Newsletters & Annual Reports

Newsletters are released quarterly. Newsletters highlight departmental achievements, awards, and more! 

Awards

The Department of Medicine’s annual banquet was held on Friday, May 12. Thank you to guest speaker Dr. Janet Tootoosis, Interim Vice Dean Indigenous Health at the College of Medicine.  Congratulations to the following award recipients. 

Provincial Head Awards:

  • Researcher of the Year: Dr. Bhanu Prasad (Nephrology, Regina)
  • Administrator of the Year: Dr. Bonnie Richardson (Nephrology, Regina Area Lead)
  • Teacher of the Year: Dr. Julian Tam (Respirology, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Saskatoon)
  • Clinician of the Year: Dr. Kempe Gowda (General Internal Medicine (GIM), Saskatoon)

Faculty Research Day award winners:

  • First place presentation: Dr. Niels Koehncke (Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture (CCHSA))
  • Second place presentation: Dr. Bhanu Prasad (Nephrology, Regina)
  • Third place presentation: Dr. Linden Kolbenson (GIM, Saskatoon)

Faculty awards (as voted by residents):

  • Bedside Teacher of the Year, Saskatoon: Dr. Ben Leis (GIM)
  • Bedside Teacher of the Year, Regina: Dr. Kathryn Whittemore (Critical Care)
  • Teacher of the Year, Saskatoon: Dr. Megan Surkan (Geriatric Medicine)
  • Teacher of the Year, Regina: Dr. Ingrid Wirth (Respirology)
  • Distinguished Lecturer Award: Dr. Ingrid Wirth

Resident awards (as voted by faculty):

  • David Cotton Award: Drs. Zach Huschi and Paige Shelemey
  • Ian Holmes Award: Dr. Preston Njaa
  • Regina Resident of the Year: Dr. Lindsey Richels
  • W. Wilson Spirit Award, Saskatoon: Dr. Tanna Lauriente
  • W. Wilson Spirit Award, Regina: Dr. Katherine Markewich
  • The Alex Trebek Award, Saskatoon: Dr. Muzzamil Jelani
  • The Alex Trebek Award, Regina: Dr. Ahmed Radwan

Resident research awards:

  • PGY2 Fall Research Days First Prize: Drs. Stephanie Choquette and Dr. Preston Njaa
  • PGY2 Fall Research Days Second Prize: Drs. Olivia Friesen and Garrett Robson
  • PGY2 Fall Research Days Third Prize: Drs. Adrian Chan and Jake Towriss
  • PGY1 Case Presentations First Prize: Dr. Hailey Tyndall
  • PGY1 Case Presentations Second Prize: Dr. Belinda Yee
  • PGY1 Case Presentations Third Prize: Dr. Molly Rayner
  • The Kloppenburg Resident Research Prize in Medicine: Dr. Lindsay Richels

2021-2022 Residents Awards

Dr. Samuel HARDER – Dr. Ian Holmes Award (faculty voted)
The Senior Resident who best displays the qualities of professionalism, accountability, commitment to excellence, duty, integrity and respect for patients and colleagues.

Peston NJAA - Dr. David Cotton Award (faculty voted)
The Junior Resident who best displays the qualities of professionalism, accountability, commitment to excellence, duty, integrity and respect for patients and colleagues

Anmol GUPTA – Regina Resident of the Year

Love SHAH - T.W. Wilson Spirit Award
Awarded by the Internal Medicine Residents to the resident whose outstanding contribution to the program helped to build a rewarding and positive environment, motivating, and inspiring his or her colleagues

Anmol GUPTA – Regina T.W. Wilson Spirit Award

Samuel HARDER  -The Alex Trebek Award
Awarded by the Internal Medicine Residents to the Senior Resident who best demonstrates excellence in bedside teaching, informal teaching, morning report teaching or any other teaching activities.

Krystyna WANG – Regina The Alex Trebek Award

 

2021 – 2022 Faculty Awards (as voted by residents)

Dr. Ben LEIS (GIM)  – Saskatoon Bedside Teacher of the Year Award

Dr. Priya FIGURADO (Neurology) - Regina Bedside Teacher of the Year Award

Dr. Rod STRYKER (Nephrology – Saskatoon) Distinguished Lecturer Award

Dr. Ben LEIS (GIM) – Saskatoon Teacher of the Year Award

Dr. Anmol CHEEMA (GIM)  - Regina Teacher of the Year Award

The Department of Medicine was well-represented amongst the winners at the annual PGME Celebration Night held in October 2021.  Congratulations to all the winners including:  

  • Dr. Anmol Gupta – PGY3 – Regina, one of two winners of the CanMED Health Advocate Award.
  • Dr. Oluwatosin Odeshi – PGY3 – Regina, for being recognized with the CanMED Professionalism Award.

The winners were announced from the USask College of Medicine Resident Research Day which was held virtually on June 21. In the Clinical category as selected by academic adjudicators:  

  • Dr. Samuel Harder – took the top award
  • Dr. Yasaman Torabi and Dr. Sanji Ali – were awarded second place.

In the What Works category, Dr. William Kennedy was awarded the second place prize.  

Thanks to all residents and faculty who turned out for the various online events in the spring and summer of 2021.

PGY1 – Case Presentation Winners

Erik Yip-Liang – 1st

Nina Dhillon – 2nd

Joshua Low – 3rd

PGY3 – Podium Presentation Winner

Karen Ho

2020 - 2021 Resident Awards

Tari SWAMI – Dr. Ian Holmes Award (faculty voted)
The Senior Resident who best displays the qualities of professionalism, accountability, commitment to excellence, duty, integrity and respect for patients and colleagues.

Samuel HARDER - Dr. David Cotton Award (faculty voted)
The Junior Resident who best displays the qualities of professionalism, accountability, commitment to excellence, duty, integrity and respect for patients and colleagues

Nasim ZAMIR - T.W. Wilson Spirit Award
Awarded by the Internal Medicine Residents to the resident whose outstanding contribution to the program helped to build a rewarding and positive environment, motivating, and inspiring his or her colleagues

Nasim ZAMIR -The Alex Trebek Award
Awarded by the Internal Medicine Residents to the Senior Resident who best demonstrates excellence in bedside teaching, informal teaching, morning report teaching or any other teaching activities.

Karen HO - Professionalism Award
Awarded by the Internal Medicine Residents to the Resident who best displays the qualities of professionalism, accountability, commitment to excellence, duty, integrity and respect for patients and colleagues.

Karen HO – Kloppenburg Award (sponsored by Henry & Cheryl Kloppenburg)
Awarded to the PGY3 Resident who has displayed consistent excellence in resident research throughout three core years of Internal Medicine training.

2020 – 2021 Faculty Awards (as voted by residents)

Dr. Sharon Card (GIM – Saskatoon)                                               Bedside Teacher of the Year Award (tied)
and Dr. Upul Madampage (GIM – Saskatoon)  

Dr. Shaqil Peermohamd (Infectious Diseases – Saskatoon)     Distinguished Lecturer Award

Dr. Shaqil Peermohamd (Infectious Diseases – Saskatoon)     Teacher of the Year Award

Dr. Zenon Belak  (Respirology – Regina)                                       Regina Teacher of the Year Award

July 2020 - Dept. of Medicine Provincial Head Award Winners    

Congratulations to the Department of Medicine Provincial Head Award Winners for 2019 – 2020

Saskatoon

  • Clinician of the Year               Dr. Erika Penz
  • Teacher of the Year                Dr. Michael Prystajecky
  • Administrator of the Year       Dr. Anne PausJenssen
  • Researcher of the Year           Dr. Jay Shavadia

Regina

  • Clinician of the Year               Dr. Andrea Lavoie
  • Teacher of the Year                Dr. Liz Gibbings
  • Administrator of the Year        Dr. Dorothy Thomas
  • Researcher of the Year           Dr. Alex Wong

 

2020 - Resident Awards

Thanks to all residents and faculty who turned out for the virtual presentations for the PGY1 case presentations in June and the PGY2 Poster Presentations in October. Congratulations to the winners. 

PGY2 - Poster Presentation Winners

  • Karen Ho - 1st
  • Zack Singer - 2nd
  • Vanessa Wheeler - 3rd

PGY1 - Case Presentation Winners

  • Tim He - 1st
  • Sam Harder - 2nd
  • Nikki Holdgins - 3rd


2019 - 2020 Resident Awards 

Racheal Head - Dr. David Cotton Award 
Dr. David Cotton Award (PGY1 or 2): The junior resident who best displays the qualities of professionalism, accountability, commitment to excellence, duty, integrity and respect for patients and colleagues. (Voted on by Faculty)

Victoria Tian - Dr. Ian Holmes Award
Dr. Ian Holmes Award (Senior PGY3 resident): The Senior Resident who best displays the qualities of professionalism, accountability, commitment to excellence, duty, integrity and respect patients and colleagues. (Voted on by Faculty)

Karen Ho - Regina Resident of the Year
Regina  Resident of the Year: Awarded to the Regina Resident who best displays the qualities of professionalism, accountability, commitment to excellence, duty, integrity and respect for patients and colleagues. (Voted on by Faculty)

(TIED) Erik Vantomme & Benjamin Arenson - T.W. Wilson Spirit Award
T.W. Wilson Spirit Award: Awarded by the Internal Medicine Residents to the resident whose outstanding contribution to the program helped to build a rewarding and positive environment, motivating and inspiring his or her colleagues.

Christopher Olivier - Alex Trebek Award
Alex Trebek Award: Awarded to the senior resident who best demonstrates excellence in bedside teaching, informal teaching, morning report teaching or any other teaching activities as voted on by the PGY1 residents.

Idris Bare - Kloppenburg Award
Kloppenburg Award: Awarded to the PGY 3 resident who has shown consistent excellence in research throughout their core years.

 

2019-2020 Faculty Awards

(as voted on by the residents) 

  • Dr. Jay Shavadia - Bedside Teacher of the Year Award
  • Dr. Joshua Lawson - Distinguished Lecturer Award
  • Dr. Joshua Lawson - Teacher of the Year Award
  • Dr. Alex Wong - Regina Teacher of the Year Award
     

Department of Medicine Unified Head Award Winners 2018 - 2019

Clinician of the Year:                     Dr. Gudrun Caspar-Bell

Despite a very heavy clinical and teaching load, she is able to maintain great clinical care for her patients. She goes above and beyond for her patients often spending extra time educating her patients about their diseases.   

Teacher of the Year:                      Dr. Heather Ward

Heather is stepping down as Program Director of the GIM Residency Program at the end of June after 6.5 years. She consistently receives outstanding evaluations from residents. A few comments:

“Excellent week with Dr. Ward.  Very kind and knowledgable.  Allowed sufficient autonomy.”
“Created a positive, practical learning environment centered around patient care.”
“Great teacher, stimulated evidence-based discussion around cases.”
“Dr. Ward is fantastic to work with.  She is a great role model.”
“Dr. Ward has a unique perspective that really pushes me to learn.  She has a knack of taking a step back, looking at the big picture, and pulling out a learning point.”

Researcher of the Year:                Dr. Catherine Trask

Associate Professor, Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture (CCHSA). 

Received a Tier II Canada Research Chair in 2012.  This chair supports ongoing work in the CCHSA Ergonomics Lab focusing on work-related musculoskeletal disorders in agriculture.  She was recently awarded a renewal of this Chair until 2022. 

Has also been awarded CFI Infrastructure Operating Funds and a research contract with Merck Animal Health for this year. Published in over 60 peer-reviewed publications.

Administrator of the Year:            Dr. Robert Skomro 

Has been Division Head of Respirology, Sleep Medicine and Critical Care since September 2015.  Rob is a leader of a very strong and comprehensive division with high performance in clinical care and significant contribution to the CTU/ACU, teaching and research. 

Resident Research Day Awards 

PGY1 - Case Presentations

  1. Dwip Parekh
  2. Yasaman Torabi
  3. Tara Swami

PGY2 - Poster/ Podium Presentation

  1. (tie) Tony Haddad and Idris Bare
  2. Christopher Olvier
  3. Brandon Suen 

PGY3 - Podium Presentations

  1. Brianne Philipenko
  2. Yuncong (Andy) Zhang

Resident Awards 

  • Prateek Kundapur - Dr. David Cotton Jr. Professionalism Award
  • Brendon Macknak - Alex Trebek Senior Teaching Award
  • Yuncong (Andy) Zhang - Kloppenburg Award
  • Brianne Philipenko - Dr. Ian Homles Senior Professionalism Award
  • Brendon Macknak - Dr. T.W. Wilson Spirit Award

Faculty Teaching Awards  

(as voted by Residents) 

  • Dr. Michael Prystajecky - Clinical Teacher of the Year Award
  • Dr. Shaqil Peermohamed - Distinguished Lecturer Award
  • Dr. Upul Madampage - IPPA Bedside Teaching Award
  • Dr. Liz Gibbings - Outstanding Regina Teaching Award (Regina Faculty)