The Manitoba Interdisciplinary Primary Care Research Symposium brought together University of Manitoba primary care researchers from various disciplines and professions to share, learn and strengthen connections.
More than 50 people attended the symposium on the Bannatyne campus on Oct. 2, 2024.
Dr. Gayle Halas, Rady Chair in Interprofessional Collaborative Practice and assistant professor at the Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, hosted the event.
“Giving the academic researchers a time and space to have conversations – facilitated or just emerging naturally – really solidified a sense of community and how we might collectively focus on primary care research,” Halas said. “I’d like to think that is a very nice starting point for combining our strengths and efforts, and working together to support interprofessional primary care.”
The Manitoba Primary Care Research Network (MaPCRen), the provincial network within the Canadian Primary Care Research Network (CPCRN), hosted the symposium.
The symposium’s theme was strengthening linkage and connections among UM primary care researchers. The day included a researcher introduction session, group work and a session to look at ways MaPCRen could support researchers, teams and collaboration opportunities in the future.
“One highlight of the symposium was the high level of activity, discussions and sharing, along with a strong undercurrent of discovery of one another and the work we do,” said Halas, who is the Manitoba lead for CPCRN. “It was refreshing to see academics connecting with others with similar areas of interest, talking about work in progress and thinking toward interesting future research and potential collaborations.”
Halas said there is strong interest in an annual symposium to strengthen and support interprofessional primary care research. She said they are considering ways to extend beyond health-care disciplines and consider the contributions of other social scientists.
The symposium planning committee comprised of Rady Faculty of Health Sciences faculty members Dr. Cara Brown, associate professor of occupational therapy, College of Rehabilitation Sciences; Dr. Laura MacDonald, associate professor of dental hygiene, Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Ramirez, assistant professor of respiratory therapy, College of Rehabilitation Sciences; Dr. Alex Singer, associate professor of family medicine, Max Rady College of Medicine; Dr. Alan Katz, professor of family medicine, Max Rady College of Medicine, Dr. Raj Bhullar, associate professor of oral biology, Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, Dr. Patty Thille, associate professor of physical therapy, College of Rehabilitation Sciences, Dr. Dana Turcotte, assistant professor, College of Pharmacy; and Dr. Els Duff, associate professor, College of Nursing. And MaPCReN research manager Leanne Kosowan and staff from the department of family medicine helped make this day happen.