On Sunday, Aug. 22, the CMA is hosting two virtual events focused on wellness, culture and the changes needed within the medical profession:
Register for the Health Summit Register for the AGM
12:00–2:30 pm ET
Health Summit Session 3: Thriving in a reimagined culture of medicine: What does it mean to be “healthy”?
Keynote speaker Dr. Jillian Horton will share her insights on the causes of physician burnout and ways to create a new medical culture – one that prioritizes physical and mental well-being and embraces equity and diversity.
She will be joined by occupational medicine expert Dr. Aditi Amin and patient advocate Michelle Hamilton-Page for a panel discussion on how to redesign health care environments so all physicians can truly thrive in training and practice.
Video transcript available here
CMA Health Summit series – Session three
Scenario:
Health Summit panelists Dr. Jillian Horton, Dr. Aditi Amin and patient advocate Michelle Hamilton-Page discuss the theme of session three: Thriving in a reimagined culture of medicine – What does it mean to be ‘healthy?’
Dr. Aditi Amin, Occupational medicine expert
COVID, in a lot of ways, has been a tipping point. It's really exposed for us that, as individuals, we are kind of being taxed to the max.
Michelle Hamilton-Page, Patient advocate
I've never felt more separate from the health care community. We are so separate and so distant, and I don't think that we've ever sort of needed each other more in terms of healing as a community.
Text on screen:
CMA Health Summit Series
Session 3: Aug. 22
Thriving in a reimagined culture of medicine – What does it mean to be ‘healthy?’
Dr. Jillian Horton, Health and wellness expert
What we're actually doing is allowing the system to continue to take take take take from each of us, without ever forcing the conversation about how else can we do this? Is everything that I am doing really necessary for a physician to do?
Dr. Aditi Amin
The culture of medicine is, I think, undergoing a huge upheaval at this time. We're starting to see people demanding more aspects of physician time, we're starting to see that there are equity, diversity and inclusion challenges.
Michelle Hamilton-Page
How do we find a way to come back together around our collective health and wellness? How do we bridge across the inequities as we create something new?
Dr. Aditi Amin
I think to be healthy in medicine, when we think about health, we need to look at it as an all-encompassing term. What we need to be looking at more broadly is the health of our social relationships within our workplace environment.
Dr. Jillian Horton
For me, when I think of being healthy, it means that I feel socially connected to my peers, that I have people that I can have friendly interactions with at work that are positive, that are stimulating, that feel mutually respectful. It means that I feel that I can serve my patients in a way that I can be fully present with them.
Michelle Hamilton-Page
I think it starts with taking a good look at our own identity, our own places of privilege, our own places of power, the ways in which that it gets enacted in how we relate together as health care providers and people who are either advocates or patients.
Dr. Aditi Amin
We have been having these conversations for a long time, but I do think that a seed has been planted here and I do think that it can and will grow. I do think there’s hope and I do think there is potential.
The panel will be followed by a 30-minute Q&A session, moderated by journalist Althia Raj, and a series of small, 40-minute breakout sessions where participants will brainstorm on actions. CMA past-president Dr. Sandy Buchman will be the host.
3:00-6:00 pm ET
Annual General Meeting (AGM)
The AGM will begin after a short break, where discussion will shift to the CMA’s bold agenda of change, how to achieve equity and diversity at the board and committee levels, and to welcome the new president and president-elect.
Participants will have the opportunity to learn more about the CMA’s work over the past year and its new strategy, Impact 2040, as well as take part in a moderated Q&A session.
This year, members will be also asked to vote on proposed governance changes aimed at ensuring equity and diversity in CMA leadership. The proposed changes include shifting to a national election for CMA president; and creating a Leadership and Diversity Search Committee for CMA board, committee and other leadership positions. Learn more about the changes.
All CMA members who register for the AGM are eligible to vote to appoint the auditors, approve bylaw amendments and participate in the Q&A. Physicians and medical learners must join or renew with the CMA before 8:00 pm ET on Aug. 16 to have membership privileges at the AGM. Non-members, including members of the public, may register to observe the meeting.
Due to high demand, registration remains open until Wednesday, Aug. 18 at 5:00 pm ET.
Visit the event page for the complete agenda.