Main Lecture Series – At a Glance
Optional Learning Sessions – At a Glance
Monday, Nov. 17 | Tuesday, Nov. 18 | Wednesday, Nov 19 |
An Introduction to Practical Dermoscopy Workshop In-Person 08:00 – 17:00 | ||
Lunch Session: A Toolbox for Challenging Patient Encounters In-Person 12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch Session: Narrative Medicine In-Person 12:15 – 13:15 |
Main Lecture Series
Day 1 – Tuesday, November 18 | Location | ||||
07:00 | Exhibitor Hall Open | West Ballroom CD | |||
07:15 | Registration Opens | West Ballroom Foyer | |||
07:15 | Grab & Go Breakfast (available until 08:45) | West Ballroom CD | |||
07:30 | Seating for Main Lecture Series | West Ballroom AB | |||
08:00 | Virtual Login Open | ||||
08:15 | Indigenous Welcome & Land Acknowledgement | West Ballroom AB | |||
08:30 | Opening Remarks • Dr. Daniel Ngui, Conference Organizing Committee Co-Chair • Dr. Tinus Wasserfall, Conference Organizing Committee Co-Chair • Dr. Jiwei Li, Department Head, Family Medicine, Providence Health Care | West Ballroom AB | |||
CARDIOLOGY Moderator: Dr. Christopher Ryan | GERIATRICS Moderator: Dr. Clara Iturra | ||||
08:45 | Inflammation and CV Disease – Risk Markers • Dr. Krishnan Ramanathan | 13:30 | Geriatric Skin Conditions • Dr. David Swanson | ||
09:05 | Hypertension – 2025 Update • Dr. Nadia Khan | 13:45 | Geriatric Lower Limb Ulcer • Dr. Gibong Lee | ||
09:25 | Pulmonary Hypertension - Who to Suspect, Risks and Diagnosis • Dr. Nathan Brunner | 14:00 | Osteoporosis Update and Management • Dr. Akshay Jain | ||
09:45 | Q & A | 14:15 | Q & A | ||
09:55 | HFrEF – Who Are These Patients? • Dr. Graham Wong | 14:30 | How to Assess Frailty in the Office • Dr. Karanvir Sall | ||
10:10 | Cardio-Metabolic Problems with OSA and Insomnia • Dr. Victor Huckell | 14:45 | Management of Behavioural Issues in Dementia – Agitation and Aggression • Dr. Mafalda Musacchio | ||
10:25 | Testosterone and the Heart – Who is at Risk? • Dr. Justin Bhullar | 15:00 | Understanding Capacity • Dr. Peter Chan | ||
10:35 | Q & A | 15:15 | Q & A | ||
10:45 | Nutrition Break | 15:30 | Nutrition Break | ||
11:05 | Unexpected AF – What Do I Do Now? • Dr. Jason Andrade | 15:50 | The Aging Kidney • Dr. Wayne Hung | ||
11:20 | Newborn Cardiac Issues - When to Worry • Dr. Keyvan Hadad | 16:05 | Sarcopenia Prevention and Management – What’s New Dr. Wendy Cook | ||
11:35 | Leadless Cardiac Pacing • Dr. Matthew Bennett | 16:20 | Sex and the Senior City • Dr. Nazanine Rahnema | ||
11:50 | Aneurysms of Abdomen and Thorax – Risks, Diagnosis and Follow Up • Dr. Jonathan Misskey | 16:35 | Social Prescribing in the Geriatric Patient • Dr. Janet Kow | ||
12:05 | Q & A | 16:50 | Q & A | ||
12:15 | Lunch Break – Delegates on their own for lunch, Bistro open | 17:00 | Adjourn | ||
17:00 | Networking Mixer West Ballroom Foyer | ||||
Day 2 – Wednesday, November 19 | Location | ||||
06:30 | Morning Seawall Jog | Meet in the Fairmont Waterfront Lobby | |||
07:00 | Exhibitor Hall Open | West Ballroom CD | |||
07:15 | Registration Opens | West Ballroom Foyer | |||
07:15 | Grab & Go Breakfast (available until 08:45) | West Ballroom CD | |||
07:30 | Doors Open for Lecture Hall | West Ballroom AB | |||
07:30 | Virtual Login Open | ||||
08:25 | Welcome | West Ballroom AB | |||
INTERNAL MEDICINE Moderators: Dr. Kimberly Rutherford / Dr. Colin Siu | SURGERY Moderator: Dr. Howard Chang | ||||
08:30 | A Case-Based Diabetes Update • Dr. Breay Paty | 13:30 | Dr. Betty Calam 2025 Resident Research Award Winner: Advance Care Planning in Structurally Vulnerable Populations – A Scoping Review of Barriers, Facilitators, and Interventions • Dr. Andrew Jeong | ||
08:50 | Raynaud’s Syndrome – Ruling Out Secondary Causes and Treatment• Dr. Hyein Kim | 13:40 | Managing Thyroid Nodules – A Case-Based Discussion • Dr. Sam Wiseman | ||
09:05 | Cushing’s and Addison’s – A Quick Review • Dr. Clarissa Wallace | 14:00 | Rock Solid Management of Kidney Stones • Dr. Connor Forbes | ||
09:20 | Q & A | 14:15 | Q & A | ||
09:35 | Update – Prevention of Stroke in Primary Care • Dr. Johnathon Gorman | 14:30 | Step by Step – An Approach to Peripheral Artery Disease • Dr. Jonathan Misskey | ||
09:55 | The Health Impact of Plastics • Dr. Sharon Dodd | 14:45 | Hear Today, Gone Tomorrow – Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss • Dr. Arman Abdalkhani | ||
10:10 | Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) – Review for Primary Care • Dr. Leigh Minuk | 15:00 | The Pressure to Prevent Pressure Wounds • Dr. Brian Kunimoto | ||
10:25 | Q & A | 15:15 | Q & A | ||
10:40 | Nutrition Break | 15:30 | Nutrition Break | ||
11:00 | Dysphagia and Eosinophilic Esophagitis • Dr. Sarvee Moosavi | 15:50 | Post-Operative Lymphedema Management • Dr. Kathryn Isaac | ||
11:15 | Management IPM’s of the Pancreas • Dr. Eric Lam | 16:10 | Managing Native Joint Septic Arthritis – From Culture to Cure • Dr. William Connors | ||
11:30 | Innovations in Metabolic Dysfunction – MASLD • Dr. Daljeet Chahal | Diverticulitis – The Evolving Role of Antibiotics • Dr. Tracy Scott | |||
11:45 | Q & A | 16:50 | Q & A | ||
12:00 | Lunch Break – Delegates on their own for lunch, Bistro open | 17:00 | Adjourn | ||
17:30 | Fitness Class – The Fairmont Waterfront, Malaspina Room | ||||
Day 3 – Thursday, November 20 | Location | ||||
06:30 | Morning Seawall Jog | Meet in the Fairmont Waterfront Lobby | |||
07:00 | Exhibitor Hall Open | West Ballroom CD | |||
07:15 | Grab & Go Breakfast (available until 08:45) | West Ballroom CD | |||
07:30 | Registration Opens | West Ballroom Foyer | |||
07:30 | Doors Open for Lecture Hall | West Ballroom AB | |||
08:15 | Virtual Login Open | ||||
08:25 | Welcome | West Ballroom AB | |||
THERAPEUTICS & INVESTIGATIONS Moderators: Dr. Nirvair Levitt / Dr. Johnny Chang | PSYCHIATRY & BEHAVIOURAL MEDICINE Moderators: Dr. Rhonda Low / Dr. Laura Knebel | ||||
08:30 | Updates in Respiratory Infection Vaccines • Dr. Meena Dewar | 13:45 | Doc, I’m Microdosing Mushrooms – Addressing the Popularization of Low-Dose Psychedelics for Managing Mental Health Conditions • Dr. Birgitta Woods | ||
08:40 | New Treatments in H Pylori • Dr. James Gray | 14:00 | Vaping In 2025 – The Risks, Benefits and Unknowns • Dr. Milan Khara | ||
08:50 | Choosing Wisely for the Planet – How to Reduce Waste in Your Office • Dr. Rashmi Chadha | 14:15 | Approach to Stimulant Use Disorder in Primary Care • Dr. Julius Elefante | ||
09:05 | Q & A | 14:30 | Q & A | ||
09:20 | Hold Your Pee – Treatment for Overactive Bladder • Dr. Joel Teichman | 14:40 | Are the New Antidepressants Better? Why Are Some SSRIs No Longer Preferred? • Dr. Nicholas Ainsworth | ||
09:30 | A Brave New World - AI Scribing in the Office • Dr. Daniel Ngui | 14:55 | ARFID – What it is and What the Family Doctor Needs to Know • Dr. Seena Grewal | ||
09:45 | Hocus Pocus – Office-Based Ultrasound • Dr. Oron Frenkel | 15:10 | Outsmarting Tik Tok – Adult ADHD • Dr. Debra Hamer | ||
10:00 | Q & A | 15:30 | Q & A | ||
10:20 | Nutrition Break | 15:45 | Nutrition Break | ||
11:00 | When to Order the Prostate MRI – Case Based Study • Dr. Peter Black | 16:05 | Narcissistic Personality Disorder – Moving Beyond Social Media to Identify it and Manage Patients with NPD • Dr. Erin Burrell | ||
11:15 | Living Kidney Donation - Risks, Evaluation, and Follow-Up • Dr. Justin Gill | 16:25 | Screens and Youth – Understanding the Impact and Strategies to Help • Ms. Sharon Selby | ||
11:00 | Q & A | 16:45 | Q & A | ||
11:15 | SPEP / UPEP – When to Order and How to Interpret • Dr. Stephen Parkin | 17:00 | Adjourn | ||
11:25 | The Mysteries of Rheumatological Lab Tests • Dr. Kam Shojania | 17:30 | Fitness Class - The Fairmont Waterfront, Malaspina Room | ||
11:35 | Everyone Bruises – An Investigation into Bruising • Dr. Erica Peterson | ||||
11:45 | Q & A | ||||
12:00 | Lunch Break – Traditional “Luncheon” for pre-registered attendees featuring Timothy Caulfield, Professor of Health Law and Science Policy & Bestselling Author. • VCC West, Exhibit Hall A | ||||
Day 4 – Friday, November 21 | Location | ||||
06:30 | Morning Seawall Jog | Meet in the Fairmont Waterfront Lobby | |||
07:00 | Exhibitor Hall Open | West Ballroom CD | |||
07:15 | Grab & Go Breakfast (available until 08:45) | West Ballroom CD | |||
07:30 | Registration Opens | West Ballroom Foyer | |||
07:30 | Doors Open for Lecture Hall | West Ballroom AB | |||
08:15 | Virtual Login Open | ||||
08:25 | Welcome | West Ballroom AB | |||
ONCOLOGY & PALLIATIVE CARE Moderators: Dr. Lori McFarlane / Dr. Fiona Petigara | GYNAECOLOGY & PAEDIATRICS Moderator: Dr. Niloofer Baria | ||||
08:30 | Common Oncology Emergencies – What Not to Miss in Primary Care Office • Dr. Sian Shuel | 13:30 | What Makes a Woman’s Heart “Flutter” • Dr. Andrea Lee | ||
08:45 | Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy Basics • Dr. Nureen Sumar | 13:45 | Gender Creative Youth • Dr. Tania Culham | ||
09:05 | How to Identify Anal Cancer in the Office Setting • Dr. Tinus Wasserfall | 14:00 | Female Urinary Incontinence – What’s New • Dr. Kate Anderson | ||
09:15 | Q & A | 14:15 | Q & A | ||
09:35 | Gender-Affirming Cancer Screening for Transgender, Two-Spirit and Non-Binary People • Dr. Ingrid Cosio | 14:30 | A Handmaid’s Tale – How to Preserve Fertility • Dr. Jason Hitkari | ||
09:50 | MAiD Updates • Dr. Chris Hillman | 14:45 | MHT – What’s New, What to Use and When • Dr. Kerstin Gustafson | ||
15:00 | Respiratory Illness in Kids in 2025 • Dr. Claire Seaton | ||||
10:10 | Q & A | 15:20 | Q & A | ||
10:30 | Nutrition Break | 15:35 | Nutrition Break | ||
10:50 | Management of Constipation in Chronic and Palliative Care • Dr. Jessica Otte | 15:55 | Atopic Dermatitis and Climate Change • Dr. James Bergman | ||
11:10 | Serum Tumor Markers for Cancer Screening • Dr. Tamara Shenkier | 16:10 | Is it a Speech Delay or Autism? • Dr. Keyvan Hadad | ||
11:25 | Advanced Care Planning – Goals of Care • Dr. Vincent Fruci | 16:25 | Emotional Regulation in Kids in 15 Minutes • Dr. Keyvan Hadad | ||
11:45 | Q & A | 16:40 | Q & A | ||
12:00 | Lunch Break – Delegates are on their own for lunch | 17:00 | Closing Remarks and Adjournment | ||
Optional Learning Sessions
Monday In-Person Workshop
An Introduction to Practical Dermoscopy
Dr. David Swanson
Professor of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona
Executive Board Member International Dermoscopy Society
LEARNING NEEDS: With increasing rates of malignant melanoma worldwide and increased awareness by the public to monitor new and changing moles, Dermoscopy is proven to be a very useful adjunct to in-office screening of melanocytic and non-melanocytic lesions. Participants will develop/enhance their practical assessment skills of patients with atypical skin lesions. You will learn how to apply pattern analysis and simple algorithms for the identification of skin lesions, and to assess the need to biopsy based on dermoscopic findings. You will learn to identify and understand the differing histological characteristics for specialized skin areas of the body and also learn the new UV light application to dermoscopy
SKILL SET: Aimed at all levels: for novices, it’ll get you up and offer a good review to solidify learning for intermediates and new concepts for those who are advanced (it’s a fast-moving field). There will be plenty of time for questions.
DATE: Monday, November 17th, 2025
TIME: 08:00 – 17:00
LOCATION: Vancouver Convention Centre West, West Meeting Rooms 109/110
COST: $450
CREDIT: 8 Mainpro+® Credits
*Maximum 175 registrants
Optional Small Group Lunch Learning Workshops
A Toolbox for Challenging Patient Encounters
*available to In-Person MLS registrants only
Dr. Debra Hamer
Assistant Professor and Shared-Care Psychiatrist at Queen’s University
Too often in primary care practice, good intentions to provide quality care are thwarted by challenging patient behaviours that put a strain on both physicians and their office staff. What transpires is growing frustrations that impact physician burnout and can lead to compromised care. In this 60-minute workshop, Dr. Hamer will use tools from attachment theory, trauma-informed care, and dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT) to help participants better understand what drives these behaviours. Through this workshop, participants will acquire added insights and a greater ability to navigate these challenging patient encounters.
DATE: Tuesday, November 18th, 2025
TIME: 12:30 – 13:30
LOCATION: Vancouver Convention Centre West, West Meeting Rooms 107/108
COST: $40 (Lunch is included)
CREDIT: 1 Mainpro+® Credit
*Maximum 50 registrants
-
Add workshop when registering for the MLS
Narrative Medicine
*available to In-Person MLS registrants only
Dr. Debra Hamer
Assistant Professor and Shared-Care Psychiatrist at Queen’s University
In this workshop, Dr. Hamer will explore how narrative medicine can be used in health care to build narrative competence and reflective practice. Narrative medicine is now used in many leading medical schools and hospitals across North America as a powerful way for physicians to build agency and compassion. In this 60-minute workshop, participants will have an opportunity to be creative, write and explore in a supportive environment. There will be opportunities to learn and practice narrative skills, such as analysis of visual texts and poetry, as well as writing with prompts. Participants will gain valuable new insights and tools for their personal growth and professional practice.
DATE: Wednesday, November 19th, 2025
TIME: 12:15 – 13:15
LOCATION: Vancouver Convention Centre West, West Meeting Rooms 107/108
COST: $40 (Lunch is included)
CREDIT: 1 Mainpro+® Credit
*Maximum 50 registrants
-
Add workshop when registering for the MLS