Events

26th Annual update in adult medicine and dermatology and neurology updates

April 5 and 6, 2024

Join this session in-person to hear the latest news in teaching and research by featuring experts in a variety of topics in general medicine, dermatology and neurology.

ATLS: Rural offering of Advanced Trauma Life Support course

April 12 & 13, 2024

ATLS is an internationally recognized continuing education course designed to teach a standardized and concise approach to the care of trauma patients within the "golden hour" or "period" where the greatest likelihood of death occurs.

Second Annual Hematology Update

April 13, 2024

The Second Annual Hematology Update is an exciting and innovative conference that will be held online and in-person in Edmonton at the Robbins Learning Pavilion at the Royal Alexandra Hospital. All sessions will be recorded and available for viewing at your convenience.

Learn about the Medicus Pension Plan™ – webinar

May 2, 2024

Established by MD Financial Management Inc. and Scotiabank, Medicus is the first ever multi-employer pension plan for Canada’s incorporated physicians.

GI for GPs course

May 4, 2024

Gastroenterology for General Practitioners (GI for GPs) offers a robust, impactful single day of learning for Alberta’s family practitioners.

Preventing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: Where primary care meets guidelines

May 8, 2024

The intent of this virtual real-time CME is to delve into current dyslipidemia guidelines and explore complex, challenging cases experienced by primary care providers in the context of CVD risk reduction. Participants will engage in stimulating discussions about the intersect between guidelines and practice, how to address unusual cases, and apply a nuanced approach to management.

Resident Wellness Conference - 2024

May 14 - 16, 2024

The Resident Wellness Conference is a PFSP sponsored event, in collaboration with the University of Alberta and University of Calgary wellness offices and PARA, and held biennially for each of Alberta’s medical school residents. Registration coming soon!

Canadian Conference on Physician Leadership

May 24-25, 2024

Gain valuable system transformation and leadership insights from our keynote speakers and panel discussion. Discover opportunities for reform with the innovative plenary workshops. Expand your leadership toolkit with the concurrent workshop sessions and pre-conference courses. Seize this chance to increase your impact as a physician leader!

CMA Annual General Meeting

May 29, 2024

The Annual General Meeting is an opportunity for CMA members to hear from and ask questions of leadership, provide input, vote on proposed governance changes and address other corporate issues.

Alberta Sexual Assault Course and Conference

June 8, 2024

The Alberta Sexual Assault Course and Conference is designed to share core training and provide management updates for urban and rural healthcare professionals caring for patients that have experienced sexual violence.

2024 Physician Learning Program Summit

June 11, 2024

The PLP Summit celebrates the impact of 15 years of partnership and collaboration across the care continuum to implement improvement initiatives in complex adaptive health systems. The summit will explore how to leverage a supportive team-based culture using clinical information to drive improvement and be a positive influence as part of the bigger health system evolution.

Social Media 101

May 1 and June 12, 2024

Please note this session will not be recorded. In this beginner session, members will walk away feeling more comfortable and confident in navigating social media platforms and understanding how to create strategic and engaging content for advocacy efforts, amplifying positive messages, mitigating criticism and more.

The SOGC's Annual Clinical and Scientific Conference

June 11 to 14, 2024

The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada’s Annual Clinical and Scientific Conference is the premier continuing medical education event in Canada for obstetrics and gynecology, bringing together the largest gathering of health care professionals working in the field of women’s health.

Clinical Reasoning Course

March 20 and June 19, 2024

Clinical reasoning is a core competency for ensuring patient safety and the quality of patient care. It is a skill, process or outcome wherein physicians observe, collect, and interpret data to diagnose and treat patients.

Medical Record Keeping

June 14 and September 12, 2024

This program aims to address sufficient documentation, which is central to patient safety and continuity of quality care. Participants will learn how to appropriately document patient encounters following the Subjective Objective Assessment Plan (SOAP) format.

47th American Academy of Pediatrics Conference

June 20 - 23, 2024

This conference will provide recent advances in the delivery room management of neonates, along with talks on neonatal stroke and HIE, and up-to-date information on the long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes of premature infants.

The five-weekend Care of the Elderly certificate course

Various dates January - June 2024

The five-weekend Care of the Elderly certificate course is aimed at primary care practitioners who want to develop their own clinical skills or function as resource in their group practices.

Free radon education program for health care providers from McMaster University

On demand

November is Radon Action Month. In support of Health Canada’s public awareness campaign, McMaster University provides various free resources for health care professionals to increase their knowledge about this important topic.

Social Media 201

June 20 and September 26, 2024

In this intermediate session, members who are already using social media are invited to learn tactics and tools to help make your social media life easier—more efficient and effective. Get ideas for creating content, managing engagement and building community, tips, tricks and tools to use social media more strategically and seamlessly. Social Media 101 is recommended as a prerequisite for this session.

International Conference on Physician Health

October 17-19, 2024

Call for abstracts now open. The International Conference on Physician Health (ICPH) 2024 is an opportunity for physicians and researchers from Canada, the United States and United Kingdom to learn from each other, network around their work and connect on issues that matter.

Media Relations 101

2024 dates: April 11, July 11, November 14

Please note session will not be recorded. In this beginner session, members will walk away feeling more comfortable and confident in navigating social media platforms and understanding how to create strategic and engaging content for advocacy efforts, amplifying positive messages, mitigating criticism and more.

Media Relations 201

2024 dates: May 9, September 12 and December 5

Hosted by the AMA's Shan Rupnarain, AED Public Affairs, with our media training partner Grant Ainsley, this is a three-hour session for those who anticipate doing a lot of media. It will involve working up messages, doing mock interviews, receiving feedback (and trying again if there's time). Space is limited for this session

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News and Latest UpdatesRSS

AMA holiday office closure

March 28, 2024

Please note that the AMA will be closed from Friday, March 29 through Monday, April 1. Regular business hours will resume Tuesday, April 2.

News coverage: Local Doctors, Local Issues

March 27, 2024

Local Doctors, Local Issues is an initiative to learn what doctors across the province think about the state of the health care system and where solutions may lie. View ongoing media coverage of AMA President Dr. Paul Parks and other physician leaders who have been actively speaking to the media and providing interviews and insight.

AMA President-Elect: Call for Nominations

March 22, 2024

The call for nominations period for the 2024-25 president-elect is now open. Nominations must be submitted by 9 am, Tuesday, April 23. Learn more about the process and current nominee.

RRNP retroactive payments will be made this week

March 20, 2024

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: Alberta Health issued a Bulletin yesterday indicating that retroactive payments will be distributed this Friday, March 22 to physicians who are eligible for Rural Remote Northern Program (RRNP) benefits.

Positive signals - Improved CaRMS numbers and a commitment from the Premier

March 19, 2024

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: The first round of Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) numbers was released earlier today, and Alberta has fewer unmatched family medicine residency positions this year than last year. This is good news. I was pleased to see that across the country, the numbers are looking more positive. Visit our website for additional context and an at-a-glance breakdown of the match numbers.

Provide your input on working with WCB-Alberta

March 18, 2024

The AMA is seeking member input in anticipation of negotiations with the Workers’ Compensation Board – Alberta. Please respond by April 15. Learn more.

New issue of Alberta Doctors' Digest is now available

March 13, 2024

Read the March-April 2024 issue of Alberta Doctors' Digest. Highlights include: The foundation stones of medicine: Lab medicine; Shine A Light; CMA Award for Young Leaders; Dr. Gadget; Health Law Update; and more!

March 6 member-only town hall - recording available

March 8, 2024

Hosted by AMA President Dr. Paul Parks, this member-only town hall provided members with the AMA's response to the release of government's Budget 2024 (February 29), what it means for the profession going forward and the next steps for the AMA. Watch the recording now.

Defining "competitive." Acute care advocacy.

March 8, 2024

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: About 350 members joined our post-budget virtual town hall on Wednesday for an update on where things stand with government and a look ahead at advocacy plans. A recording of the presentation is available on the AMA website (member login required).

With a commitment, we move forward

March 1, 2024

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: I had a chance to speak with Minister LaGrange after the budget announcement. As you know, the AMA has been advocating loudly and ceaselessly for a commitment to a new comprehensive care payment model and stabilization for family and rural medicine. I am grateful to many members who lent their voices to our SOS Save Family and Rural Medicine campaign. You were heard.

Countdown to Budget 2024

February 15, 2024

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: To the Minister, in media interviews and to the public, I have one message in the next two weeks: Family and rural practices are no longer sustainable and they need urgent support in Budget 2024.

$12 million in panel management support now available

February 9, 2024

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: You may have heard that government has released $12 million to the AMA to provide family physicians and rural generalists with support for costs related to panel management and practice improvement activities. This is part of the October 2023 release of the MAPS final reports, which included an announcement of $57 million in funding, over three years, for physicians participating in panel management. We did not negotiate these funds.

Good faith claims are now live

February 7, 2024

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: Yesterday, Alberta Health issued a Bulletin announcing that their billing system has been updated and physicians can now submit eligible ‘good faith’ claims – retroactive to April 1, 2022.

Laboratory physicians ratify new agreement with Alberta Precision Laboratories

February 5, 2024

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: I am pleased to inform you that last week, after being without a contract since 2018, our colleagues in laboratory medicine voted yes to a new agreement with Alberta Precision Laboratories, effective April 1, 2022. This agreement has been a long time coming and represents the hard work and dedication of both negotiating teams.

Statement from the AMA Section of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry on gender-affirming treatments

February 4, 2024

The Section of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry of the Alberta Medical Association would like to add our voice to the chorus of concern arising from Premier Smith’s recent announcement of new policies banning or significantly curtailing access to gender-affirming care and support in healthcare and education. We stand with our colleagues, who have already issued statements, but even more importantly, we stand with our patients.

The doctor-patient relationship is sacrosanct

February 2, 2024

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: Yesterday the government announced plans to restrict access to gender-affirming treatments for pediatric trans patients. I immediately consulted with the Section of Pediatrics for the expertise these colleagues can bring regarding these vulnerable patients.

SOS: The urgency is real

January 31, 2024

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: Last week we released disturbing survey results including that 61% of family and rural generalist physicians are contemplating early retirement or relocation, while one in five fear they can’t maintain their clinics more than six months.

Help us send an SOS to government

January 31, 2024

The crisis in primary care is impacting family physicians, rural generalists and other specialists alike. We have to fix primary care because without that, we can’t fix acute care. Help government, media and the public understand the severe impacts the crisis in family medicine is having on your practice and your patients. Record a 20-second video with our easy-to-use video tool. Just share your name, where you work and the impacts you, your patients and your practice are experiencing.

We need your voice

January 25, 2024

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: Yesterday’s news conference about the crisis in family medicine received excellent coverage. You can review the news conference recording as we highlighted new data measuring the extreme financial instability and threat to viability facing family and rural generalist physician practices.

Virtual care codes and CME update

January 24, 2024

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: We were pleased to see the Alberta Health Bulletin issued earlier today announcing that enhanced virtual care codes for mental health services are now live. Physicians can now submit eligible claims for enhanced virtual care services – retroactive to October 24, 2023. This will be welcome news for many physicians and their patients.

Family medicine crisis deepens. You can help.

January 23, 2024

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: The situation in family and rural medicine isn’t just bad – it's dire. That’s what I told reporters earlier today at a news conference we held to share the results of last week’s survey of family and rural generalist physicians regarding the state of their practices and finances.

It's all about health workforce

January 10, 2024

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: Through the holiday season and into this early new year, we have advocated ceaselessly for your needs with government, in the media and through social media. There have been meetings, media interviews and advertising. Through our campaign, Albertans are asking MLAs to support the immediate and long-term stabilization of family and rural generalist medicine in the upcoming Budget 2024.

24 student-run initiatives awarded funding from sponsorship program

January 10, 2024

The Committee on Student Affairs met to review sponsorship applications. The committee chose 24 projects/events to receive funding. Learn about the projects.

Zonal/Regional RF delegates - election results

January 10, 2024

Ballots for the election of zonal/regional delegates to the AMA Representative Forum were tallied on January 9, 2024. Elections took place in Calgary Zone, Region 4 and the Edmonton Zone. Acclamations were in Regions 1, 2, 5, 7, 8 and 9. Who are the new zonal/regional delegates? Member login required to view.

Diagnosis and treatment for acute care

January 4, 2024

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: As you know, we’ve been advocating intensely and continuously to stabilize family and rural generalist practices in Alberta. I also promised you that there would be more information coming about AMA proposals to government to address the parallel crisis in acute care. We know acute care relies on a strong, comprehensive primary care system, and we are taking immediate action to stabilize this area.

Enhanced virtual codes anticipated January 17: Be ready

January 2, 2024

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: The AMA has been advocating ceaselessly for virtual code changes to be implemented as promised under our agreement. Our mental health system is in deep and increasing distress. Making it possible for physicians to provide a broader scope of virtual care to these patients is not only logical, it’s essential.

Novavax COVID-19 vaccine: administration and availability

December 29, 2023

Starting January 3, 2024, Albertans may call Health Link at 811 to book an appointment to receive the Novavax Nuvaxovid XBB.1.5 COVID-19 (Novavax XBB) vaccine. The administration of vaccine doses will start on January 5, 2024 and will be available at select Alberta Health Services public health centres across Alberta.

Ad campaign. First action acute care crisis.

December 28, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: There are two things I wanted you to see before 2023 comes to an end: Saving family and rural generalist practices campaign materials and finding flexibility and solutions in Alternative Relationship Plans.

$100 million in stabilization family and rural generalist care

December 21, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: This afternoon I joined Minister of Health Adriana LaGrange and Premier Danielle Smith at a news conference to announce that government will apply $100 million to immediate stabilization of family and rural generalist physician practices.

A message from Alberta's health care unions and associations

December 19, 2023

For another year of supporting and caring for patients in illness and injury … we thank Alberta's health care workers. We extend our heartfelt wishes for all the best the holiday season can bring and for the year ahead. We honour your contributions by advocating for a publicly-funded and publicly-delivered health care system that provides the best patient care for all Albertans.

Keeping our foot on the gas

December 18, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: The calendar year may be running down but our advocacy to urgently stabilize family physician and rural generalist practices is still at full throttle. As you know, intense discussions have been underway for weeks. They are not ceasing now.

Alberta Medical Association Mission: Advocate for and support Alberta physicians. Strengthen their leadership in the provision of sustainable quality care.