Midwifery Messenger | UBC Faculty of Medicine: Family Practice | Q1 - 2025 | Reflecting on Community and Collective Action Dear midwifery community, We took in the new year with many changes and strides. A quarter of a century into this new century. Many celebrations for Lunar New Year took place, an important holiday which represents new beginnings and the renewal of good health, happiness, and prosperity Last month, we were reminded of the power of community—how essential it is to show up for one another, especially in uncertain times. February's events, including the 34th Annual Women's Memorial March and Black History Month , highlighted the strength of collective resistance and the ongoing work toward justice and equity. At UBC Midwifery, we engaged in conversations and initiatives that centered care, justice, and liberation. Black History Month events , such as the VIFF Centre's programming, the Black History Walking Tour, and UBC's campus-wide initiatives, provided meaningful opportunities for learning and connection. In March, we also recognized International Women's Day (IWD) . The Faculty of Medicine's IWD marquee featured Simrat Dial, a 4th-year midwifery student and midwifery adjunct professor Tanya Momtazian. As Ramadan continues, Ramadan Mubarak to those observing and acknowledging the importance of fostering inclusive and supportive spaces. For those curious, REDI provided a short article on how to support learners and colleagues during Ramadan . Thank you for being part of our community—we look forward to continuing these conversations together. Warm regards, Midwifery Communications | New Roles Midwifery Program Simone Longpre: Clinical Placement Support Sophia Verona: Clinical Skills and Simulation Technician (Victoria) Health Authority Community Liaisons: - Alison Spry – Island Health
- Tay Ferrier & Tanya Momtazian – Interior Health
- Meghan Radebe – Fraser Health
- Anne-Marie Cayer – Northern Health
- Stephanie Dow – PHSA
- Elizabeth Bodner – Vancouver Coastal
These positions are for the further support of our preceptors. As these roles are new, we'll work together to establish the most effective lines of communication. MEET THE NEW LIAISONS For any matters related to Clinical Placements, please contact Simone at midw.placementcoordinator@ubc.ca. * This email is now the primary clinical placement email. | We've redesigned the UBC Midwifery website to make essential resources more accessible and streamline navigation for a smoother user experience. - New Clinical Faculty section
- Updated Policies and Procedures
- Updated Prospective and Current Student Resources
- ...and more!
We're continuously enhancing the website as we expand our resources. In the meantime, we invite you to explore the updates and share your feedback. Have suggestions? Contact us at midwifery.communications@ubc.ca. | Pan-Canadian Women's Health Coalition | The Justice and Equity in Perinatal Services (JEPS) Hub, led by Dr. Saraswathi Vedam from the Birth Place Lab, will be present at the Pan-Canadian Women's Health Coalition Meeting in May 2025. This coalition, composed of 10 hubs, aims to address persistent gaps and under-researched areas in women’s health. Alongside CanWaCH, which has as its new role the Coordinating Centre for the Pan-Canadian Women’s Health Coalition, the 10 hubs will have a chance to meet in person with opportunities to collaborate, discuss the future of women's health research and its current landscape, as well as having a space to strategize the best ways to move forward. | Birth Place Lab: JEPS Hub Seminars March: The upcoming panel, Health Colonialism: Institutional Childbirths in Haiti, with Dr. Tania Pierre Charles, is on March 25th at 12 PM PST/3 PM EST. Please note: This seminar is primarily in French, with live English translation available. REGISTER HERE (ZOOM) | April: Dr. Hazel Keedle's seminar titled "The Impact of Identifying Obstetric Violence in Australia" on April 29th, 2025 at 12:00 pm PST May: Nisha Malholtra, May 26th at 12:00 pm PST June: Dr. Christina Alonso's seminar titled "Implementing the Maternal Health Law in Massachusetts" on June 24th, 2025 at 12:00 pm PST Please use the link below to subscribe to the mailing list for the JEPS Hub seminars. SIGN UP FORM PREVIOUS SEMINARS | MMRC Speaker Series: Allison Campbell | The McMaster Midwifery Research Center (MMRC) Speaker Series recently featured Allison Campbell, RM, MA , in a powerful discussion on “Parenting Behind Bars: Maternal-Child (Connection and) Separation in BC's Correctional Facilities Designated for Women.” Allison explored the history and current use of Mother-Child Programs in BC prisons, analyzing their impact through the lens of reproductive justice and prison abolition. WATCH THE RECORDING | | Graduation! Official dates: mark your calendars. More details will be released on the website and social. Graduation Ceremony Wednesday, May 21st, 2025, at 11:00 am. Dinner time and location will be announced. | | CEIH Indigenous Student Awards The Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Health offers five awards for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis students enrolled in health programs at UBC Vancouver. Awards range from $750 to $10,000 and are applied to tuition first, with refunds issued if tuition is fully paid. The award application deadline is April 14th, 2025, at 11:59 pm Pacific Time. Please note that only successful applicants will be notified. If you have any questions or concerns, please email: ceih.awards@ubc.ca Visit their website for more details. Deadlines - May 14th: Tuition deadline for Year 3 students (MIDW 350)
- May (date TBA): Summer UPass exemption deadline
- June 2nd: Deadline to apply for the UBC Bursary Program for Summer Bursary
- June 23rd - 26th: Year 1 course registration for 25W session
| Feasibility of a Community-Developed Survey Measuring Experiences of Pregnancy Care for LGBTQ2S+ Families Despite growing support for LGBTQ2S+ family building, quantifiable data on pregnancy care experiences remains limited. This study explores the feasibility of a community-developed survey to measure respectful pregnancy care in LGBTQ2S+ communities. Molly R Altman, Teresa van Winkle, Brittany Ferrell, A J Lowik, Kodiak R S Soled, Lesley A Tarasoff, Jeanette McCulloch, Kathrin Stoll, Juno Obedin-Maliver, Saraswathi Vedam; Birth Includes Us Community Steering Council DOI: 10.1111/birt.12911 | Vulvaginal Virtual Health Update 2025 April 10-11 (Thurs - Fri) | Virtual Conference
Audience: family physicians, obstetricians, gynecologists, dermatologists, nurse practitioners, midwives, residents and students.
Overview: Vulvovaginal disorders are one of the leading reasons women seek help from their family physicians. This two-day virtual conference is designed for women's health professionals covering topics such as vaginitis, vulvodynia, lesions, biopsies and more. The focus will be on practical diagnosis and management techniques you can apply immediately in your practice.
LEARN MORE & REGISTER Medical Disorders and Pregnancy 2025 April 12 (Sat) | 8 a.m.–3:15 p.m. PT | UBC Robson Square or Virtual | Hybrid conference
Audience: family physicians, obstetricians, midwives, perinatologists, internists, subspecialists, nurse practitioners, maternity nurses, residents and students.
Overview: Join us for an expert review of medical conditions seen in pregnancy, including thrombocytopenia, abnormal ECGs, bile acid management, birth trauma screening, proteinuria and more. Our new hybrid format will reconnect you with fellow health professionals from the Lower Mainland and beyond. For those unable to attend in person, we'll continue the online broadcast so everyone can participate.
LEARN MORE & REGISTER VIEW AND REGISTER FOR MIDWIFERY LEARNING | | | | |
