On May 30, 2025, the Department of Family Medicine hosted its inaugural Academic Day at the Hotel Bonaventure in Montreal, bringing together residents, graduate students, researchers, and clinicians to showcase the breadth and depth of scholarship in primary care. Held in collaboration with the Family Medicine Postgraduate Residency Program, the Family Medicine Graduate Students Society (FMGSS) and the 91直播 Primary Care Practice-Based Research Network (PBRN), the event also served as the culminating celebration of the Department鈥檚 50th anniversary campaign.
The day opened with remarks from Dr. Marion Dove, Chair of the Department, and concluded during a festive cocktail reception with closing reflections from Dr. Lesley Fellows, Vice-Principal (Health Affairs) and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Throughout the day, attendees engaged with a rich program of presentations that reflected the dynamic and interdisciplinary nature of Family Medicine.
鈥淚t鈥檚 undeniable that Family Medicine is facing some challenges,鈥� noted Dr. Dove, making making reference to current issues in Quebec鈥檚 health care system. 鈥淏ut as we look ahead to the next fifty years, I believe Family Medicine research will be central to meeting the major issues of our time, from aging populations to climate change, from health misinformation to the rise of artificial intelligence. As a Department, we remain committed to supporting the scholars, clinicians, and learners who will carry that torch forward.鈥�
The event featured a diverse range of activities, including oral presentations, poster sessions, and interactive workshops. These sessions fostered meaningful dialogue and knowledge-sharing across topics such as:
- Health care services and patient trajectories
- Antibiotic use and infections
- Patient engagement
- Clinical guidelines
- Health of older adults
- Electronic health records and systems
- Pain management and loss
- Research methods and medical education
- Mental health and community care
- Youth health
- Technology and health care networks
Academic Day also recognized outstanding contributions with several awards for best presentation. The Graduate Studies prize for best poster was awarded to PhD student Aravind Rajendran (below) for his research project titled Implementation of the South Asian Diabetes Prevention Program: A Qualitative Case Study.
The PBRN prize for best presentation was awarded to Glen Meng and Bao-Lam Pham (second and third from left below), Family Medicine residents from St. Mary鈥檚 Hospital, for their project titled Don鈥檛 Fear the Smear: Improving Trainee Comfort with Pap Tests.
The event was a testament to the Department鈥檚 longstanding commitment to academic excellence, collaborative learning and advancing health for communities through innovation in Family Medicine.
Special thanks to the following sponsors for their generous support of Academic Day 2025: Family Medicine Postgraduate Residency Program, the Family Medicine Graduate Students Society (FMGSS), the 91直播 Primary Care Practice-Based Research Network (PBRN), the Family Medicine Neonatal Resuscitation Program, the Graduate Studies Program, the Allan Edwards Pain Management Unit, 91直播24, and the St. Mary鈥檚 Family Medicine Association.
View the full photo gallery from the day鈥檚 events, captured by Joni Dufour and Owen Egan:
Photo Album 鈥� Academic Day 2025
