March 2025, Vol. 3 Ed. 1

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President’s Message

I want to thank all of you for your continued support. I’m excited to welcome our newest member Sally Lawrence to the role of secretary. I am grateful to continue working with Li Wang, who has become our Vice President and Serena, who continues as our treasurer. James has moved into the role of past president, and I would like to take the opportunity to thank him for his years of service as the MSA president and for all of the guidance and mentorship that he has provided to me over the last few years.

We have started the new year off with a strategic planning session that will help us to set our vision and goals for how we will serve the MSA over the next two years. We will be happy to share the highlights of this session at our upcoming MSA meeting on March 31st, 2025.

We will be announcing a new round of competitions with regards to project funding and welcome everyone to submit projects that are aligned with MSA and PHSA initiatives.

We are meeting with some of our members to discuss setting up a Diversity Equity and Inclusion subcommittee.

As always, we welcome any feedback that our members have to offer.

Celebrating New Leadership: Announcing the 2025 MSA/MASES Executive Board

Call for Engagement Projects!

We are now accepting applications for the 2025-2026 fiscal year for Facility Engagement Projects. Projects must align with the Doctors of BC Facility Engagement Initiative Funding Guidelines and the Strategic Vision of MASES. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis, with the first round deadline of April 15th, 2025.

The maximum allotted amount per project will be $10,000, with an option to increase funding based on project progress and committee approval. The scope of work end date is March 31st, 2026. Larger projects that have already begun and will continue past this end date can be considered; however, we ask that your application outline only the work and budget that will take place within this timeframe.

Important Dates:

• First Round Application Deadline: April 15th, 2025
• Project Review Period: April 16th – 30th, 2025
• Notification of Decisions: Beginning of May 2025
• Project End Date: March 31st, 2026

All projects will be reviewed at the end of April, and applicants will be advised of the decision at the beginning of May.

FEMS Claims Deadline

1. Deadline For Current Projects: Spending Reminder – Please Submit Your Claims 

As we approach the end of the fiscal year, we would like to remind project leads that all claims for projects that are part of this fiscal year (ending March 2025) must be submitted through the FEMS platform by March 24th, 2025. This will help ensure that your project expenses are processed before the fiscal year ends.

Important Reminder: To stay in compliance with the Doctors of BC funding guidelines, it’s essential that all claims are submitted within 90 days of the activity taking place.

If you need any assistance with the claims process or have questions about your project, please don’t hesitate to contact us at projects@msacw.ca.

2. Deadline After-Hours Meal Reimbursement Program – Please Submit Your Claims

This is a friendly reminder to submit your claims for the After-Hours Meal Reimbursement Program before the March 24th, 2025 deadline.

The CWMSA is still offering the After-Hours Meal Reimbursement Program. We recognize that the limited meal options on-site can make it challenging to find convenient and nutritious foods, especially during extended shifts when you may not have time to bring lunch from home or step off-site to grab a meal.

To help ease this burden, we are pleased to provide this initiative as we acknowledge the hard work and dedication of MSA members who work extended hours on-site at BC Children’s & Women’s Hospitals.

Eligibility Requirements

To participate in the After-Hours Meal Reimbursement Program, members must meet the following criteria:

• Be working at a C&W site at the time of meal purchase and delivery.
• Be working after hours (5 p.m. onwards) or on weekends.

Eligible members can submit claims for up to $25 per meal, with a limit of two meals per month. 

For more information on how to access this program or if you need assistance with making your claims submissions, please email us at engagement@msacw.ca.

Honoring Dr. Jana Davidson’s Contributions and
Introducing Dr. Eric Webber as Interim CMO

After years of outstanding service, Dr. Jana Davidson has retired from her role as the Investigator and Chief Medical Officer at PHSA, which includes BC Children’s Hospital, Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children, and BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre. Over the course of her career, Dr. Davidson has made a profound impact on the healthcare community, leading with passion, expertise, and a true commitment to both the patients and teams she worked with.

Dr. Davidson’s leadership at PHSA has shaped the way care is delivered, all while championing vital initiatives and creating a positive, supportive environment for everyone involved in patient care. Her dedication to improving health outcomes and advancing healthcare in our community has truly left a lasting legacy.

As Dr. Davidson moves into retirement to spend more time with her family, we want to express our heartfelt thanks for all she’s done. Her leadership, kindness, and guidance will be missed by so many of us.

At the same time, we are pleased to welcome Dr. Eric Webber as the Interim Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Webber brings a wealth of experience and a shared commitment to excellence in patient care. We are confident he will continue to build on Dr. Davidson’s incredible work, ensuring that PHSA remains a leader in healthcare innovation and delivery.

Frontline Faculty Focus

Welcome to “Frontline Faculty Focus”, our new section in the MSACW Monitor where we’ll briefly profile members of the MSA, including a few words about themselves.

If you’d like to get your mug into the newsletter, please send us an email at engagement@msacw.ca.

Dr. Jonathan Bush

Pediatric and Perinatal Pathologist
Division of Anatomic Pathology
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Program Director for UBC Diagnostic and Molecular Pathology (Formerly Anatomical Pathology) Resident Training Program

How long have you been at C&W?
I joined BCCW in July 2015 after completing my fellowship at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago. Prior to that, I completed an Anatomical Pathology residency in Manitoba after enjoying a research project looking at gene expression in retinoblastoma as a research project in medical school.

Tell us about a satisfying moment at work you’ve had recently.
Although my research interest is in pediatric cancer, the majority of my clinical duties are in the perinatal pathology realm such as placental pathology. I worked to create a standardized reporting tool for placental pathology locally, which is now being modified to be expanded province-wide.

What’s a work frustration you wish you could solve with a snap of a finger?
Parking. For four of the five days in the week, I am here well before most other hospital staff. However, one day a week, I may come in at around 10, and it is worse than finding parking at a Taylor Swift concert! I would love for the hospital to recognize that there are some of us who work five days a week, and parking should be assigned!

What’s a secret skill you have that most people don’t know?
I can wiggle my ears quite well. Otherwise, my secret skill is saying yes to too many things at work!

Any hobbies you’d care to share?
Work, research, and residency training take up most of my time. I often spend my free time driving to my kids’ sports and activities, or for better or for worse, pretending I know how to coach youth soccer!

Favourite trip in the past couple of years?
I love Hawaii. Recently, we took a trip where we got to spend some time on the Big Island, and my daughter got bit (not literally!) by the surfing bug. Both kids thought it was amazing to walk across the Volcano National Park.

MSA Membership Means Paying Your Dues

Dues for 2025 are now due!

MSACW Holiday Event: A Night of Celebration

A Big Thank You to the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation and the MSACW Wellness Committee

MSACW Holiday Event: Feedback Survey

Join a Committee – Make a Difference in the MSA Community!

We are excited to invite you to get involved in one of our ongoing committees! These committees are key in shaping the future of the MSA, and we are looking for passionate members like you to join and contribute. Each committee offers a unique opportunity to engage with your peers, promote valuable initiatives, and develop leadership skills. Whether you’re passionate about research, wellness, diversity, or sustainability, we have a committee that aligns with your interests!

Current committees you can join:

1. MASES Projects Committee
This committee reviews incoming engagement projects and helps colleagues achieve their goals. Join this group to make an impact on the direction of our engagement efforts and ensure that projects are aligned with MSA priorities.

2. Wellness and Community Committee
This committee is dedicated to helping MSA members engage with each other, promote wellness initiatives, and manage the MSA Lounge. If you’re passionate about fostering community connections and promoting well-being on campus, this is the place for you.

3. Planetary Health Committee
Join us in working toward sustainable solutions that minimize our environmental impact. Help implement changes in how we work and live, contributing to a healthier planet and promoting sustainability initiatives across campus.

4. Female Medical Staff In Leadership Committee
This committee aims to initiatives and projects that build leadership skills and address workplace culture issues faced by female physicians and medical staff. We hope to create an environment of self-learning, support, and shared experience for female physicians and medical staff on the C&W campus.

We’ve Been Loving… Easy No Knead Focaccia!

Preparation

Step 1
Whisk yeast, honey, and 2½ cups lukewarm water in a medium bowl and let sit for 5 minutes (it should foam or at least get creamy; if it doesn’t, your yeast is dead—start again with fresh yeast!).

Step 2
Add flour and salt. Mix with a rubber spatula until a shaggy dough forms and no dry streaks remain.

Step 3
Pour 4 Tbsp. olive oil into a big bowl (this dough is going to rise!). Transfer dough to the bowl, turn to coat in oil, and cover with a silicone lid or plastic wrap. Chill until doubled in size and bubbly, at least 8 hours and up to 1 day. If you’re in a rush, let it rise at room temp until doubled, 3–4 hours.

Step 4
Generously butter a 13×9” baking pan (for thicker focaccia, great for sandwiches) or an 18×13” rimmed baking sheet (for thinner, crispier focaccia). Pour 1 Tbsp. olive oil into the center of the pan. Using a fork in each hand, gather the edges of the dough farthest from you and lift up and over into the center. Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat. Do this two more times to deflate the dough while forming it into a rough ball. Transfer dough to the prepared pan, pour over any remaining oil, and turn to coat. Let rise, uncovered, in a warm spot until doubled, about 1½–4 hours.

Step 5
Preheat oven to 450°F. To check if the dough is ready, poke it! If it springs back slowly and leaves a small indentation, it’s good to go. Lightly oil your hands. Using a rimmed baking sheet, gently stretch out the dough to fill it. Dimple focaccia all over with your fingers (like you’re aggressively playing the piano), creating deep depressions. Drizzle with the remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Bake until puffed and golden brown, 20–30 minutes.

Step 6
Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Peel and grate in garlic using a microplane—2 cloves if you’re garlic-shy, up to 4 if you love it. Return to medium heat and cook, stirring often, until garlic is just lightly toasted, about 30–45 seconds. (Or, if you prefer raw garlic, grate it into the hot butter off the heat and brush right away.)

Step 7
Brush garlic butter all over focaccia and slice into squares or rectangles.

Do Ahead: Focaccia is best eaten the day it’s made but freezes well. Slice, store in a freezer-safe container, and reheat at 300°F in the oven.

Option: Top with sage leaves, thinly sliced lemon, or other toppings of choice. You can also completely swap the savoury flavours for sweet ones like cinnamon sugar or cardamom sugar.