Retreat

The Department of Pathology’s Annual Strategic Retreat got underway on June 14 this year, held at the Dalhousie Student Union Building.

After Drs. Irene Sadek, David Anderson (Dean, Faculty of Medicine) and Christy Bussey (Central Zone Medical Executive Director, Nova Scotia Health) opened the retreat, Drs. Paola Marcato, Todd Hatchette, and Randy Veiotte gave updates on the progress of last year’s strategic plans.

The morning was dominated by the Human Resources Symposium. Dr Annette Elliott Rose, NSH Chief Nurse Executive & VP, Clinical Performance & Professional Practice, gave in her keynote speech a broad overview of the Nova Scotia health system’s strategic challenges and opportunities.

Following the keynote, a panel discussion, Key and Diverse Perspectives on Lab HR, began. Geoff Kirkland (NSH Integrated Workforce Planning), Emily Bodechon (Lab Administrative Director, Horizon Health, NB), Janice Jones (Registrar, NS College of Medical Laboratory Technologists), Margaret Champion (Dean, School of Health & Human Services, NSCC) gave their viewpoints, and answered questions from the retreat attendees both in the room and via videoconference with Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick.

Following lunch two presentations were made, first by Dr. Sean Christie (NSH Division of Neurosurgery) on One Health/Planetary Health, and Dr. Frank Rudzicz (Assc. Professor, Dalhousie Faculty of Computer Science) on Health and Artificial Intelligence. Two separate workshops on the topics, held concurrently, followed.

After the annual awards ceremony, the retreat adjourned; having been completed for another year, the Department of Pathology Annual Strategic Retreat will reconvene in June 2025 with more keynotes, panels, and workshops.