Primary Care Series 2024

Primary Care Series 2024 will begin in January and take place from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm EST, live stream via Zoom, on the following dates: January 10, February 7, March 6, April 10, May 8, June 5, July 10, August 14, and September 18.

Why attend?

Gain insights from specialists in Dermatology, Gynecology, Psychiatry, Rheumatology, Endocrinology, Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Sports Medicine, and Pediatrics, about commonly referred health issues that can be effectively managed within primary care.

Who should attend?

Primary Care Series is designed for nurse practitioners, physicians, physician assistants, registered nurses, and students who are working in or interested in pursuing primary care.

Speakers & Schedule

January 10: Abnormal Uterine Bleeding, Fibroids, and Endometriosis

By: Dr. Ally Murji (OB/GYN @ Mount Sinai Hospital)

Dr. Murji is Associate Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology at University of Toronto. He graduated from the OB/GYN residency program at University of Toronto. He then completed a two-year fellowship in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery at McMaster University. His training focused on advanced pelvic surgery. He also completed a master’s in public health from Harvard University. He has a keen interest in outcomes research and quality improvement. Dr. Murji has an award-winning research program with over 120 peer-review papers and >$1.5 million in grant funding. He has been recognized nationally and internationally for his academic contributions to women’s health. Dr. Murji established an AAGL-accredited fellowship training program in advanced pelvic surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital which focuses on endometriosis, reproductive surgery and robotics. Dr. Murji is the Head of the Division of Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at University of Toronto where he leads the academic portfolio of 60 minimally invasive surgeons across 9 hospital sites.

February 7: Updates in Hepatitis C and Metabolic Dysfunction Associated Steatotic Liver Disease

By: Dr. Supriya Joshi (Hepatologist and Gastroenterologist @ Credit Valley Hospital)

Dr. Supriya Joshi completed her medical degree at the University of Western Ontario and her residency in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology and her fellowship in Hepatology at the University of Toronto. She was a Clinical Hepatologist at Toronto Western Hospital and has been a Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist at Credit Valley Hospital, Trillium Health Partners, since 2004. Dr. Joshi is also a Lecturer at the Tremerty Faculty of Medicine at The University of Toronto. Her clinical interests include autoimmune liver disease, viral hepatitis, and metabolic fatty liver disease. She is the Chair for the Medical Advisory Committee for the patient advocacy group, Fatty Liver Alliance, and an active member of HepCure and Canadian Clinicians for Therapeutic Nutrition. Dr. Joshi has been involved in raising awareness about the negative impact of sugar and poor diet on metabolic health, with appearances on CBC Marketplace and other platforms. Beyond medicine, she is a mother to three children and enjoys travel, exercise, and honing her cooking skills.

March 6: Assessment and Management of Common Back, Knee and Shoulder Presentations

By: Dr. Fahim Merali (Sports Medicine Specialist @ Mount Sinai Hospital, St. Joseph’s Health Care London, and Active Medicine Toronto)

Dr. Fahim Merali is a sports and exercise medicine specialist who completed his family medicine residency and sports medicine fellowship training at the University of Toronto. He specializes in assessment and non-operative treatment of acute (e.g., sprains, fractures) and chronic (e.g., osteoarthritis, overuse injuries) musculoskeletal conditions. Dr. Merali also works with a wide range of both elite and amateur athletes and has worked with the Canadian Junior National Men’s Basketball Team, the NHL, and the Raptors 905. His special interests include promoting exercise for the prevention and treatment of chronic disease.

April 10: Basal Cell Carcinoma and Mohs Micrographic Surgery

By: Dr. Erin Dahlke (Dermatologist @ St. Joseph’s Health Centre and Hotel Dieu Hospital)

Dr. Erin Dahlke is a Royal College certified Dermatologist (FRCPC) subspecializing in Mohs Micrographic Surgery (FACMS). She the physician lead for two of the four academic hospital-based Mohs micrographic surgery units in Ontario - St. Joseph’s Health Centre, Unity Health Network, Toronto, and Hotel Dieu Hospital, Kingston. Dr. Dahlke is an adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto and Queens University, and holds cross appointments in the Division of Dermatology at Women’s College Hospital, University Health Network as well as in Laboratory Medicine at St. Michael’s Hospital. Dr. Dahlke’s research interests include the treatment of skin cancer, medical education, quality improvement related to patient experience, and equity and diversity in dermatology. Her clinical focus is in providing excellent aesthetic outcomes in post-tumour extirpation facial reconstruction in Mohs micrographic surgery.

May 8: A Practical Guide to Managing Women's Mental Health Across Vulnerable Life Stages

Objectives:(a) to understand the bio-psycho-social nature of mood and anxiety disorders throughout various reproductive life stages (PMDD, trying to conceive, pregnancy, postpartum, and perimenopause); (b) to review management and treatment options for women with depression and anxiety symptoms, especially during specific periods of hormonal changes; (c) to evaluate the safety of medication across reproductive life stages, including in pregnancy and while breastfeeding

By: Dr. Bev Young (Psychiatrist @ BRIA)

Dr. Bev Young is the co-founder of BRIA, a one-stop shop for women’s mental healthcare. She is a psychiatrist with over 22 years of experience, specializing in women’s mental health issues across the reproductive life cycle, from preconception to perimenopause. Before co-founding BRIA, Dr. Young developed and led two of the largest perinatal psychiatry programs in Ontario— the Reproductive Life Stages Program at Women’s College Hospital and the Perinatal Mental Health Program at Mount Sinai Hospital. She has been a pioneer in telemedicine services and has been using virtual care to treat patients across Ontario since 2014. As a leader in her field, she is relentlessly dedicated to improving access to high quality reproductive psychiatric care. With her new virtual clinic, BRIA, she hopes to provide access to mental health services to women across Canada.

June 5: Assessment of Dizziness/Syncope, Chest Pain in an Outpatient Setting, and Atrial Fibrillation

By: Dr. Kamran Ahmad (Cardiologist @ St. Michael’s Hospital)

Dr. Kamran Ahmad obtained his medical degree from the University of Toronto. He completed his residency training in Internal Medicine at McMaster University in Hamilton and his cardiology residency at Queen’s University in Kingston. His training in cardiac electrophysiology was at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto and Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria, BC. His clinical focus is care of patients with heart rhythm disorders as well as general cardiology. He participates in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education. He has an MSc in patient safety and quality improvement and currently is the co-chair of the Heart, Vascular, and Lung program's quality and safety committee at St. Michael's Hospital.

July 10: Obesity, Osteoporosis, Thyroid Disorders, Adrenal Disorders, Pituitary Disorders, and Hypercalcemia

By: Dr. Jeannette Goguen (Endocrinologist @ St. Michael’s Hospital)

Dr. Jeannette Goguen is a Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto, and a staff endocrinologist at St Michael’s Hospital. Since July 2016, she has been the Internal Medicine Residency Program Director, and will be completing this role December 2023. Prior to that, she was the Endocrinology Program Director for eight years, and also the Department of Medicine Director of Postgraduate Subspecialty Programs. In 2014, she received the Certificate of Merit Award from the Canadian Association of Medical Education, and she has received the University of Toronto, Division of Endocrinology teaching awards for both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching. Her medical education interests have included teaching and research on the topic of Relations with Industry and the implementation of equity, diversity and inclusion into the residency R1 match.

August 14: "The Eye and the Joint Connection"

This presentation will focus on the most common inflammatory eye disease encountered in rheumatology (uveitis) and it’s association with inflammatory arthritis, with an emphasis on the SpA group of arthritis, and an easy approach to know when to send your patients to a rheumatologist or ophthalmologist for consultation

By: Dr. Vanessa Ocampo (Rheumatologist @ Scarborough Health Network and Kensington Eye Institute)

Dr. Vanessa Ocampo is an international medical graduate from Colombia University, where she completed her medical school. She completed her internal medicine residency at McMaster University, rheumatology residency at the University of Toronto, and psoriatic arthritic fellowship at the University of Toronto. Dr. Ocampo has a special interest in uveitis, and spondyloarthritis and uveitis are her main focus of research. She currently works as a rheumatologist for the Scarborough Health Network and runs a uveitis rheumatology clinic with an ophthalmologist at the Kensington Eye Institute.

September 18: "The Kids Are Alright": Approaches to Common Primary Care Pediatric Problems

By: Dr. Desmond She (Pediatrician @ Bloor Kids and Village Park Pediatrics)

Dr. Desmond She is a general pediatrician who completed his medical school and pediatrics residency through the University of Toronto, with subspecialty fellowship training in child maltreatment pediatrics. He presently enjoys practicing in both primary care and consulting pediatrics in two separate offices in the Toronto area, and has enjoyed community-hospital based community care including newborn deliveries, emergency department consultation, and in-patient management. He has special interests in constipation management and medical technology. An avid jazz fan, he dabbles as an amateur trombonist and guitarist

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