in Focus SUMMER 2002 MEDICINE edition Life Sciences Building: \ THIS ISSUE 3 Centre for Medical Education A Unique Research Milieu 4 Life Sciences Building 6 Report from Admissions 7 McGill Luminaries: Dr. Charles Philippe Leblond 8 Leading the Way Canada Post 10 Development and Alumni Corporation Publications Relations Mail Agreement 40613662 13 Class Legacy FACULTY OF MEDICINE Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, NEWSLETTER Abraham Fuks Summer 2002 Editor Nadine Saumure Writer Tod Hoffman Contributors Scot DeJong Amy Ma Dear Graduates and Friends, Amy Samsonovitch Nadine Saumure am delighted to share with you the Newsletter for the summer of 2002. We have launched a number of very exciting projects that are highlighted in this letter. The initia- Design and Editorial Advisor Itives in the Centre for Medical Education will continue our commitment to curricular Helen Dyer, development for our students and to fostering a rich environment for clinical medical edu- Communications Associate, cation at McGill. On the research front, our most exciting venture is the Life Sciences McGill Development and Building, a joint effort of the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Science and the Research Alumni Relations Institute of the McGill University Health Centre. This project, following on the heels of the expected opening of the Genomics and Proteomics facility in the fall of 2002, continues Layout the development of one of the most exciting biomedical research environments in North McGill Instructional America. These facilities will attract the next generation of outstanding research scientists. Communications Centre We have a strong tradition in the life sciences and pay homage to one of McGill’s research luminaries, Dr. Charles Philippe Leblond. He has been not only a wonderful Photography innovator in cell biology, but is the teacher who is most remembered by the alumni that Owen Egan I meet on my visits throughout North America. It is clear that he transmitted to his Nicolas Morin students not only his zest for biology but also his enthusiasm for medicine as a discipline. Scot DeJong I am proud of the contributions of our students to the work of the Faculty and you will Nadine Saumure no doubt enjoy the article describing their role in the admissions process. Our ability to attract new students goes hand in hand with our efforts to recruit faculty members who Proofreader will be their teachers in the classroom and mentors in research. We are immensely pleased Jane Jackel with the accomplishments of our researchers, many of who received special awards and honors that are described in the newsletter. Finally, I would like to thank all those alumni who came to celebrate Homecoming Faculty of Medicine weekend with us. The 50th anniversary class enjoyed an especially wonderful evening with McIntyre Medical Building presentations by three illustrious graduates of the class. I invite all our alumni to partici- 3655 Promenade Sir William pate in Homecoming this coming September and look forward to greeting you during Osler (Drummond) that wonderful weekend of events. I would like to extend my personal thanks to all of you Montreal, Quebec who continue to be the foundation of our support. It is your gifts, financial and moral, H3G 1Y6 that help us develop our vision of excellence. Tel.: (514) 398-3515 With best wishes for a healthy summer season. Fax: (514) 398-3595 Yours sincerely, www.medicine.mcgill.ca Abraham Fuks, BSc’68, MDCM’70 Dean, Faculty of Medicine THE CENTRE FOR MEDICAL EDUCATION New goals and new directions he Centre for Medical Education was found- their time to carrying out the Centre’s mandate. In ed twenty years ago with a mission of fur- addition, there are another forty or fifty individu- Tthering our understanding of the scientific als who have an interest in the research and devel- foundations of medical education, the delivery opment work of the Centre and participate in of health care, and the effective use of emerging Centre-related activities on a more informal basis. computer-based medical technologies in education “When I began teaching,” recalls McLeod, and practice. The main function of the Centre is “nobody ever asked me whether I knew anything to undertake scholarly research in medical educa- about how to teach – I’d never taken an education tion. “It is imperative,” stresses newly appointed course. Now we realize a person will be a better director Dr. Peter J. McLeod, “to take advantage of teacher with an understanding of basic pedagogy.” the most advanced scholarship in education to Classes in Medicine are gradually moving away produce the best health care personnel that include from large lecture halls and into smaller group doctors, nurses, occupational and physiotherapists discussion sessions. There is also more emphasis on and speech therapists.” authentic and patient-based learning in hospitals McLeod has been an academic physician for the and clinics. McGill’s medical faculty is a popular past thirty years, teaching medicine and pharma- choice among aspiring medical students because cology at McGill, while maintaining a practice in it begins clinical rotations during second year, internal medicine at the Montreal General Hospital. while most other schools don’t begin clinical rota- Over the last fifteen years of his career, he has tions until later. developed a strong interest in medical education, “We need to put more emphasis on clinical pursuing research and publishing on the subject. teaching, spend more time understanding how “More and more we are looking for evidence doctors learn with patients,” McLeod says. “For that what we do as educators is having the desired example, more patients are being seen in offices, effect,” he says. This puts the onus on the Centre’s clinics, and other outpatient settings as the health members to demonstrate the validity of their care system moves away from hospitals. We need, proposed changes to conventional teaching meth- now, to teach and learn under this paradigm.” ods. Often, such evidence is hard to come by In a hospital setting, medical trainees have a because the ultimate test of a teaching method period of time during which to monitor, observe in medicine is whether patients are doing better and learn from the evolution of the patient’s con- several years down the road. dition. This contrasts dramatically with the kind The Centre’s associate director is Dr. Yvonne of learning that takes place in an office environ- Steinert, a psychologist by training, who is also ment, where students would have only a few Dr. Peter J. McLeod, Associate Dean for Faculty Development. In the minutes to examine, observe and diagnose. This new Director of the Centre latter role, she carries the responsibility for oversee- difference in learning environment implies a need for Medical Education ing the professional advancement of McGill’s for a different kind of medical education. teaching staff. The Centre The Centre for Medical Education provides a has nine core members who consulting service specifically designed to help are widely representative of educators to become better instructors. It is a the departments within the resource for those wishing to discuss specific edu- Faculty. The members were cational issues with experts in a given area, such as recruited because of their how to best assess student performance. expertise and interest in med- The role of the health care provider is becom- ical education and, while still ing broader and extends beyond that of caregiver. following their individual Medical education must, therefore, also broaden research interests, they also its range to include the areas of management, work as a group to devise professionalism, patient advocacy, and handling projects that will benefit the information. entire faculty. These “We have to try to account for all these other researchers devote approxi- interests,” says McLeod, who’ll spend his three-year mately twenty percent of term as director pondering these and other issues. MEDICINE 3 Life Sciences Building: A Unique cGill has stood at the forefront of medical ing research will be conducted by a dynamic group and scientific research for the last hundred of scientists who will determine the future direc- Myears. However, the glories of the past tion of biomedical research. are not enough to ensure this pre-eminence in the Researchers in the Faculties of Medicine, future. The University is experiencing a crisis Science and the MUHC will reap the benefits of through a lack of research space that has hampered research and enhanced facilities in the Life Sciences its ability to acquire modern equipment and Building and the Life Sciences Complex as a whole. impedes the recruiting of new scientists. “The key to leadership in research is to foster the The solution to this problem is the new Life exchange of ideas among talented individuals,” Sciences Building (LSB), to be constructed stressed Dr. Thomas, who was the principal appli- between the McIntyre Medical Sciences and cant on the successful CFI application. This has Stewart Biology Buildings. These three buildings already brought $42.5 million to McGill; together together will form the McGill Life Sciences with private donations and governmental contribu- Complex, one of the major centres of life sciences tions the total is expected to exceed $70 million. research worldwide. This is the result of a new “Innovative ideas emerge from scientific collabora- kind of partnership between the Faculty of tion, which requires that you bring the best people Medicine, the Faculty of Science and the McGill together and give them the opportunity to meet University Health Centre (MUHC). A group of and talk and share. This is how we will foster new scientists drawn from these three partners, and led discoveries and new applications of these discoveries by Chair of the Biochemistry Department Dr. that will have an impact on our understanding of David Thomas, assembled a successful application disease.