarding. A special thank you to Aisling Gamble for taking pictures and helping with the setup and take down. Additionally, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Catherine MacKay-Wilson for initiating the conversation about these visits and for having such a wonderful team!! Your support and hospitality made this trip memorable, and I look forward to future visits and collaborations. Megwich (Thank you)!” 

🎉 Dr. Kristin Foy, Bobbie McLaughlin, Dr. Marcie Heggie, Kristin Dupuis, Dr. Edward Tsoi, Heather Fidelak, and Kelsey Okeney, College of Medicine

South East members were recognized by Dr. Marilyn Baetz who said: “On September 18th and 19th Dean Sarah Forgie and Alyson Rees along with Drs. Meredith McKague, Trustin Domes, Geoff Zerr, Tara Lee and myself were hosted at 3 of our rural/regional sites (Estevan, Moosomin, and Yorkton) as we toured hospitals and primary health centres and enjoyed fantastic meals with our many colleagues in each centre. We were so impressed and want to send out special thank-yous to those who took a lot of extra time to organize. We so appreciate all you did!”

 🎉 Jenny Wilkins, Janice Skillitier, Dr. Stephanie Young, Dr. Sean Groves, and Meaghan Helary, La Ronge members, College of Medicine

La Ronge members were recognized by Dr. Marilyn Baetz who said: "On October 1st Dean Sarah Forgie, Drs. Tara Lee and Meredith McKague, Deputy Provost Patti McDougall, COO Greg Power and myself had the privilege of visiting La Ronge to tour the health care facilities, visit the CoM training site and meet with physicians, medical learners, and healthcare leaders. We enjoyed seeing the town, hospital, clinics and the beautiful lake but especially enjoyed 29 of us sharing/hearing stories of what makes northern medicine special as we ate together. Special thanks to Jenny Wilkins, Janice Skillitier, Dr. Stephanie Young, Dr. Sean Groves, and Meaghan Helary for organizing, touring and making it a memorable and educational experience!" 

🎉 Bailey Edelman and Dr. Stephen Loden, Meadow Lake, College of Medicine

Bailey and Stephen were recognized by Dr. Marilyn Baetz who said: “I want to thank Bailey and Dr. Stephen Loden for the fantastic job they did hosting us in Meadow Lake. Dean Sarah Forgie, Drs Kent Stobart, Cathy MacLean, Jim Barton and myself visited last week and were happy to be engaged in wonderful discussions and tours of the site. We always enjoy meeting the doctors and learning first-hand about them and the challenges and benefits that are faced in our provincial sites, and it was particularly evident that Bailey really makes the difference for students/learners and the physicians when it comes to the Meadow Lake site.” 

🎉 Mark Milne (Research Facilitator) and Udoka Okpalauwaekwe (Research Officer), Department of Academic Family Medicine, College of Medicine

Mark and Udoka were recognized by Dr. Cathy MacLean who said: “I do some research in Family Medicine outside of my Faculty Development role. It is sometimes a bumpy road with a curve ball here and there navigating ethics, SHA operational reviews, research financial reporting, hiring RAs, etc. I want to give a shout out to both Mark and Ud. They have proven invaluable in getting things done, problem solving, making connections and sorting out challenges. I think Faculty Research is invaluable to the College of Medicine and having resources and supports available to assist us in these endeavors is essential. Mark and Udoka have been amazing to work with and I am very grateful for the help they have provided!”

🎉 Kristie Temple-Briske, Executive Assistant, College of Medicine

Kristie was recognized by Dr. Marilyn Baetz who said: “I wanted to share a big thank-you to Kristie for her detailed planning for our leadership visits to sites around the province. She coordinates our visits with local physicians and staff, arranges transportation and food, and supports us to readily learn first-hand about the challenges and benefits that are faced at each site. We have been treated to tours and meals and have been so inspired by the dedication of our colleagues across the province. Without Kristie these visits would not be nearly as organized, beneficial, and enjoyable – thank you Kristie!” 

🎉 Dr. Tara Lee (Associate Dean Rural Medicine) and Jackie Powell (Program Administrator), Swift Current, College of Medicine

Tara and Jackie were recognized by Dr. Marilyn Baetz who said: “A huge thank you to Dr. Tara Lee and Jackie Powell for organizing the CoM site visit to Swift Current on August 15th. Dean Sarah Forgie, Alyson Rees, Cathy MacLean and myself were toured through the hospital and we enjoyed a really great lunch together with the physicians. They shared their experiences of teaching and successes in recruitment - so inspiring!”

🎉 Patricia Williamson, Accreditation Specialist, College of Medicine

Patricia was recognized by Lisa Krol who said: “Pat has done a phenomenal job of organizing and staying on top of all things accreditation and continues to keep a smile. I see the sticky note wall behind her in Zoom meetings and marvel at how she knows where everything is at, what’s coming next, and who to tap. Makes my head hurt – but SO glad we have her to deal with it!! This week I needed something for a time-sensitive matter, and I felt bad sending a nudge when I didn’t hear back from her. Turned out I didn’t get a same-day response because she was out sick. After the nudge email went, she leapt to it immediately and got back to me within the hour. How that was even possible, I don’t know…she should have just said, “I’m catching up…I’ll get to you!” and that would have been fine with me. Getting her thoughtful reply though helped me to meet another deadline and move another project forward.”  

🎉 Regina Campus Arts Showcase and Arts Night Team, College of Medicine

The Regina Campus Arts Showcase and Arts Night team was recognized by Dr. Helen Chang who said: “Thank you to Dr. Gill White & Catherine MacKay-Wilson for sponsoring our 2nd annual Regina Campus Arts Showcase & Arts Night, and Aisling Gamble for her work collating art and promoting the event! Thanks to Dr. Jackie Kraushaar & Dr. Shane Wunder for helping with set-up & take-down, Victor Lam (A&H faculty) for leading us through some hilarious improv, all the students who shared their artistic talents, Tim Domoslai and the Neil Balkwill Civic Arts Centre, and our generous prize sponsors, the Regina Medical Staff Association and MD Management. Hope to see you all next year!”

🎉 Regina Campus Open House Team, College of Medicine

The Regina Campus Open House team was recognized by Catherine MacKay-Wilson who said: "We would like to thank the Admissions team for their help and support at the Regina Campus Open house. Thank you to Davis Frerichs, Sherrill Bueckert, Dr. Domes, & Rachel Heiser for travelling here to meet future students! Thank you to Aisling Gamble for coordinating and promoting a great evening. Thank you to our team that flexed their time to be here in person to meet future students, helping with visitor navigation to the event above their day to day work, including Cassie Eskra, Randi Bodas, Sherry Lindenbach, Meghan Nelson and Rhonda Haase. Thank you to Dr. Chang, Dr. Kraushaar, Dr. Onaolapo and Dr. Bhargava for their time and presentation to future students. Thank you Will Wallace and Mark Quinola who arranged all of the IT and made sure that the night was a success and also available to virtual attendees. Thank you to the students that led tours through our spaces and were generous with their time to answer questions from our visitors.”

 🎉 Fazle Rafi, Active Learning and Technological Support Specialist, UGME, College of Medicine

Fazle was recognized by Kimberly Basque who said: "I would like to share my appreciation of Fazle Rafi for all his support and work in setting up the second-year virtual orientation. This was the first time we have held the orientation in this format and Fazle was there to answer all my questions and help with the design to make the user experience as easy as possible. I am very fortunate to have had his help with all aspects of this orientation. Thank you, Fazle!”  

🎉 Tami Golding, Clerkship Coordinator, College of Medicine

Tami was recognized by Vaishali Soni who said: “I am requesting to send out appreciation alert for Tami Golding. She always has positive attitude and problem-solving ability. Whenever I have questions, she always is available to guide. She has a great communication skills and teamwork.”  

🎉 Aisling Gamble, Communications Specialist, College of Medicine-Regina campus

Aisling was recognized by Cassie Eskra who said: “I would like to thank Aisling Gamble, Regina Campus Communications Specialist, for all of her assistance in improving the Regina Campus Welcome Package. Aisling was open to helping in any way she could, and assisted with branding, organization, and clarity with content. I am so happy with the final product and very grateful to Aisling for sharing her expertise to make it happen.”  

🎉 Dr. Aimee Seguin, Rural Site Coordinator, Meadow Lake, College of Medicine

Aimee was recognized by Bailey Edelman who said: “I would like to share my appreciation of Dr. Aimee Seguin in her recent role as our Rural Site Coordinator for Meadow Lake. Since Dr. Seguin has taken over this role, I have found it has helped not only myself administratively to have the additional knowledge and support, but the residents and other learners to our site. Dr. Seguin is extremely organized and efficient, and her experience as a rural educator in our community has been an invaluable asset to our programs that send learners to Meadow Lake. Since Dr. Seguin has assumed this role, I find myself feeling supported and more confident in my own role. I am comfortable to share administrative challenges, coordinate more experiences, and to work together to eliminate potential conflicts going forward. I have been especially impressed with her commitment to being a part of the orientation processes that we have in place, and the time that she takes to encourage the residents and learners in ALL areas. She truly is the epitome of what it means to have a collaborative effort in ensuring the success of medical learners and residents alike.” 

🎉 Kelsey Kougiya, Alumni and Community Program, College of Medicine

Kelsey was recognized by Sherry Buckler who said: “I would like to highlight the remarkable contributions of Kelsey Kougiya in the planning and execution of the recent College of Medicine annual Highlights in Medicine conference and reunion event. Kelsey's extraordinary efforts in organizing this massive event were evident in every detail. The planning process required countless hours of meticulous organization and strategic thought, and Kelsey shouldered the majority of this responsibility herself. From designing the event to handling the logistics, her dedication was unwavering. The lectures were outstanding, and the overall execution was flawless. Attendance was at an all time high. Kelsey worked incredibly hard to ensure everything ran smoothly, and her exceptional organization skills made it all look effortless. While the entire team was there to support and assist, it was Kelsey's leadership and vision that truly made the event a success. I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Kelsey for going above and beyond to make the College of Medicine event such a resounding success. Her hard work and commitment deserve to be recognized and applauded.”

 🎉 Dr. Afzal Siddiqui, Anatomy Teaching Assistant, Regina campus, College of Medicine

Afzal was recognized by Sue Schmidt who said: “I would like to recognize Dr. Afzal Siddiqui, Anatomy Lab Assistant, Regina Campus for his involvement in remediation and a recent Regina Campus tour. He has the ability to put people at ease while answering their questions. His energy and enthusiasm for learning is gravitating. Thank you Afzal!” 

 🎉 Krista Trinder, Program Evaluation Specialist, College of Medicine

Krista was recognized by Dr. Helen Chang who said: “I would like to appreciate Krista Trinder for compiling evaluations for the SAGE faculty - thanks for taking time to help, and for your constant dedication to improving our programs!”

 🎉 Erin Watson (Librarian, Clinical Medicine and Biomedical Sciences), Dr. Shari Smith (Elective Coordinator, UGME), Dr. Taegen Fitch, (Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine, Regina campus), College of Medicine

Erin, Shari, and Taegen were recognized by Dr. Regina Taylor-Gjevre who said: "I would like to share a note of appreciation for several of our colleagues for their amazing work particularly in contributing to our accreditation documents. I specifically, at this time would like to acknowledge: Erin Watson, who despite preparing to go on sabbatical has been so very diligent in ensuring all elements relating to library resources or our information literacy/EBM curriculum have been completed. Shari Smith, who was the fastest responder to requests of any of our team, with all the detailed information around the electives/elective policy which she crafted into such a clear and comprehensive narrative. I also want to express such appreciation for Dr. Taegen Fitch who despite being relatively newly in her role as the lead for Communications Skills/Advanced Communication Skills, responded so quickly and provided an amazingly detailed and thorough summary of that curriculum for accreditation element 7.8. I am very grateful to each for their kind collegiality and commitment to the UGME program and our students."

 🎉 UGME Staff Retreat Team, College of Medicine

The team was recognized by Shannon Bay who said: "I would like to appreciate many people from the UGME team for helping with a successful Staff Retreat last week. Tami Golding, Kim Basque, Karen Amundson, Barb Smith, Donna McLean, Wren Mynhardt, Josh Lloyd, Shari Smith, Cheryl Pfeifer, Sonja MacDonald and Fazle Rafi for stepping in to help organize and ensure a smooth day for all. Also, to many others who helped with the take down and clean up at the end of the day! It is wonderful to work in a department where everyone is willing to work as a team for the same goal. Your help does not go unnoticed! Thank you!!"

 🎉 Shannon Bay (Executive Assistant, UGME), and Twyla Downing (Year 2 Clerical Support, UGME), College of Medicine

Shannon and Twyla were recognized by Tami Golding who said: “I would like to recognize Shannon Bay and Twyla Downing for helping out at the last minute with checking in students for their SIM sessions at the CLRC. I had to go off campus and was not able to make it back before the start. They agreed to go to the CLRC to take attendance without hesitation. I appreciate that we can rely on our team members like Shannon and Twyla when needed.”

 🎉 Sherry Lindenbach, Clerical Assistant, Year 2, Regina campus, College of Medicine

🎉 Reola Mathieu, Coordinator, Academic Processes & Policies, PGME, College of Medicine

Reola Mathieu was recognized by Nataghia Dore who said: “A huge thank you to Reola for the work she does managing the contract development and administration for over 300 physician leader contracts each year! This task has expanded exponentially over the years, and Reola has worked to improve the process and continues to provide suggestions for improvement. The work requires clear communications and collaboration with a diverse group of CoM staff, and Reola has established the positive relationships needed to get things done. She is also great at bringing issues forward and ensuring details are not forgotten. Her experience and expertise, along with detailed files means we can make informed decisions and ensure the contracts in place are aligned with CoM/USask requirements. Thanks, Reola, for undertaking this sometimes-frustrating task with ease and efficiency."

🎉 Carlyn Seguin, Global Health Manager, College of Medicine

Carlyn was recognized by Dr. Meredith McKague who said: “I would like to appreciate Carlyn Seguin from the Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, who was instrumental in planning and coordinating the USask Hub of the national CASCADES Summer Institute on Sustainable Health Care this week. Carlyn chaired the steering committee, helped find a great group of local leaders to present, connected with the participants (undergraduate and postgraduate health sciences learners) and facilitated very effectively through the week. Carlyn went above and beyond to make this a really positive learning experience for everyone involved. Thank-you Carlyn!”

 🎉 Shannon Bay, Executive Assistant, and Wren Mynhardt, Communications and Event Coordinator, UGME, College of Medicine

Shannon and Wren were recognized by Sherry Pederson who said: “Special thank you to Shannon Bay and Wren Mynhardt for the support on June 6; convocation day for the Class of 2024! There is so much preparation to ensure the class had an error free convocation program, composite photo, undergraduate awards, award letters, gifts, banquet program, lining students up backstage, and so much more. Shout out to the entire UGME team, but on June 6 thanks Shannon and Wren!”

🎉 Dr. Matt Wong, College of Medicine

Dr. Matt Wong was recognized by Cheryl Pfeifer and Sonja MacDonald who said: “Matt, we just wanted to say thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all that you have done for the UGME these past few years.  We are so grateful for your amazing leadership, positive energy, and organization skills and want to sincerely thank you for demonstrating qualities that have inspired us all.  Your passion and dedication will be dearly missed.  Thank you so much for everything.”

🎉 Karen Amundson, Financial Admnistrator, UGME, College of Medicine

Karen was recognized by Cheryl Pfeifer who said: “I wanted to take a moment to express my sincere appreciation to Karen Amundson for the outstanding job that she continues to do with organizing and securing exam monitors for our Pre-Clerkship program.  Karen, with every task that you tackle you always go that extra mile.  Your unwavering willingness to assist is truly a testament to your exceptional character.  Thank you so much for all that you do.”

🎉 Ayesha Iqbal and Sharon Husak, Anatomy Teaching Assistants, College of Medicine

Ayesha and Sharon were recognized by Cheryl Pfeifer who said: “A big shout out to Ayesha Iqbal and Sharon Husak for their amazing support and assistance this past academic year with the UGME Pre-Clerkship Anatomy Lab sessions. You both were instrumental in ensuring that the students and sessions were extremely organized and smoothly ran. This in addition to your dedication and passion for learning has provided our students with valuable learning experiences. Thank you so much!”

🎉 Todd Reichert, ICT/Medicine IT, College of Medicine

Todd was recognized by Cheryl Pfeifer who said: “Todd, as another academic year comes to an end, I would be remiss if I did not let you know how much I appreciate the hard work and dedication that you provide to our exam process.  Your commitment to deliver results in a timely and efficient manner all while competing with multiple challenging deadlines/demands is a true testament to your work ethic.  Thank you so much for all that you do, it has not gone unnoticed.”

🎉 Chris Florizone, Administrative Associate, Office of Student Affairs, College of Medicine

Chris was recognized by Cheryl Pfeifer who said: “Chris, I wanted to express my appreciation for the effort and time that you have provided with scheduling exams for students this academic year. Your amazing organizational skills have not gone unnoticed, and I truly value your flexibility and willingness to assist with last minute changes. You have helped to make things run smoothly and efficiently and for that I am very grateful.”

🎉 Dr. Munier Nour, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics College of Medicine

Dr. Nour was recognized by Dr. Darryl Adamko who said: "I want to share appreciation for my colleague, Dr. Munier Nour. When Dr. Nour joined us he fought for the creation of a Provincial Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes program. The development of the program was significant, bringing together nurse educators, dietitians, social workers, nursing, and administrative support. He also advocated for the creation of two additional pediatric endocrinologist physician positions. The establishment and growth of the program has allowed the program to finally meet the demands of the province. Dr. Nour is an active educator and researcher and still makes time for outreach events with Diabetes Canada. We need to celebrate people like Dr Nour and are very thankful he joined us here in Saskatchewan!”

🎉 Dr. Ginger Ruddy, Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine, and Student Services Director, College of Medicine

Dr. Ruddy was recognized by Dr. Joshua Lloyd who said: “Over the past week Dr. Ruddy has been instrumental in student support and support for the members of her office when they needed to be away from their jobs. While sick she has been engaged and responding to time sensitive student needs, likely at the detriment to her own health. She has really gone above and beyond the call of work and is a major asset to the UGME!”

🎉 Drs. Cenkowski, Macknak, Walker, Parent, and Taylor-Gjevre College of Medicine

Drs. Cenkowski, Macknak, Walker, Parent, and Taylor-Gjevre were recognized by Dr. Greg Malin who said: “Drs. Cenkowski and Macknak are the Co-Directors for the Cardiovascular module. Dr. Macknak was new to role this academic year. They made several adjustments to their module this term to continue to improve the student experience. Drs. Walker and Parent are the Co-Directors for the Dermatology/Plastics Module in the Foundations IV course in the UGME program. This module happens over a short period of time and requires close attention from the directors and we appreciate their efforts to provide a quality learning experience and quick feedback to students. Dr. Gjevre is the inaugural module director for the brand new Multi-System and Complex Care module. Dr. Gjevre was instrumental in building this module from the ground up to help support students understand more complex medical topics before students head into clerkship. She tried several new teaching and learning collaborative approaches. She also made specific efforts to continue to encourage and facilitate instructor engagement from our Regina faculty team. These three modules just recently wrapped up for another term. Thanks very much Drs. Cenkowski, Macknak, Walker, Parent, and Gjevre for your commitment to our learners and for your dedication to leading these modules. We appreciate it!!”

🎉 Sarah Clark (Executive Assistant), Amanda O'Leary (Senior Residency Program Administrator), and Louise Berg (Program Administrator/UGME Coordinator), Department of Medical Imaging, College of Medicine

Sarah, Amanda, and Louise were recognized by Dr. Sheldon Wiebe who said: "I want to recognize the exceptional team work of our administrative members in the Department of Medical Imaging. Sarah Clark, Amanda O’Leary, and Louise Berg are superstars, and when they came together things just started working. The incredible communication between the three of them has resulted in a continuum of support that has allowed our department to go from a level of disarray to organized and developing into a high functioning team. I’ve also noticed the development of a culture of support, coaching each other, collectively learning how each can do their job with improved efficiency and effectiveness. It is rare to find three high functioning individuals get along so well and provide a synergistic level of support to all the members of the department, including faculty, residents, and undergraduates and lift the culture as well as expectations of our academic department so quickly.”

🎉 Undergraduate Medical Education Academic Support Team, College of Medicine

The UGME Academic Support Team was recognized by Dr. Greg Malin who said: “The UGME Academic Support Team consists of Dr. Joshua Lloyd, Dr. Ayla Mueen, Meghan Nelson, Dr. Nicole Fahlman, Dr. Tiann O’Carroll, and Donna McLean. They are a high-functioning team who have made a meaningful impact on student academic success. They work with students who experience academic difficulty in their course work, assisting with study strategies and organization, exam reviews, remediation planning, and peer tutoring to name a few key activities. They always create an inclusive environment, hosting meet and greets with students in Saskatoon and Regina, and building relationships with the so they feel welcome and safe to connect with AST when needed. A foundational principle they follow is to lead with kindness with interacting with any student who engages with AST. They show respect for each other, students, and faculty they work with and are innovative and always looking for ways to improve. I am very grateful to have this team supporting our students.”

🎉 Khalid Gilani (IT Support), College of Medicine

Khalid was recognized by Shannon Bay who said: “Thank you to Khalid for stepping in on Monday May 13th with the onboarding of a staff member in the UGME office with little notice. We appreciate your fast response to our request and helping us with a smooth onboarding process. Your hard work does not go unnoticed!”

🎉 Krista Trinder (Program Evaluation Specialist), College of Medicine

Krista was recognized by Dr. Meredith McKague and Dr. Athena McConnell who said: “Over the past year, Krista has taken on an additional role supporting preparation for the undergraduate medical education program accreditation during a colleague’s leave. Krista’s consistent, careful and proactive work has enabled us to continue to build momentum in preparing for our 2026 accreditation visit. She has gone above and beyond in supporting this role while also continuing to improve our evaluation processes to provide helpful feedback to faculty to support their teaching. Krista is one of the unsung heroes of our College and we appreciate her excellent work.”

🎉 Ayesha Iqbal, Bala Sekar, Shakeeba Mustaan, Sharon Husak, and Afzal Siddiqui (Anatomy Teaching Assistants), College of Medicine

The Anatomy Teaching Assistants were recognized by Dr. Greg Malin who said: "I would like to send a special thanks to the Saskatoon Team of Anatomy Teaching Assistants – Drs. Ayesha Iqbal, Bala Sekar, Shakeeba Mustaan, and Sharon Husak. We have wrapped up another year of Anatomy Teaching in the Medical School program and these four Teaching Assistants were instrumental to the teaching in the laboratory. They are all dedicated and exceptional teachers, and I know that the students would say that their success in lab is influenced by their support. I would also like to thank Dr. Afzal Siddiqui recently started as an Anatomy Teaching Assistant and the Regina Campus – thank you for stepping in midway through this term and working hard to support the needs of the anatomy component in Regina. The students have already benefitted from your presence.”

🎉 Bev Digout (Student Affairs Coordinator) and Chris Florizone (Student Affairs Administrator), College of Medicine

Bev and Chris were recognized by Sherry Pederson and Dr. Ginger Ruddy who said: "A huge should shout out to Saskatoon based OSA team for the support that students received over the final Pre-Clerkship exam period! Students were treated to a delicious breakfast(s) and a taco in the bag lunch! Bev Digout did the heavy lifting as chief cook and organizer all week. Chris Florizone did double duty with set up, while supporting the AES exam students. Extra special mention of the Taco in the Bag lunch, students were raving about it! I know that several UGME staff assisted with flipping some pancakes, opening the taco chip bags, and were even gifted the odd hug. Thank you for the hard work, long hours, providing homemade meals to our undergraduate medical education students.”

🎉 Adrielle Souza Lira, graduate student, Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, College of Medicine

Adrielle was recognized by Karen Amundson and Dr. Juan Nicholás Peña-Sánchez who said: “I’d like thank Adrielle Souza Lira, a grad student with Community Health and Epidemiology for so capably taking on a time-consuming new task of processing sponsorship payments to the community partners contributing to the Community-based Learning Experience (CLE) Module in Regina and Saskatoon. She worked with Dr. Peña-Sanchez to build positive, engaging relationships with diverse community groups; a true ambassador for COM. Adrielle also demonstrated excellent administrative skills in soliciting invoices and other information from around 40 community-based organization, ensuring the accuracy and completeness of documents, as well as tracking responses, and reminding our partners. There were very tight time constraints due to fiscal year end and she completed everything with perfect precision and prior to deadlines. I’m so glad for the opportunity to work with Adrielle.”

🎉 Annie Ethier (Assistant Manager, Regina), Aisling Gamble (Communications Specialist, Regina), Jacque Zinkowski (Faculty Engagement Officer), Erin Prosser-Loose (Engagement and Recognition Specialist), Dr. Afzal Siddiqui (Anatomy Lab Assistant, Simulation Operation Specialist), Dr. Rashmi Bhargava (Assistant Professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology), Dr. Marilyn Baetz (Interim Dean of Medicine), and Dr. Gill White (Associate Dean, Regina Campus), College of Medicine

The group was recognized by Catherin MacKay-Wilson who said: “Thank you to all of the people that prepared and built the Regina Appreciation Event for 2024. Thank you to Annie Ethier and Aisling Gamble for taking the lead and creating a wonderful experience for faculty, staff and students. Thank you to Erin Prosser-Loose and Jacque Zinkowski for their endless work on the awards from nominations to beautiful award gifts for the winners. Thank you to Afzal Siddiqui for his help in set up and take down, those hands made it quick and easy! Thank you especially to Dr Rashmi Bhargava, for her leadership for this year long project planning and promotion. Thank you to Dr. Baetz and Dr White for their contributions and leadership to grow this event to demonstrate our appreciation of all of our support.”

🎉 Dr. Brittany Albrecht (Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine, Dr. Brianne Philipenko (Assistant Professor, Respirology, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine), Dr. Dorian Kristmanson (Assistant Professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology), and Dr. Sue Auvinen (Assistant Professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine

Drs. Albrecht, Philipenko, Kristmanson, and Auvinen were recognized by Dr. Greg Malin who said: "Drs. Albrecht and Philipenko are the Co-Directors for the Respiratory Module in the Foundations II course in the UGME program. They were both brand new module directors, for this academic year and did a wonderful job transitioning to the role. Drs. Kristmanson and Auvinen are the Co-Directors of the Human Reproduction module in the Foundations IV course in the UGME program. Dr. Auvinen was new to the role this academic year. These modules just recently wrapped up for another term. Thanks very much Drs. Albrecht, Philipenko, Kristmanson, and Auvinen for your commitment to our learners and for your dedication to leading these modules. We appreciate it!!”

🎉 Cheryl Pfeifer (Curriculum Integration and Evaluation) and Sonja MacDonald (Pre-clerkship Administrative Coordinator), College of Medicine

Cheryl and Sonja were recognized by Bev Digout and Chris Florizone who said: "Thank you so much to Cheryl and Sonja for their help with the pancake breakfast! Your assistance made everything run smoothly and contributed to the success of the breakfast served to support students during exam week. We truly appreciate your support and willingness to pitch in. Your efforts didn't go unnoticed, and we are grateful for your contribution (aka, stellar pancake flipping skills!).”

🎉 Todd Reichert (ICT/Medicine IT), Austin Peters (Application Support Specialist), Willem de Jong (Academic Application Support Specialist), and Fazle Rafi (Active Learning & Technological Support Specialist), College of Medicine

"Todd, Austin, Willem, and Fazle were recognized by Cheryl Pfeifer: "I wanted to offer my sincere appreciation to Todd Reichert, Austin Peters, Willem de Jong, and Fazle Rafi for their assistance with my various IT support requests throughout this past academic year. No matter the issue, they responded in a quick and timely manner always providing an immediate and helpful solution. Thank you all so much for your support, it is truly appreciated. The UGME is fortunate to have you as a part of our Team.”

🎉 IT Support Services Team: Tyler Lagacy, Lovelyn Bustamante, Eric Larson, Joe Compton, Maritta Varghese, Tony Ly, and Eddy Zhang, College of Medicine

The IT Support Services Team was recognized by Cheryl Pfeifer who said: "I would like to give a “shout out” to our amazing IT Support Services Team - Tyler Lagacy, Lovelyn Bustamante, Eric Larson, Joe Compton, Maritta Varghese, Tony Ly, and Eddy Zhang. Your team has been instrumental with not only the delivery of our distributed learning classes but also providing amazing support to us and our lecturers. We truly could not do this without all of you and I really appreciate your knowledge and willingness to assist with providing our future doctors with the best learning experience that we can offer. Thank you so much for all your support this year and I look forward to us working together again.”

🎉 UGME Admissions Team, College of Medicine

The UGME Admissions Team was recognized by Dr. Meredith McKague: "This past weekend, the UGME Admissions Team, under the leadership of Dr. Trustin Domes and Sherrill Bueckert, ran our weekend of Panel Interviews and Indigenous Admissions Circle for applicants to the MD program. This was a huge undertaking, offering in-person and virtual interview/conversation circle options, and the team ran it very smoothly. There was wonderful support from the many faculty interviewers from around the province, student volunteers, and multiple staff and program partners who gave up their weekend to make the event a success. Thank-you to all of these individuals and the Admissions Team for your hard work supporting program applicants and our UGME program."

🎉 Vanessa Hindmarsh, Project Specialist/Associate Dean Support, Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME), College of Medicine

Vanessa was recognized by Dr. Meredith McKague who said: "I would like to send a big bouquet of appreciation to UGME team member Vanessa Hindmarsh. Vanessa is always hard-working and committed. This week, here are a few examples that highlight how much she supports our team and program:  

• She went out of her way to complete a project to benefit one of our students outside of her usual working hours
• Yesterday, she arranged a celebration for two of our long term educational leaders who are retiring from their roles.  Despite feeling under the weather, she did this work with her usual enthusiasm. 

These are just two examples of how Vanessa does her work every day. Thanks Vanessa for all you contribute to our UGME team!"

🎉 Dr. Afzal Siddiqui, Regina Campus, College of Medicine

Dr. Afzal Siddiqui was recognized by Catherine MacKay-Wilson who said: “We wanted to acknowledge the impact of Afzal on our team, and our partners and peers with his expertise and connections to make impacts that ripple throughout the Regina Campus. Gwen Windsor B.Sc.O.T.Reg (SK), Manager, Dilawri Simulation Centre wrote to me to share “I just wanted to let you know Afzal did such a wonderful job this morning when he and I met with Kristin Foy who is supporting the South East Department of Family Medicine in acquiring a mobile piece of Simulation equipment for Family Medicine Residents in her catchment area to practice some of their skills. His knowledge and expertise really shone through!”

🎉 Edith Conacher, Student Affairs Coordinator, and Natalya Mason, Community Engagement Specialist, Division of Social Accountability, College of Medicine

Edith Conacher and Natalya Mason were recognized by Sherry Pederson who said: “Congratulations to Edith Conacher and Natalya Mason for their leadership with the second annual Black History Month Gala and month-long activities! Thank you to the College of Medicine UGME leadership and peers that were able to celebrate and participate in the month long activities and their team members contributions by attending the gala on February 29."

🎉 Barb Smith, Clerical Support Year 4, College of Medicine

Barb was recognized by Tami Golding who said: “I would like to thank Barb Smith for stepping up and covering the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) exams and other duties while I was away from the office. Barb always offers to pitch in where needed without being asked. When an issue arises, she is able to seek out the information or assistance required and resolve the problem. Barb is very dedicated, and a true team player, and I am so grateful to have her as part of the UGME Clerkship Team!”

🎉 Snow storm response, College of Medicine

Several members were recognized by Sherry Pederson who said: “A shout out to UGME staff and leadership that worked over the weekend to ensure that learners, staff, and faculty could remain safe and supported during the unprecedented snow storm this past weekend! Thank you to the proactive planning and hard work of those behind the scenes, here are a few that I am aware of; Cheryl Pfeifer, Sonja MacDonald, Josh Lloyd, Vanessa Hindmarsh, Fazle Rafi, Shannon Bay, Shari Smith, Tami Golding, Dr. Meredith McKague, Alyson Rees, Dean Baetz, team at the CLRC, and CoM IT. The team was busy adjusting learning opportunities, communicating with students, staff, and faculty, meeting with the wider campus – thank you (you’d think we’d done this before) 😊 I would be remiss if I did not appreciate our hard working facilities staff – the roads, walk ways, and parking lots are in great shape this morning – amazing considering the amount of snow there is everywhere!!”

🎉 Drs. Eddy Ha (Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine), Trustin Domes (Associate Professor, Department of Surgery) and Rahul Mainra (Professor, Department of Medicine), College of Medicine

Drs. Eddy Ha, Trustin Domes, and Rahul Mainra were recognized by Dr. Greg Malin who said: “Dr. Ha is the Director for the Gastrointestinal Module in the Foundations II course in UGME. Drs. Domes and Mainra are the Co-Directors of the Kidney and Urinary Tract modules in the Foundations IV course in UGME. These modules just recently wrapped up for another term. Thanks very much Drs. Ha, Domes, and Mainra for your commitment to our learners and for providing strong leadership in these modules. Special thanks to Dr. Mainra who has now stepped down from the role with its completion.”

🎉 Aisling Gamble, Communications Specialist, Regina Campus, College of Medicine

Aisling was recognized by Sue Schmidt who said: “I would like to send an appreciation alert for Aisling Gamble, Regina Campus Communications Coordinator. She has only been here for a short time and has been very effective in integrating herself and her skills into the world of promoting Regina Campus College of Medicine, its people: faculty, staff, students, and programs. The posts on the Regina Campus Instagram are timely, thoughtful, and informative. Thank you Aisling, looking forward to seeing more!” 

🎉 Clerkship group, College of Medicine

Shannon Bay, Sherry Pederson, Kimberly Basque, Cheryl Pfeifer, Tamara Hominuke, Nicole Gates Willick, and Tami Golding were recognized by Barb Smith who said: “The success of a program is evident in the kind of people who are the fabric that bind it. From management to members of pre-clerkship and senior admin, I received help with successfully completing a ‘new to me’ task in Clerkship. Each individual took time out of their day and offered relevant information and advice in order for me to be successful. Today I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to, Shannon Bay, Sherry Pederson, Kimberly Basque, Cheryl Pfeifer, Tamara Hominuke and Nicole Gates Willick for their willingness to jump in to assist and educate. Also, I would be remiss not to send a huge thank you and appreciation to Tami Golding who has been the guidepost and a mentor, training me this entire past year whilst juggling her own responsibilities.”

🎉 Vanessa Hindmarsh, Project Specialist/Associate Dean UGME Support, College of Medicine

Vanessa Hindmarsh was recognized by Shannon Bay who said: “Vanessa has been taking steps in making the office more sustainable in following the U of S sustainability Strategy by ensuring the compost bin that is in our kitchen is taken to the green bin and when ordering student lunch this week, ensuring plates that will be used are compostable and going out of her way to pick them up.  In the past she has ensured any lunch we have had as a group, items that can be recycled are indeed recycled and our waste has been reduced significantly. Thank you Vanessa for doing your part, I appreciate you!”

🎉 Lovelyn Bustamante, IT Support, and Austin Peters, Application Support Specialist, College of Medicine

Lovelyn Bustamante and Austin Peters were recognized by Cheryl Pfeifer who said: “I want to give a huge shout out to both Lovelyn and Austin for their assistance recently with an IT issue. Your willingness to go above and beyond has not gone unnoticed and I wanted you to know how much I appreciate you and all that you do for the UGME. I consider myself very fortunate to have team members like you to work with, you are the best!”

🎉 Dr. Kyle MacDonald, Dept of Family Medicine, College of Medicine-Regina campus

Dr. Kyle MacDonald was recognized by Dr. Greg Malin who said: “I would like to send an appreciation alert for Dr. Kyle MacDonald. He is a Family Physician in Regina and a faculty lead with the Office of Student Services. Dr. MacDonald has been a very dedicated mentor and support for students for the last number of years, however, in the last several weeks has stepped up to offer significant additional support for students, which both the UGME program and the students have benefitted and appreciate. Dr. MacDonald is also a dedicated teacher, including helping out in several anatomy labs in the new Regina lab space.”

🎉 Year 4 OSCE Team, College of Medicine

Edwina Faris, Trisha DeMars, Meghan Nelson, Carmen White, Michelle Grove, Cassie Eskra, and others were recognized by Nicole Gates Willick who said: “I want to send out a HUGE thank you to everyone who helped me out with the Year 4 OSCE! It really takes a team to run this exam and everyone who helps is greatly appreciated! Thank you to those who signed up so quickly, to those who stepped in when others were no longer able to and those that went above the role they signed up for. Your time and effort is noticed and appreciated!”

🎉 Postgraduate Medical Education staff, College of Medicine

The PGME staff were recognized by Nataghia Dore who said: “Reflecting on all that has been accomplished in the past year of 2023, it is an honor to work with such a dedicated group of employees who are willing and ready to share their experience, insights, time, and energy to get the work done in support of postgrad education, over 480 residents, Program Directors, and Administrators. The focus on preparing for the accreditation visit late November meant considerable work and collaboration with our program partners, in addition to the daily duties, continued research, addressing issues that arose, and being responsive to requests for support. Even when the stress levels are elevated, team members are ready to support one another, and ensure the end result is positive. This team has also shown that adapting to change is something they can handle with ease, and they welcome new challenges as a way to grow. Looking forward to what 2024 will bring, I know this team can make it happen!” 

🎉 Clinical Skills III Course administrative staff, College of Medicine

Tracy Lewis, Angela Vanderlinde, Cammie Morgan, Vaishali Soni, Julie Gillis, and Nadine Loran were recognized by Kimberly Basque and Sonja MacDonald who said: "We want to send a huge thank you to our departmental administrative staff for all their support with the Clinical Skills III Course this term and the work that they do to ensure that our students are receiving the best learning experience possible. Your work throughout the term does not go unnoticed and your help is greatly appreciated!”

🎉  Pre-Clerkship Team, College of Medicine

🎉 Krista Trinder, Program Evaluation Specialist, College of Medicine

Krista was recognized by Sherry Pederson and Dr. Athena McConnell who said: “Krista Trinder has been doing double duty; supporting both UGME evaluation and with a small portion of her FTE, assisting Dr. Athena McConnell with Accreditation. In true Krista fashion, she is making this look easy - at the busiest time of the year! Krista, please know that the UGME and Dr. McConnell truly appreciate your willingness to provide this additional support! The kickoff for Accreditation 2026 is just around the corner.”

🎉 Thank you Cheryl! 🎉

In celebration of reaching 100 Appreciation Alerts, we wanted to recognize Cheryl Pfeifer, who has submitted the most appreciations at 16!
Cheryl works on Curriculum Integration and Evaluation, with UGME.

"We have a number of faculty, students, and staff who contribute to the success of our program on a daily basis and often in our busy days, we forget to let them know how much they are appreciated. I realized very early in my career how much a simple “thank you” can make someone’s day and remind them that they are truly valued. The implementation of the “Appreciation Alert” tool provides us with this opportunity and is the perfect platform for us to be able to express our gratitude to our amazing team that we have around us."

🎉 Our 100th Appreciation! 🎉

🎉 Joëlle Côté, UGME Educational Software Support, College of Medicine

Joëlle was recognized by Cheryl Pfeifer who said: “Joëlle I wanted to recognize you for all of your hard work with the final exams this term. You go above and beyond and you don’t stop until you’ve completed a job well done. Competing with multiple deadlines is not always an easy task but you do it with a smile and always produce high-quality results. The dedication to your job has not gone unnoticed and I want you to know that you are truly appreciated."

🎉 Sara Bryson (Clerical Assistant, Student Affairs), Brooke Baxter (Class of 2026), and Lauren Fraess (Class of 2025), College of Medicine

Sara, Brooke, and Lauren were recognized by Sheldon Moellenbeck who said: “I would like to thank Sara Bryson, Brooke Baxter, and Lauren Fraess for the leadership they put into the Peer Mentorship Study Cafes. Through their work, they are enhancing the student experience and cultivating community in the College of Medicine.”

🎉 Dr. Pramath Kakodkar, Chief Resident, General Pathology, College of Medicine

Dr. Kakodkar was recognized by Debbie Quirion who said: "As we are finishing 2023 my current Chief Resident’s term will conclude on December 31, 2023. Dr Pramath Kakodkar, General Pathology, has been an excellent Chief Resident and Team Leader – who includes all residents and builds collegiality."

🎉 Ganna Tetyurenko, Associate Director, Information Systems, College of Medicine

Ganna was recognized by Crystal Maslin who said: “I wanted to take a moment to recognize Ganna Tetyurenko for her “can do” attitude and collegial approach as we work to resolve IT challenges in the learning environment.”

🎉 Valerie Arnault-Pelletier, Senior Lead, Indigenous Programming and Initiatives, and Michelle Gabayan, Assistant, Senior Lead Indigenous Programming and Initiatives and CME, College of Medicine

Valerie and Michelle were recognized by Indiana Best who said: “I would like to send an appreciation alert for Valerie Arnault-Pelletier and Michelle Gabayan for their outstanding and continual support for Indigenous medical and undergraduate students through events and gatherings. I appreciate their work at providing a safe and supportive environment- and for bringing food!” 

🎉 Willem de Jong, Academic Application Support Specialist, College of Medicine

Willem was recognized by Cheryl Pfeifer who said: “Sending a huge thank you to Willem for the assistance that he provided me with setting up an assignment. Willem, thank you so much for taking the time to find the best possible way to provide this experience to our students, it is truly appreciated.”

🎉 Todd Reichert, ICT/Medicine IT, College of Medicine

Todd was recognized by Cheryl Pfeifer who said: “I wanted to give a shout out to Todd for once again going that extra mile to assist the UGME. The assistance that you provided yesterday at a moment’s notice is truly appreciated and has not gone unnoticed. Thank you so much for going above and beyond to ensure that our students have the best learning experience that we can provide."

🎉 Professional Learning Networks Working Group, College of Medicine

The PLN Working Group was recognized by Beverly Digout who said: “The working group that guides the implementation of PLNs consists of Dr. Greg Malin, Dr. Ginger Ruddy, Sheldon Moellenbeck, and Chris Florizone. I want to express gratitude for the hard work, enthusiasm, and unwavering dedication this working group demonstrates, ensuring first year students are supported as they transition to medical school and that the peer leaders are provided with ongoing guidance. It is a pleasure to work with each of you in such a collaborative and meaningful way - plus we have fun!”

🎉 Tutor Connection Project, College of Medicine

The Tutor Connection Project members were recognized by Beverly Digout who said: “Dr. Greg Malin, Dr. Ginger Ruddy, Dr. Bert McBride, Dr. Helen Chang, and Josh Lloyd worked collaboratively to develop and implement a peer tutoring pilot project - Tutor Connection Project - to better support first year medical students. Each person exemplified mutual respect and a willingness to go above and beyond to ensure the success of the project reflecting a true passion for education and commitment to the growth of others."

🎉 UGME Team members for MSPRs, College of Medicine

UGME Team members were recognized by Dr. Meredith McKague who said: “I would like to send an appreciation alert to the following UGME teach members: Vanessa Hindmarsh, Tami Golding, Nicole Gates-Willick, Edwina Faris, Randi Bodas, and Barb Smith, along with assistance last week from Shannon Bay. This team have been working super hard for weeks to prepare the Medical Student Performance Records (MSPRs) for our final year students. This has included tracking down many outstanding assessments from our busy faculty, inputting and editing comments, communicating with students about changes and updates, and ensuing the finished products reflect well on our students’ abilities as they engage in the important post-graduate match process. Thank-you so much to everyone who contributed to this effort, for the benefit of our students and program.” 

🎉 Davis Frerichs, Undergraduate Recruitment and Admissions Administrator, College of Medicine

Davis was recognized by Joanna Winichuk and Natalya Mason who said: “We would like to send an appreciation alert to Davis because he went above and beyond to help the Division of Social Accountability by filming our lunchtime speaker series on October 20th. The video he produced looks great and we were able to add it to our website. We asked him very last minute and he was able to help out and do a great job for us. Thanks Davis!” 

🎉 Office of the Vice Dean of Research, College of Medicine

The OVDR was recognized by Crystal Maslin who said: “I’d like to express my appreciation to the OVDR team for putting up the Christmas decorations in the dean’s office, and for launching their annual Christmas fundraiser. This year they are raising money and collecting food for the Riversdale Community Fridge and Pantry. Please connect with ovdr.funding@usask.ca for more details.” 

🎉 Joanna Winichuk, Administrative Assistant, Division of Social Accountability, College of Medicine

Joanna was recognized by Shelley-May Neufeld who said: “I would like to appreciate Joanna Winichuk in the DSA, she answered my literal call for help at 3:30 on a Friday afternoon. She was helpful and did her best to help me track down a service at the last minute. Her responsive and calm nature approach to situations is always welcome and appreciated.”

🎉 Sherry Lindenbach, Clerical Assistant Year 2, Regina Campus, College of Medicine

Sherry was recognized by Kayla Trevena who said: “I wanted to share my appreciation for my colleague Sherry Lindenbach. I have recently recruited some simulated patients (SPs) to help out with exam invigilation, and Sherry has been an enormous help getting them all oriented to the job. She has put in many hours taking them through all of the information and getting them up to speed. Her orientations have been very thorough and informative, and our SPs come out feeling very prepared and up to the task. She is always willing to make time in her busy schedule to help out. Thank you so much Sherry!”

🎉 Western Dean's Medical School Conference Committee, College of Medicine

The Conference Committee was recognized by Dr. Meredith McKague who said: “I would like to thank Sherry Pederson, UGME program manager, and all the members of the Western Dean’s Medical School Conference Planning Committee (Shannon Bay, Vanessa Hindmarsh, Davis Frerichs, Sherrill Bueckert, Val Arnault-Pelletier, Greg Malin, Yara Al-Horoub) as well as the many volunteers from our UGME team and student body who worked incredibly hard to plan and support the Western Dean’s Medical School Conference Oct 26-28, 2023. We have heard back from many participants how warmly welcomed they were, and how useful the conference was to help them in their role as leaders in medical schools across western Canada. We appreciate the team’s commitment and willingness to go above and beyond to support this important event.”

🎉 Cass Cozman, Pre-Clerkship Coordinator, Year 2, Regina Campus, College of Medicine

Cass was recognized by Randi Bodas who said: “I would like to send a massive shout out to Cass Cozman at the Regina Campus. Since starting my new role as a coordinator, she has been nothing but supportive and helpful. She is always willing to support the team, cover where needed and answer all questions. Cass is organized, easy to talk to, and makes work fun. Thank you so much Cass for everything!!!”

🎉 Kimberly Drake, Clerical Assistant and Social Media, Continuing Medical Education, College of Medicine

Kim was recognized by Dr. Cathy MacLean who said: “Kim Drake does the social media work for CME and also for Faculty Development and we are very grateful! We want to recognize Kim for her lightning speed in replying to emails and her very helpful manner. She is professional, pleasant, and great to work with …especially in this arena which is a bit of a challenge from time to time for some of us! If you ask Kim about anything related to our social media, she is quick and gets it done. We are very appreciative of having her assist faculty development and that CME is so good to share her!!”

🎉 Mabel Ryhorchuk, Administrative Coordinator, Saskatchewan Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship, Melfort, College of Medicine

Mabel was recognized by Nicole Toutant who said: “I’d like to send an appreciation alert to Mabel Ryhorchuk, the SLIC administrative coordinator in Melfort. I have a clinical clerk from Prince Albert going to Melfort to complete a rotation, and Mabel generously rearranged her schedule so she could proctor exams, so the student wouldn’t have to travel back to our site to write. Mabel is always kind, gracious, thoughtful, and willing to help out whenever she can, even though she has a big job with just her site and her students. I can always count on Mabel for great advice or an ear to listen or a shoulder to cry on. I’m very grateful she is on my team.”

🎉 Biomedical Sciences Office Administrators, College of Medicine

The BMSC Office Administrators were recognized by an anonymous member who said: “The BMSC (APP & BMI) office admin staff are being recognized by one of their own for their friendly smiles, healthy teamwork, and support of their colleagues through difficult times. Their positive attitudes and caring hearts make working in the BMSC office a pleasant experience. Thank you.”

🎉 The White Coat Committee, College of Medicine

The White Coat Committee was recognized by Catherine MacKay-Wilson and Dr. Gill White who said: "Dr. White and I want to thank the White Coat Committee for the their tireless hours of work and countless meetings and their commitment paid off with a very successful cloaking of 107 students at the Conexus Arts Centre this past weekend. We are so proud to have hosted here, we know that this was a tremendous joint effort for Regina and Saskatoon UGME teammates. Thank you to the SMA for the wonderful notice in the Leader Post on Saturday, celebrating the new medical students in the Class of 2027. Our sincere gratitude to Annie Ethier and Michelle Grove who led the work on the ground here to host the first White Coat ceremony in Regina with attendees including over 700 guests, physicians for Cloaking, and wonderful speakers. Your work and attention to detail made the day run smoothly and your proactive considerations created a memorable day for the Class of 2027. Thank you to Nicole Gates-Willick and Maria Liamzon for making set up quick and fun. Thank you to Shannon Bay who travelled here and was a source of calm and experience for us through the whole experience, Amanda Woroniuk for her work in preparations, Sherry Pederson for her experience and trust in us, and to Dr. McKague for her leadership.”

🎉 Wyatt Wiebe, Standardized Patient Educator, College of Medicine, Regina Campus

🎉 Drs. Sharon Husak, Ayesha Iqbal, Bala Gayathri Sekar, and Shakeeba Mustaan, Anatomy Teaching Assistants, College of Medicine

The Anatomy Teaching Assistants were recognized by Mackenzie Heidel on behalf of the Class of 2026, who said: "The Class of 2026 would like to appreciate our Anatomy TAs who do an amazing job of breaking down a complicated topic for us in a way that's fun. Their kindness and diligence in creating an environment in which it is okay to make mistakes goes a long way towards our learning. Following each session we gain a sense of accomplishment and have more confidence in our anatomy knowledge. Thank you so much for all your hard work!”

🎉 Anthony Antaya, Kate DeVito-Porter, Mackenzie Heidel, Lorynn Labbie, Kailee Skinner, Classroom Ambassador Volunteers, College of Medicine

🎉 Sonja MacDonald and Meghan Nelson (Regina Campus), Pre-Clerkship Coordinators, College of Medicine

Sonja and Meghan were recognized by Dr. Meredith McKague who said: “I would like to appreciate two UGME team members, Sonja MacDonald and Meghan Nelson, for their excellent work responding to an unexpected program change that impacted administration of our year 1 community service learning program. Sonja and Meghan stepped up to quickly become oriented to the program needs, and worked with community partners, students and faculty leads to ensure the program could run smoothly for the benefits of students and community partners. Their hard work and initiative is much appreciated!”

🎉 Tyler Lagacy, Senior Technology Support Specialist

Tyler was recognized by Cheryl Pfeifer who said: “Tyler, we wanted to express our heartfelt appreciation for your dedication to the UGME. Your willingness to assist us at a moment’s notice along with your contribution to our students and faculty in order to provide a positive learning environment have not gone unnoticed. Thank you so much for all that you do.”

🎉 Sherry Lindenbach, Clerical Assistant Year 2, College of Medicine, Regina Campus

Sherry was recognized by Sue Schmidt who said: “I would like to acknowledge the work that Sherry does for the students registered with Access and Equity Services (AES). Sherry’s client centred approach in ensuring that the students receive all the required information well in advance of the exam dates is very much appreciated by the students and Regina Campus Office of Student Affairs. The students have commented on how supported they feel. Thank you Sherry!”

🎉 Class of 2026, College of Medicine

The Class of 2026 was recognized by Cheryl Pfeifer who said: “I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to the Class of 2026 College of Medicine for their patience today. Although we try our best to ensure that everything runs smoothly, sometimes we hit a “road bump” like today. You all handled it with such kindness and for that I am so appreciative. Many thanks to all of you and a little shout out to the students who assisted us with finding a solution.”

🎉 Mark Quinola, IT Technician, Audiovisual Services, College of Medicine, Regina Campus

Mark was recognized by Will Wallace who said: “Mark is the newest member of our IT team in Regina, but he never shies away from tackling a big job. He is the first to get his hands dirty and always tries his best to help anyone who needs assistance. In addition to his rock-solid work ethic, he treats everyone in the department with great respect. He is punctual, polite, and always smiling. Frankly, I am not sure where he gets his boundless positive energy from, but he is a treat to work with. No matter how busy and hectic things may get, he maintains a cheerful demeanour that uplifts the whole team. Thank you, Mark!”

🎉 Lovelyn Bustamante (IT Support), Dylan Flowers (IT Support), and Willem de Jong (Academic Application Support Specialist), College of Medicine

Lovelyn, Dylan, and Willem were recognized by Cheryl Pfeifer who said: “I would like to extend a huge thank you for all of your IT/AV assistance that you provided to the UGME today. You reacted quickly and efficiently in order to provide our faculty member and students with the necessary tools to ensure that they did not miss out on a valuable learning experience. I know that sometimes we get busy and forget to acknowledge hard work done by the many individuals who work very hard behind the scenes to ensure that our students are provided with the best learning experience that we can provide. So THANK YOU and I hope that know how appreciated you are by us all.”

🎉 Karen Amundson, Clerical Support, Budgets and Finance, UGME, College of Medicine

Karen was recognized by Catherine MacKay-Wilson who said: “I would like to thank Karen Admunson for taking on additional work this year to support the Regina Campus with contract writing. Her knowledge and experience and patience with me was unforgettable, and made me feel both welcome and supported in my first months with the College of Medicine. Thank you Karen for your advice and support through these first months!”

🎉 Tamara Hominuke, Senior Administrative Coordinator, College of Medicine

Tamara was recognized by Sherry Pederson who said: “I would like to recognize Tamara Hominuke for her efforts welcoming year 1-3 back to campus! Tamara did a wonderful job coordinating year 3 orientation July 17 – 29. She then turned around and welcomed our brand-new first year student August 2-4 and our returning second year students August 4. Wow, that takes a lot of coordination! If that wasn’t enough on her plate, she managed a remedial OSCE on July 20! To spice things up, one of her little ones had an injury that required some time with a surgeon. Heroic effort Tamara, thank you for your hard work and dedication to our undergraduate medical education students. Enjoy your long weekend, please get some rest!”

🎉 Cassie Eskra and Cass Cozman (Pre-Clerkship Coordinators), College of Medicine, Regina Campus

Cassie and Cass were recognized by Meghan Nelson who said: “Kudos to Cassie Eskra and Cass Cozman for leading the Regina site Pre-Clerkship Orientations this week. Orientation is a busy time and you both make it look easy. From flexing your public speaking skills as an MC, to meeting presenters and ensuring everyone’s slides are in order, to making sure the rest of your Regina colleagues know the plan and are in place to help out - you help us put our best foot forward to start the term. Great job!”

🎉 Meghan Nelson and Cassie Eskra, Pre-Clerkship Coordinators, Regina Campus, College of Medicine

Meghan and Cassie were recognized by Sue Schmidt who said: “I would like to acknowledge the work that Meghan Nelson and Cassie Eskra have done on the preparations for the 2023 Year 1 Orientation and upcoming academic year. These two outstanding individuals are role models in their collaborative work style while striving for excellence in their student centric approach. It is a real pleasure working with Meghan and Cassie. Regina Campus is lucky to have you on our team!”

🎉 Nicole Gates Willick, Administrative Coordinator of Clerkship and PGME, Regina Campus, College of Medicine

Nicole was recognized by Sue Schmidt who said: “I would like to acknowledge the outstanding work that Nicole Gates Willick does. Using her critical thinking skills, she seeks to understand complex situations before taking action. Her desire for openness, transparency, and accountability is demonstrated by how she performs her work. Regina Campus is very fortunate to have Nicole on the team!”

🎉 Sue Schmidt (Student Affairs Coordinator), Michelle Grove (Student Affairs Associate) and Regina Professional Learning Network (PLN) Student Leaders, Regina Campus, College of Medicine

Sue, Michelle, and the Regina PLN Student Leaders were recognized by Cassie Eskra and Meghan Nelson (the Regina Year 1 Team). “On behalf of the Year 1 Regina Team, we would like to thank the Regina OSA and Regina PLN (Professional Learning Network) Student Leaders for all their help with the Year 1 Orientation. This is the first year that Regina site has had Year 2 students who were at our site for Year 1 the previous year. To Sue Schmidt and Michelle Grove – thank you for coordinating the PLN Leaders and helping all of these events run smoothly – we couldn’t do it without you! To the Regina Year 2 PLN Student Leaders – thank you for sharing your knowledge and insight with the incoming class – you make us proud and we appreciate your time and effort to make Orientation a meaningful experience for the new class.”

🎉 Annie Ethier, Assistant Manager, Regina Campus, College of Medicine

Annie was recognized by Catherine MacKay-Wilson who said: “I would like to acknowledge the work of Annie Ethier who stepped up into the Manager’s role in Regina as an interim leader from February to May. She has been a key influence in Regina with the recent expansion as the Assistant Manager. She has been my guide and resource as I settle into my new role as Manager. Annie is insightful and can see the larger impact of the small shifts towards a well-managed team. Annie is supportive to the staff and her leadership qualities that kept the team focused and moving forward over the last 6 months. Thank you Annie for your commitment and support of the Regina team and for setting me up for a great transition into the College of Medicine.”

🎉 Catherine MacKay-Wilson, Manager, Administration and Finance, Regina Campus, College of Medicine

Catherine was recognized by Nicole Gates Willick who said: “Catherine has come into the College of Medicine with years of management experience and it shows. You can see how determined she is to understand the processes and is already finding ways to make them more efficient. She has taken the time to get to know people’s roles and has done an amazing job on picking things up quickly! Her communication is excellent and her determination shows. I have heard nothing but positive comments about Catherine from my coworkers and we are all confident she will be a great leader for us. She wants us to bring concerns forward so that she can help to find positive solutions, she hears out new ideas and her door is always open… figuratively and literally 😊. We lucked out with you Catherine and I am so happy you were the one to join our team!” 

🎉 Michelle Hamm, Finance Business Advisor, College of Medicine

Michelle was recognized by Brittany Minty and Dr. Mateen Raazi who said: "We would like to recognize Michelle Hamm for her outstanding work supporting the Provincial Department of Anesthesiology’s finances over the past 5 months as interim coverage while we hire and onboard a new manager. Michelle went out of her way to learn all of the aspects of our finances, suggest ideas for improvements, assist in renewing contracts, led the year-end processes, and do all the financial approvals. Her attention to detail with numbers is incredible and we really appreciate her support”  

🎉 Barb Smith (Year 3 Clerical Support), Tami Golding (Year 4/5 Clerical Support), and Jöelle Côté (Educational Software Support), UGME, College of Medicine

Barb, Tami, and Jöelle were recognized by Catherine Todd-McCoy who said: I want to give a huge thank you to all of the department admin and coordinators at all of our sites for their timely communication, diligence submitting marks, and tracking student remediation and outstanding requirements in preparation for Year 3 promotions. Clerkship has an amazing team. I want to personally thank Barb Smith, Tami Golding, and Joelle Cote for their support. Last year, Joelle Cote greatly assisted with the preparations for promotions and I leaned on her extensive experience working with SAMC. This time around, she was very patient with my many questions that started “Can you please remind me…” Tami Golding supported the team by initiating outreach on EPA requirements, problem-solving on ITARs and sendouts, supporting the completion of grades, and filling in the gaps on questions that came out of this process. I want to thank Barb Smith for her patience as we navigated a learning curve together. While my focus was on promotions, Barb stepped in and kept other key tasks on track, such as NBME exams, as well as assisting me with grades. Barb and Tami were willing to lend a hand wherever necessary and I greatly relied on their assistance. Thank you!” 

🎉 Claudio Iula, Building Service Technician, Operations and Maintenance

Claudio was recognized by Karen Mosier who said: "I want to thank Claudio Iula, Building Service Technician, for his outstanding service to the College of Medicine. Claudio is always pleasant and professional and quick to assist to fix any problems that come up. He keeps on top of things, keeps everyone updated on how long the repairs will take, and gets the work completed as quickly as possible. He plays a pivotal role in the general maintenance and upkeep of the Health Sciences building. Thank you Claudio, for your hard work, dedication, and enthusiasm!”  

🎉 Nicole Toutant (Administrative Coordinator DME & UGME, Prince Albert) and Nicole Gates Willick (Administrative Coordinator Clerkship & PGME, Regina), CoM

Nicole and Nicole were recognized by Catherine Todd-McCoy who said: “I wanted to recognize the support from my counterparts in Prince Albert and Regina, Nicole Toutant and Nicole Gates Willick. Even though we are geographically situated in different areas, I really appreciate their perspectives. Nicole Toutant’s eagle eyes have caught many important details and made a huge difference in ensuring things run smoothly. I value her sharing lessons learned from her experience as well. I feel more confident in my role because I have Nicole Gates Willick to bounce ideas around. She is always ready to help out and makes it a joy to collaborate. Both of these ladies have brought so much humor and levity to work! Thank you!”

🎉 Kirsten Hanke, Clerical Support, Assistant Dean Curriculum, UGME, CoM

🎉 Dr. Helen Chang, Assistant Professor in Dept Family Medicine, and Lead Faculty Development, Regina, CoM

Dr. Helen Chang was recognized by Drs. Marilyn Baetz, Cathy MacLean, and Gill White, who said: “We wish to recognize Dr. Helen Chang for her outstanding work and positive influence she has had on those around her. Helen brings an enthusiastic approach to everything she does, and is amazingly creative, which she uses to engage physicians in teaching and learning. She sends the most creative and supportive emails often with a very fitting cartoon or picture that really lifts the spirits of those that work with her. She is also a great academic – a clinician, a dedicated educator who cares, a curious researcher, and an avid learner. She is developing her leadership skills, is a champion for students and faculty, and is tirelessly committed to the broader community. Thank you Helen, for your spirit, dedication, and enthusiasm!”

🎉 Sherry Buckler (Director of Advancement), Kelsey Kougiya (Alumni Relations Officer), and Olivia Laybourne (Clerical Assistant, Advancement and Vice Deans), CoM

Sherry, Kelsey, and Olivia were recognized by Dr. Marilyn Baetz who said: “Thank you to Sherry Buckler, Kelsey Kougiya, and Olivia Laybourne for the great organization for a wonderful event of the Alumni Weekend. Our class had about 28 that attended at some point during the weekend which would be close to ½ of the original members. They all had a wonderful time and were so pleased with the organization. Dr. Nora McKee did an excellent job for our class and also commented about how well it was done. We had a very active What’sApp group chat with pictures and conversation that we will be able to enjoy for a long time. On behalf of the Class of 1993 – a big Thank you!”

🎉 Kelsey Kougiya, Alumni Relations Officer, CoM

Kelsey was recognized by Sherry Buckler who said: “I would like to express my utmost appreciation to Kelsey after this weekend’s 38^th Annual Highlights in Medicine event. Kelsey demonstrated remarkable composure and grace while shouldering the responsibility of not only organizing this annual event but also revitalizing it in a manner that surpasses all previous iterations. Kelsey, I extend my heartfelt gratitude on behalf of the team, the College and our alumni who attended, for your diligent dedication and meticulous approach. It was fabulous!”

🎉 Kirsten Hanke, Clerical Support Assistant Dean Curriculum, UGME

Kirsten was recognized by Joëlle Côté who said: “I would like to send a big thank you and shout to Kirsten! When the network shut down, there was a time-sensitive task that I wasn’t able to be sent out. I was away the next day and she created the poll and sent it out on our behalf! I am super thankful to work with someone who goes above and beyond like she did. Thanks again, Kirsten! 😊!” 

🎉 Catherine Todd-McCoy (Clerkship Coordinator), Barb Smith (Year 3 Clerical Support), and Tami Golding (Year 4/5 Clerical Support), UGME

Catherine, Barb, and Tami were recognized by Tamara Hominuke who said: “I want to express my gratitude towards the amazing team who provided unwavering support. During the Year 3 OSCE, a network outage occurred, and as a result, all checklists had to be recorded on paper. It would have been a daunting task to transfer all the data onto One45, but the Clerkship team went above and beyond to help with the data entry. Despite their busy schedules, these individuals took the time to ensure that marks were accurately entered for the Year 3 students. Working alongside such a fantastic team has been a privilege and I am truly thankful.”

🎉 Kelly Mulligan, ICT, College of Medicine 

Kelly was recognized by Dr. Mark Inman who said: “Kelly Mulligan has been a tremendous support to our program since our transition to competence by design training and use of the Elentra® system as our primary IT strategy for EPA data management and visualization. Kelly consistently goes above and beyond to address issues we face, foresee potential problems, and strategize solutions. She is accessible, always pleasant to work with, and follows up on issues promptly and effectively. Without her support, our program would have struggled with the transition to CBD, but fortunately Kelly has been a tremendous resource for us and we are grateful for all she has done for our program – and for all the help she continues to provide us now and into the future. Thanks Kelly!”

🎉 Tami Golding, Year 4/5 Clerical Support, UGME

Tami was recognized by Catherine Todd-McCoy who said: “I just wanted to thank Tami Golding for all her help assisting clerkship this term and, most recently, with Consolidation Week. With Year 4 done and Year 3 coming quickly to a close, I’m very grateful to have her support!”

🎉 Award Adjudicators, CoM staff and faculty awards

The CoM Award Adjudicators were recognized by Erin Prosser-Loose who said: “I really wanted to thank all of the adjudicators of our recent staff and faculty awards. When we say that 'all nominations were excellent and that the adjudicators had hard decisions to make' that is not just a rote sentiment. I saw how seriously the adjudicators took their role, how they engaged in discussion with each other, and how they found something worthy of recognition in every single nomination. These individuals volunteered time out of their busy schedules to take part in service of their fellow College members, and we are so thankful for them!”

🎉 Award Nominators, CoM staff and faculty awards

The CoM Award Nominators were recognized by Erin Prosser-Loose who said: “I want to send a sincere thank you to everyone who nominated a colleague for our recent staff and faculty awards. I had the honour of receiving all of the nominations and read through them all with a big smile. I saw in each and every nomination the time and effort put in by the nominators, and most importantly, the genuine gratitude they have for their colleagues. Recognizing our colleagues through awards is one way of communicating our appreciation for each other and by taking the time to do so you are directly contributing to a more positive work environment. Thank you!”

🎉 Cindy Thomson, Instructional Support Technician, Biomedical Sciences

Cindy was recognized by an anonymous colleague who said: “I’d like to thank Cindy Thomson for an amazing 14 years of service to the College of Medicine’s Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology team as the Laboratory Instructor for BMSC 240. She is a fantastic instructor who has touched the lives of countless students with her warm smile, calm demeanour, and patient approach to teaching. Her lengthy career with the University of Saskatchewan is ending on June 9th so I want to send a very warm and happy congratulations to Cindy on her retirement, all the best in the future and thank you for your service!"

🎉 Shannon Bay, Executive Assistant, UGME, College of Medicine

Shannon was recognized by Lisa Krol who said: “I want to send a heartfelt thank you to Shannon Bay for all she does to keep the UGME running smoothly. She always has time to answer questions and if she doesn’t know the answer, which is rare, she’ll find an answer quickly. Lately, she’s had to submit tickets to Facilities Management for a variety of small repairs. Shannon tirelessly stays on top of the requests and makes sure they are resolved even if it takes months. She is on top of every problem with a laugh and a smile. Shannon is always willing to lend a hand, an ear, or a cake to the UGME team. Shannon, you make our space a lovely place to be”

🎉 Kelly Phillips, Custodial Operations, College of Medicine

Kelly was recognized by Karen Mosier who said: “I would like to share my appreciation for Kelly Phillips. She epitomizes the spirit of the College of Medicine with her friendly greeting and happy smile (and small treats for passersby) when I walk in the building every morning. I am grateful for Kelly and the entire custodial staff for their hard work and diligence to give everyone a clean and tidy environment to work in.”

🎉 Cheryl Pfeifer, Curriculum Integration and Evaluation, UGME, College of Medicine

Cheryl was recognized by Sonja MacDonald who said: “I would like to send a huge Appreciation to Cheryl Pfeifer – She is the back bone of the UGME Pre-Clerkship team. Her commitment to the students and program are unrivaled and she gives so much of herself that we cannot go without recognizing her. She is a huge team player and offers support to the rest of the Pre-Clerkship team at both the Saskatoon and Regina site - we are so fortunate and lucky to have her knowledge, expertise and help. The Foundations course would not run without you Cheryl and we so appreciate you. You are a key person for Grades, Promotions and so much more that we cannot thank you enough!”

🎉 UGME Exam Team, College of Medicine

The UGME Exam Team was recognized by Cheryl Pfeifer who said: “As we come to the end of another academic year, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge our amazing team who have worked so hard on our exam processes. As the saying goes “it takes a village” and I wanted you all to know how much I appreciate each and everyone one of you and consider myself very fortunate to be a part of this amazing team.”

🎉 Erin Prosser-Loose, Engagement and Recognition Specialist, College of Medicine

Erin was recognized by Joshua Lloyd who said: “I was recently provided with an opportunity to share some feedback with a colleague and their response really reminded me of how an offhand comment can mean a lot to someone who doesn’t hear it or know that it exists. I love that you’re a force pushing forward appreciation. Thank you immensely for supporting this. I would like, if I can, to share my appreciation for you. You supported me when you’ve never met me, were kind without a reason, and stand for the things I believe are important for us as a college to believe in. Please do be sure to share my appreciation for you publicly.”

🎉 Brittany Minty, Executive Assistant, Dept Anesthesiology, College of Medicine

Brittany was recognized by Darcie Earle and Dr. Jonathan Gamble who said: “We would like to recognize Brittany Minty, Executive Assistant to Dr. Mateen Raazi, Provincial Department Head Anesthesiology, for the administrative support she provides to the Anesthesia research team. Brittany always has time for you, even amidst numerous interruptions and competing priorities. She is a wealth of knowledge and is willing to work with you to solve the issue at hand, even if it is not within the scope of her role. She approaches every task with a calm confidence that is admirable and makes her a pleasure to work with. Brittany, thank you for all that you do.”

🎉 Tracy Arnold, Post Graduate Program Administrator, Dept of Academic Family Medicine, College of Medicine, Regina Campus  

Tracy was recognized by Drs. Megan Clark and Jennifer Kuzmics who said: “We want to recognize Tracy Arnold, Administrator of the family Medicine Residency Program in Regina, for her exemplary collegiality in training new colleagues. Twice during her tenure with us, Tracy has experienced a vacancy in the program's Integrated Scheduler position, which is an important complement to Tracy's position. She has participated considerately in the central Department's recruitment process and has also taken on much additional workload in keeping the program functional. Tracy has also provided extensive support in training and supporting the new integrated scheduler and acts as a mentor to other program administrators. Tracy has worked extra hours and taken on extra duties, keeping her ongoing professional, respectful, collegial demeanor, and always with the residents' and program's well-being at the core. Tracy was key in organizing an end of year celebration for the last cohort of residents in 2022. She stepped in when our previous admin for the post graduate team became ill.  She had many different competing pieces of work asking for her attention, but she made these residents a priority. We are so fortunate to rely on Tracy's good judgement.”

🎉 Bev Digout, Student Affairs Coordinator (medicine/physio), College of Medicine  

Bev was recognized by Josh Lloyd who said: “I would like to share my appreciation for Bev Digout and all she does for our students through her work with the Office of Student Affairs. Bev holds a split position and consistently goes above and beyond her role to ensure students are taken care of in their times of need. I could not do my job without all that she does.”

🎉 Joëlle Côté, Educational Software Support, UGME, College of Medicine

Joëlle was recognized by Cheryl Pfeifer who said: "Joelle, I want to thank you so much for all of your hard work with exam creation for the UGME. Your ability to enter/edit hundreds of exam questions and compile multiple exams all while competing with a variety of deadlines is admired. You always provide accurate results and meet every deadline with a smile and for that I am extremely grateful. You have made my work life so much easier and I truly appreciate you and your contribution to the UGME."

🎉 UGME Team Members, College of Medicine

UGME Team Members were recogized by Sherry Pederson and Dr. Greg Malin: "We want to recognize the following team members Cheryl Pfeifer, Todd Reichert, Neda Moslemi, Drs. Kirsten Walker & Jodi Parent (Module Co-Directors) for their outstanding effort and time, outside of regular working hours, to get our first-year students their midterm grades this weekend; prior to writing the final exam today. Drs. Walker and Parent have also been leading the Dermatology module for both year 1 and year 2 students simultaneously as we adjust for curriculum renewal. This kind of effort is greatly appreciated by the students and positively impacts their experience as students in the College of Medicine. Thank you to the entire team for caring and sacrificing your own personal time to make a difference!”

🎉 Davis Frerichs, Undergraduate Recruitment and Admissions Administrator, UGME, College of Medicine

Davis was recognized by Sherrill Bueckert, Sherry Pederson, and Shannon Bay who said: “We would like to thank Davis for his willingness to help out with whatever comes across his desk and others. Despite being very busy in his new role in Admissions and work on our recruitment initiatives, Davis is always willing to share his skills and talents, as well as his time, to help others out. Davis sees a need and reaches out to offer help. Many times, Davis has come to our offices to check in and see if there is something he can help us with or he offers to be involved with an undergraduate initiative. In addition to all the great work Davis is doing with recruitment and promotion of the program, he has offered to be a representative for the Anti-Racist Transformation in Medical Education group and is sharing his skills and talents as part of the team creating the new UGME newsletter. Thanks Davis!”

🎉 Sara Butchart, Simulated Patient Educator, College of Medicine, Regina Campus

Sara was recognized by Meghan Nelson who said: “Sara has been a key contributor to our team’s success in delivering Year 1 curriculum in Regina. I appreciate Sara’s positive attitude and caring demeanor towards the Standardized Patients she works with, as well as our students and tutors. Sara is committed to making each clinical session the best it can be, and her hard work does not go unnoticed by our students. Sara is a reliable colleague and I am grateful to have her on our team! Thanks for all you do, Sara!”

🎉 Tamara Hominuke, Senior Administrative Coordinator, UGME, College of Medicine

Tamara was recognized by Sonja MacDonald who said: “I want to thank Tamara for her incredible work at recruiting Facilitators for all of the small groups sessions for Year 1 and 2. It is a never ending job that often requires last minute recruitment and we can always count on you to try to fill the spots. Tamara also organizes and coordinates all of the OSCES for Year 1 – 4 – which is a huge and very important undertaking, and does it with ease. Orientations each year run smoothly and provide invaluable information for the students – due to Tamara’s attention to detail and wonderful organization of these sessions. We are so thankful to have you on our Team!”

🎉 Tyler Lagacy and Dylan Flowers, IT Support Services

Tyler and Dylan were recognized by Cheryl Pfeifer who said: “Tyler and Dylan, thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your assistance this academic year. I am appreciative for the assistance that you have provided to our lecturers, for ensuring that the Saskatoon and Regina sites are connected, notifying me when a lecturer has not yet arrived and taking the time to try and provide our students with the best learning experience that we can. I also want to thank you for handling my last minute panicked requests with such kindness and for your patience with my multiple schedule changes, it is truly appreciated.”

🎉 Sonja MacDonald, Pre-Clerkship Program Coordinator, UGME, College of Medicine

Sonja was recognized by Cheryl Pfeifer who said: “Sonja, I want to personally thank you for all of your hard work and dedication to the Pre-Clerkship UGME Program. The way you organize the students in both Year One and Two, handle last minute changes in addition to the rescheduling of multiple students leaves me in awe. Your knowledge of the program and hard work has not gone unnoticed and I am so grateful and consider myself fortunate to have such awesome co-worker as you. I truly appreciate you and thank you for all that you do.”

🎉 Cheryl Pfeifer, Curriculum Integration and Evaluation, UGME, College of Medicine

Cheryl was recognized by Shannon Bay who said: “I would like to thank Cheryl Pfeifer for her presentation in our Professional Development series in the UGME office on Microsoft Word-tips and tricks! Everyone found it very informative and helpful and are anxiously waiting a follow up session 😊. I can clearly see you are an expert on the program! These tips and tricks will save us hours of work with formatting and will improve our skills! Thanks again for taking the time to present!”

🎉 Amy Wright, Clerical Assistant, Operations, and Kristie Temple-Briske, Executive Assistant Vice Deans Education and Faculty Engagement, College of Medicine

Amy and Kristie were both recognized by Crystal Maslin who said:“I wanted to share a note of appreciation for Amy Wright, our new Clerical Support person in the dean’s office. On day 4 she brought delicious home-baked treats to share with the team. Such a lovely surprise. I also wanted to share a note of appreciation for Kristie Tempel-Briske who has been helping to train Amy and troubleshoot a few startup challenges. I’m pretty sure that the rest of us got cookies because Kristie’s been doing a terrific job 😊”

🎉 Donna Dodge, Clerical Assistant, Dept Anatomy, Physiology, Pharmacology, and Body Bequeathal Program

Donna was recognized by Dr. Thomas Fisher who said: “I would like to thank Donna Dodge for her wonderful work organizing the Body Bequeathal Commemorative Service on Saturday, April 15^th. This is a ceremony that gives medical students and other health professional students the opportunity to express their gratitude to those who kindly donated their bodies for instruction in our anatomy laboratories. This event recognized 61 donors whose generous and thoughtful gift played such a crucial role in educating the next generation of health care professionals and was attended by more than 150 family, friends, students, and faculty members. Most of the program was delivered by students, including the beautiful musical offerings. Donna oversaw the organization of the event and did a marvelous job. She organized the participants, the catering, and the AV support, designed and made the programs, and decorated the room. Donna's creative touch and personal warmth helped make the event so special and so moving. The family members who attended were very pleased and grateful. Thanks also to Cindy Wruck and Robyn Claypool who came out on Saturday and did a great job helping run the event!”

🎉 Meghan Nelson, Pre-Clerkship Coordinator, College of Medicine, Regina Campus

Meghan was recognized by Dr. Jacqueline Kraushaar who said: “I wanted to send a shout out to Meghan Nelson for all of her work in Clinical Skills planning for our Year 1 students at the Regina campus this term! Planning and implementing curriculum that is entirely new to our campus – including two new skills days -- is no easy task but Meghan has taken on the challenge with enthusiasm, attention to detail and creativity. Thank you for all of your work to support both our faculty and students!”

🎉 Kaitlin Pike, Project Manager, College of Medicine

Kaitlin was recognized by Dr. Tara Lee who said: “I want to send my heartfelt appreciation to Kaitlin Pike. She has been a tremendous help to me in the last couple of months. She has expertise in many areas and she’s been willing to help me with big projects. I appreciate her patience and ability to organize my thoughts in a way that makes them understandable!”

🎉 Bailey Edelman, SLIC Administrative Coordinator, Meadow Lake, College of Medicine

Bailey was recognized by Dr. Tara Lee who said: “I would like to send an appreciation alert to Bailey Edelman. She is so enthusiastic about rural medicine that it shows in everything she does. She treats the students like they are her own. She advocates for students and faculty. She goes above and beyond and her dedication to rural medicine is obvious and very much appreciated!”

🎉 Michelle Gabayan, Assistant, Senior Lead Indigenous Programming and Initiatives, and CME, College of Medicine

Michelle was recognized by Karen Amundson who said: “I’d like to thank Michelle Gabayan who has fearlessly and capably taken on every aspect of supporting Senior Lead Indigenous Initiatives and Programs on a half time basis. The variety of university processes she needs to master for managing this position is daunting, but I’ve seen her tackle each aspect with a methodical yet pro-active problem-solving approach and keenness to learn it all. Well done, Michelle! It is a pleasure to work with you. I so appreciate the little coffee-run stops by my office to ask questions!” 

🎉 Chantal Jantzen, Research Financial Analyst, College of Medicine

Chantal was recognized by Mark Milne who said: “I would like to show my appreciation to Chantal Jantzen. I think she may have been misled into helping me, thinking that it would be a quick fix. It was not. But she went way above and moved a project along that would have taken the team months to complete, if ever. Thanks Chantal!”

🎉 Admissions Event Team, College of Medicine

The Admissions Event Team was recognized by Dr. Trustin Domes who said: “I would like to thank and acknowledge the tremendous efforts of Sherrill Bueckert, Val Arnault-Pelletier, Krista Rhode, Carla Millsap, Davis Frerichs, and Michelle Gabayan. This great crew organized and successfully delivered the only in-person panel interview and conversational circle process for medical school admissions in Canada last weekend. These completely new admissions events ran smoothly without event for over 240 applicants and 90 interviewers. I'm extremely proud of their dedication, work-ethic, ingenuity, problem solving and commitment to our College. Bravo!” 

🎉 Carlyn Séguin, Global Health Manager, Division of Social Accountability, College of Medicine

Carlyn was recognized by Dr. Meredith McKague who said: “I wanted to extend my appreciation to Carlyn Seguin from the Division of Social Accountability. She is working on a new initiative for USask to host a health care system sustainability summit and has jumped into this endeavour with both feet. She has great ideas for making this event meaningful for participants. I also appreciate her using her network of connections to help identify good people to collaborate with.”

🎉 Fazle Rafi, Active Learning and Technological Support Specialist, UGME, College of Medicine

Fazle was recognized by Lisa Krol who said: “Fazle turned a very dull text document about the curriculum change process into an interactive mini course for new faculty. Instructors can move through the various bits of information with spinning flashcards and even watch a cartoon video. Fazle was amazingly creative and whipped this together in record time! This project is turning into a terrific resource for instructors and since it demonstrates many of the platforms we’re suggesting for engagement, it may also inspire faculty to try something new in their teaching!"

🎉 Erin Watson, Librarian, Leslie and Irene Dube Health Sciences Library

Erin was recognized by Karen Mosier who said: “I would like to acknowledge Erin Watson, Librarian, Leslie and Irene Dube Health Sciences Library, for presenting at our Department of Surgery research rounds to residents and faculty and for sharing her expertise on systematic reviews, suspicious or predatory publishers and reference management. Erin is always friendly, professional and ready to assist. As a liaison librarian for clinical medicine, she is a valuable asset for faculty, residents, students, and staff within the College of Medicine to call upon. Her wealth of knowledge and her desire to help others is a winning combination. I never hesitate to call her when I need assistance. Thank you Erin for doing your job so well!”

🎉 Office of the Vice Dean of Research (OVDR)

The OVDR was recognized by Crystal Maslin who said: “I wanted to give a shout out to the OVDR team. They take a leadership role in office team building through the organization of collegial, kind, and fun activities including the Christmas fundraiser initiative with King James School, surprising us all with chocolate bars on random acts of kindness day in February, and the office crokinole tournament (2^nd annual coming up)! It’s a great reminder that little things can make a big difference.”

🎉 Willem de Jong, Academic Application Support Specialist

Willem was recognized by Kim Basque who said: “I would like to send a huge thank you to Willem de Jong who always goes above and beyond when it comes to supporting UGME on the IT side. Willem is a key part of the team and I couldn't do my job half as efficiently without his expertise. He is an excellent trainer and is always willing to learn/try out new features in Canvas that could make things easier for me and my colleagues, and troubleshoot when something isn't working the way we expected it to. Willem, we appreciate all you do to support us!"

🎉 Kim Basque, Clerical Assistant, Year 2

Kim was recognized by Meghan Nelson who said: “Supporting Year 2 programming in the UGME, Kim is a key communicator and resource for her colleagues like me at the Regina campus. She is highly organized and efficient in her work, and Kim brings a practical approach to problem solving. She is quick to assist with questions and points us in the right direction even if she can't help. I know several of Kim's colleagues have adopted the mindset when faced with a challenge or problem to solve - "what would Kim do?". Thank you Kim for being a fantastic colleague!”

🎉 Sherry Lindenbach, Clerical Assistant Year 2, Regina

Sherry was recognized by Meghan Nelson who said: “Thank you Sherry for everything you do for pre-clerkship in Regina! You are an irreplaceable resource for the students and your colleagues like me! Thank you for everything you do, big and small, to help the program run smoothly. From being a shoulder to cry on (for students and staff alike!), to keeping our one45 evaluations organized, to exam invigilation, to keeping our exam rooms stocked with supplies - you do it all! Thank you!”

🎉 Samantha Marcoux, Coordinator, Human Resources

Samantha was recognized by Sherry Pederson who said: “Shout out to Samantha for supporting the Year 3 clerical admin position recruitment and hire. I was away on vacation and Samantha happily took over this process in my absence. She worked with Catherine Todd-McCoy to fill this term position in a timely manner. Thank you, Samantha; your support of the UGME in all HR aspects is greatly appreciated, not only this one instance!”

🎉 Karen Amundson, Clerical Support for Budgets and Finance for the UGME, College of Medicine

Karen was recognized by Shannon Bay who said: “Thank you Karen for always being a supportive co-worker and friend. You are always willing to help if it is needed and it doesn’t go unnoticed. Your patience and dedication to your job is very obvious and It’s a pleasure to work beside someone who loves what they do! Thank you for always helping when I need it, whether it’s running on your day off to replenish office supplies that are needed, or getting coffee, creamer for the office or keeping our social fund going, thank you thank you!”

🎉 Karen Amundson, Clerical Support for Budgets and Finance for the UGME, College of Medicine

Karen was recognized by Cheryl Pfeifer who said: “We have a number of staff members who work very hard behind the scenes and often in our busy days, we forget to let them know how much they are appreciated. Karen you are one of them. You do so much for many people and your commitment to the UGME is undeniable. Your willingness to assist at any given time has not gone unnoticed and I wanted to let you know how much you are valued for your amazing work ethic and cheerful disposition. I personally wanted to thank you for all that you have done and continue to do with the recruitment and scheduling of our exam invigilators and monitors, it is greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for all that you do!"

🎉 Fazle Rafi, Active Learning and Technological Support Specialist, UGME, College of Medicine

Fazle was recognized by Cheryl Pfeifer who said: “To Fazle Rafi our incredible Active Learning and Technological Support colleague (UGME). Fazle I want to thank you so much for all of the technical Panopto support you have provided and continue to provide to many of our doctors who teach within the Foundations courses. Your knowledge and patience along with your vision and ability to create/update teaching tools in order to assist our faculty is truly appreciated. Your willingness to assist whenever I reach out has not gone unnoticed and I am so grateful that we have you on our team. Thank you Fazle!”  

🎉 Catherine Todd-McCoy, Clerkship Admin Coordinator, Saskatoon-UGME, College of Medicine

Catherine was recognized by Nicole Gates Willick who said: “I am unbelieveably grateful that my counterpart in Saskatoon is who she is. She is on the ball, knowledgeable, takes initiative, brings forward great ideas, always lends a helping hand and happily listens to my rants. We work great as a team and I cannot imagine anyone else being in that role. Thank you for all of your hard work!”  

🎉 Sue Schmidt, Student Affairs Coordinator, Office of Student Affairs, Regina Campus, College of Medicine

Sue was recognized by Nicole Gates Willick who said: “Sue is absolutely an amazing person to have at the Regina Campus OSA. She is so beyond caring of all students and her passion is evident. She is respectful and understanding. She always lends a helping hand and is always willing to listen. I truly enjoy working with Sue and I know that the students appreciate all of her hard work and support as well. Thank you for being such an amazing support person!”  

🎉 Mark Milne, Research Facilitator in Pathology, Opthamology, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Oncology, Medical Imaging, and Family Medicine

Mark was recognized by Dr. Cathy MacLean who said: “We have been getting to know Mark and he has been supporting our efforts to do more research in Family Medicine. He shows up to meetings, returns our emails and steps up when we need him. I appreciate supporting FM is part of his job description but he makes it all very easy, is highly approachable and catches on to primary care challenges fast. Mark helps us make connections and encourages involvement in initiatives that could be very beneficial to us moving forward. It is just great working with him and we really appreciate all his efforts!”  

🎉 Randi Bodas, Clerical Assistant, Regina Campus

Randi was recognized by Nicole Gates Willick who said: “Randi works with many different groups with the CoM. She takes on a lot of tasks in both the Pre-Clerkship and Clerkship worlds and completes them with style. She brings forward ideas to make processes more efficient, she works hard and also has an amazing sense of humour that she lets shine. Randi and I work very closely and make a great team. Thank you for your support and hard work!”   

🎉 PGME Accreditation Oversight Team (Loni Desanghere, Audrey Kincaid, Maureen Lumbis, Opeoluwa Okunola, and Tanya Robertson-Frey)

The PGME Oversight Team was recognized by Reola Mathieu who said: "The AOT has been working extremely hard over the past several months and will continue their hard work until we reach our accreditation site visit in November 2023. The AOT team has shown exemplary collaboration skills with the organization and dissemination of accreditation information to the PGME and CoM community. They deserve to be recognized for leading residency training programs through the tremendous task that is accreditation, and for the dedication and attention that it requires. Because of them I am certain that will be successful in our goal of full accreditation in all programs."

🎉 Nicole Gates Willick, Administrative Coordinator of Clerkship and PGME - Regina

Nicole was recognized by Catherine Todd-McCoy who said: “I just wanted to send some appreciation to Nicole Gates Willick, Clerkship Coordinator at our Regina site. She is such a great team player and it’s just the little things that make me feel so supported. She always takes care to include people, make the team laugh, follow through, and cares for the students.”   

🎉 Karen Mosier, Research Coordinator/Navigator, Department of Surgery

Karen was recognized by Dr. Bruna Bonavia-Fisher, who said: “I would like to appreciate Karen Mosier the research facilitator in the Surgery Department. Karen is always highlighting the role and good work of her colleagues and does a great job at raising the profile of the faculty members that she serves. She takes the time to nominate university staff for university awards. She always brings a smile to all meetings. Her positive attitude is contagious. She genuinely believes that recognizing others creates a collegial and good environment to work in and that is reflected in her professional demeanor. You are appreciated as a colleague! and your department is lucky to have you!” 

🎉 Todd Reichert, ICT/Medicine IT - Examsoft Key Admin

Todd was recognized by Cheryl Pfeifer, who said: “To Todd Reichert our Amazing Information and Technology [College of Medicine] Colleague. Todd I personally wanted to thank you for always going above and beyond for the UGME. Your unwavering commitment and dedication to the College and the students is truly admired.  You are always there when needed/asked, you never complain and are willing to assist no matter how demanding the ask may be. You are truly committed to helping the UGME provide the best learning experience that we can for our future MDs and for that, we are extremely grateful. Thank you so much!” 

🎉 Biomedical Administration Team

The Biomedical Administration Team was recognized by Dr. Bruna Bonavia-Fisher, who said: "This amazing team supports biomedical undergraduate students, graduate students, PDFs, and APP and BMI faculty members. They always do it with a smile and go above and beyond of what is expected. They are all very helpful and ready to tackle any queries or tasks that they face. What a great group of individuals to work with! I am sure the entire CoM biomedical community joins me in this appreciation! Thank you for all you do!"

🎉 Freda Elash, Executive Assistant to the Vice Dean of Faculty Engagement

Freda was recognized by Dr. Catherine Delaney, who said: "Freda Elash, Executive Assistant to the Vice Dean of Faculty Engagement, is retiring after working on campus for over 30 years! Having only worked with Freda for a small fraction of that time, I am one of many who has had the privilege of calling her a trusted colleague. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank Freda for responding to every one of my requests for help with patience, generosity, efficiency, tenacity and professionalism. I can’t overstate the value of knowing that “Freda’s got this,” no matter what support was needed. Thank you Freda - you will be dearly missed."

🎉 Pediatric Emergency Medicine Team

The Pediatric Emergency Medicine team was recognized by Dr. Brent Thoma and the adult emergency medicine team who said: "To our pediatric emergency physicians: we see that you have been going above and beyond for weeks to care for the unprecedented number of patients presenting to our pediatric emergency department and we appreciate you. Thank you for everything you do. - From your adult emergency medicine friends."

🎉 Dr. Angela Lapetsky, Department of Family Medicine

Dr. Lapetsky was recognized by Dr. Helen Chang and the Y1 team who said: “We are finishing up Term 1 and would like to recognize Dr. Angela Lapetsky for going above and beyond with Clinical Skills 1. She was very enthusiastic about including Regina in the planning for this course, came down for a site visit, and just generally embodies a spirit of cross-site cooperation and teamwork.”

🎉 Amy Winik, Administrative Coordinator in Faculty Development

Amy was recognized by Dr. Cathy MacLean who said: “…the new Faculty Development office looks great and we have Amy to thank for that. She has populated our bulletin board – which looks great in the hallway and she picked our signage which is also in the hallway. We look like we are settled in the space now. She has a new FD banner in our small FD hallway – with a modern look. We have plants and business cards and the place just looks professional, warm and inviting – all her doing. We are very grateful for all she does.”