The Learning, Development, and Support team within Medical Affairs plays a vital role in empowering NSH physicians with the skills and knowledge required to thrive in today’s complex and rapidly evolving healthcare environment.
The learning opportunities provided aim to improve leadership confidence, foster collaboration, and support continuous professional growth.
We offer a range of innovative, physician-centered learning opportunities through multiple formats, including:
- Asynchronous modules available in the Learning Management System (LMS)
- Live online seminars
- In-person workshops
- Communities of practice
- Podcasts
All learning opportunities provided by Medical Affairs are peer-validated; developed by physicians, for physicians, ensuring relevance, credibility, and practical value. Many qualify for CME credits (see program details).
Fall 2025 Programs
2026 Provincial Physician Leadership Development Program*
A customized program featuring the Leadership Circle Profile™ (LCP), open by Expression of Interest to physicians in leadership roles (3-5 years formal experience, not previously enrolled in leadership development education).
- Format: Bi-monthly virtual sessions + three in-person gatherings
- Facilitators: Executive Coaches Lorie Campbell & Verna MacDonald
- Dates: Jan 20 – Jun 2, 2026, evenings.
- Eligibility: Physicians in leadership roles across all zones
- Capacity: 24 participants
- Deadline: Oct 20, 2025
This activity meets the certification criteria of the College of Family Physicians of Canada and has been certified by Dalhousie University Continuing Professional Development and Medical Education for up to 19.5 Mainpro+ Certified Activity and up to 4.5 Mainpro+ Certified Assessment Activity credits.
Submit your Expression of Interest. Promotional flyer is available here.
Doctor’s Lounge Community of Practice for Nova Scotia Health Physician Leaders (1.0 CME Credits per Session*)
This program serves NS Health physicians currently in formal leadership roles and is a safe and confidential space for sharing and learning. For leaders in 3+ years formal experience.
Sep 24 | Doctor’s Lounge (5–6 pm, Virtual): Emotional Regulation – Dr. Jackie Kinley
Emotional regulation is a powerful skill in what can often be a hectic and stressful health care setting. This session will equip participants with insights to help identify and discuss triggers that set off emotions in the workplace. They will be provided with concrete practices and tools to practice emotional regulation, as well as learn techniques that will support emotional regulation and measured responses.
Dr. Jackie Kinley, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine. Dr. Kinley promotes psychological and behavioral health and resilience using the Science of Neuroplasticity. Her interests include the prevention of mental illness and the promotion of mental health and fitness. Her work is interdisciplinary, collaborative, and contributes to both the academic literature and affecting change in health practice and policy nationally.
To Register: Contact Jane Bolivar, janee.bolivar@nshealth.ca
Oct 29 | Doctor’s Lounge (5–6 pm, Virtual): Fierce Conversations – Coaches Lorie Campbell & Verna MacDonald
This session will provide an overview of what needs to be in place for a conversation to be FIERCE: interrogation of reality for context, embracing learning/ understanding, being equipped and willing to tackle tough challenges and the enrichment of relationships. Participants will learn how to prepare for a ‘fierce conversation’ by utilizing three templates to help identify the issue, prepare for the conversation, have the conversation, and model skills and strategies that improve team connectivity and performance
Facilitated by NS Health, Medical Affairs’ Executive Coaches Lorie Campbell & Verna MacDonald
To Register: Contact Jane Bolivar, janee.bolivar@nshealth.ca
Nov 19 | Doctor’s Lounge (5–6 pm, Virtual): Managing Conflict – Scott Furlotte
It is crucial for leaders to be able to recognize the correlation between values and emotional triggers. From there, the application of active listening, empathy, curiosity and effective questioning open up a pathway for clearer communication and understanding. One can also learn to navigate from ‘big picture/balcony view’ perspective to better appreciate all views and assist in finding optimum outcomes to the conflict.
Scott Furlotte is a Conflict Resolution and Mediation Consultant. He holds a Master of Science in Business Psychology, and serves as a faculty member with Acadia University’s Department of Psychology and Nova Scotia Community College in the School of Health and Human Services.
To Register: Contact Jane Bolivar, janee.bolivar@nshealth.ca
Dec 10 | Doctor’s Lounge (5–6 pm, Virtual): The Weather You Bring – Coaches Lorie Campbell & Verna MacDonald
Participants will have the opportunity to consider how their personal leadership is demonstrated through communication and behavior, and gain clarity around how those intentions might align with their purpose and values. Are their intentions and impact aligning? When participants discover the ‘weather they bring’ – the impact of that weather on colleagues, patient’s, the healthcare team, they will have greater understanding about the atmosphere they are creating.
Facilitated by Executive Coaches Lorie Campbell & Verna MacDonald
To Register: Contact Jane Bolivar, janee.bolivar@nshealth.ca.
Women in Medicine Community of Practice
Oct 9 | Women in Medicine COP (6–8:30 pm, The Waegwoltic Club (The Annex) 6549 Coburg Rd. Halifax): Coaching in Practice: Build Skills for Real Conversations – with Executive Coaches Dr. Christine Dipchand, Lorie Cambell and Verna MacDonald
In this hands-on session, Executive coaches Dr. Christine Dipchand, Lorie Campbell and Verna MacDonald will introduce the fundamentals of coaching and clarify what coaching is—and isn’t. You’ll explore different approaches to common workplace situations and learn how to decide when to coach (ask), direct (tell), or mentor. Through interactive exercises and real-world practice, you’ll build practical skills to lead more effective, empowering conversations, aligned with operational excellence —no matter your role.
A light meal will be provided.
Leading Through Coaching Workshop
One day, (offered quarterly by zone) in person workshop for Nova Scotia Health physicians with over 3 years of formal leadership experience.
Nov 14 | Eastern Zone (9–4, Sydney): Leading Through Coaching Workshop
Oct 17 | Northern Zone (9–4, Truro): Leading Through Coaching Workshop
Schedule for Featured Virtual Fall 2025 Learning Opportunities – Open to all physicians
Sep 16 | 5–6:30 pm: Reflective Practice in Medicine for Anti-Oppression – Dr. Gaynor Watson-Creed
Reflective Practice is a requirement for effective anti-oppressive practice and care. In this webinar, we will explore reflexive practice questions and practices that practitioners might employ in order to deepen their anti-oppressive practice.
Dr. Gaynor Watson-Creed is the inaugural Associate Dean of Serving and Engaging Society for Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Medicine, and in 2024 returned to Engage Nova Scotia as Chair of the Board. She is a public health specialist physician with 18 years experience, having served as the former Medical Officer of Health for the Halifax area and Deputy Chief Medical Officer of Health for Nova Scotia.
The recording is available here.
Oct 22 | 5–6:30 pm: Trauma-Informed Care – Dr. Aaron Smith & Team
Understanding empathic strain, secondary traumatic stress, grief and burnout, and associated symptoms, can be a game changer in terms of how physicians interact with their teams, patients and colleagues. This session offers practical tips and strategies on how to conduct formal and informal debriefs, including practical tools and techniques to promote wellness in the workplace. It also equips participants with an understanding of trauma-informed care and its application in health care. The ability to recognize signs of trauma in patients, colleagues and oneself, allow for the application of appropriate, non-triggering interactions and responses.
Dr. Aaron Smith is a medical executive committed to improving health systems through innovation and continuous learning. He is also deeply focused on understanding the social determinants of health to foster more effective and equitable models of care. As the Provincial Medical Executive Director and Operational Lead for Primary Care Clinics and Health Homes, Aaron blends strategic leadership with active clinical practice in Hospitalist Medicine.
Rachel Askett is the Wellness and Education Lead within Occupational Health, Safety, and Wellness. She works alongside the OHSW team to advance psychological safety within healthcare setting guided by the National Standard. Her approach to education is strengths-based and focuses on facilitating connections for knowledge sharing.
Luke MacMillan is the Provincial Wellness Manager within Occupational Health, Safety, and Wellness at Nova Scotia Health. He oversees wellness initiatives across the province, leading efforts to improve occupational health and psychological safety for Nova Scotia Health staff & team members. Departmental methods are rooted in evidence-based and preventative strategies, fostering collaboration among multidisciplinary teams to enhance workplace wellness.
Matt Fillier is the Bereavement Practice Lead, Primary Health Care, Palliative Care Network, NS Health. In this role, Matt has developed a Grief Practice Support Program for physicians, health staff and volunteers that provides education, training and resources to enhance their knowledge and thus confidence in providing high-quality grief and bereavement care. To quote Matt, “Loss is constant, not an exception of the human condition. Grief is an experience, not a stage. Compassion is a verb – a choice we can make.”
Register here (session will not be recorded).
Nov 3 | 5–6:30 pm: Planetary Health & Healthcare Leadership – Dr. Nabha Shetty
Physician accreditation organizations such as the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada as well as the Association of Faculties of Medicine in Canada, have formally acknowledged that contributing to planetary health is an important objective in healthcare. All centres need to reduce their carbon footprint as part of their strategic and operational excellence planning. There is a movement afoot among inspired healthcare professionals to unite and have a voice in making planetary health a priority. This webinar will get participants ‘up to speed’ on what is happening in this important realm.
Dr. Nabha Shetty is a member of the Department of Medicine at Dalhousie University with a specialty in General Internal Medicine, with an academic focus on Quality Improvement and clinical expertise in Obstetrical Medicine. Dr. Shetty has held many leadership positions including past Director of Quality for the Department of Medicine, past Division Head for GIM, Director of the Medical Teaching Unit (MTU) and membership on the Board of Directors for Doctors Nova Scotia. An active researcher, presenter and advocate, Dr. Shetty focusses on Planetary Health, Systems Transformation and Quality Improvement on the Medicine Teaching Unit (MTU). She brings a passion for system change, with particular attention to Goals of Care as they relate to frailty, and reducing healthcare’s carbon footprint through alignment of resources with value.
Dec 9 | 5–6:30 pm: Understanding Moral Injury in Physicians – Dr. Muna Chowdhury
Moral injury refers to the psychological, emotional, and spiritual distress that arises when individuals are forced to act—or are unable to act—in ways that conflict with their deeply held moral beliefs.
Moral injury originally was conceptualized in a military context. In the health care setting, moral injury was highlighted especially during the covid pandemic where physicians often had to make very difficult decisions around determining who would receive life-saving interventions, such as ICU bed and ventilators, because of resource shortages.
These ethically challenging decisions resulted in many physicians and health care providers, who were at the forefront of resource management, to experience moral distress - and repeated moral distress resulted in moral injury. Clinically, this can manifest with symptoms similar to depression, PTSD, often going on to result in emotional detachment, decreased job satisfaction and burnout. Moral injury is also closely associated with empathic stress and secondary traumatic stress, further worsening the psychological burden experienced by physicians and other health care professionals.
Dr. Muna Chowdhury is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Family Medicine, Dalhousie University and current Member of the Board of Directors at Doctors Nova Scotia (DNS). Active in the community, Dr. Chowdhury is the Founder of ‘Thrive Youth Clinic, a Physician Professional Peer Counselor with DNS’ Professional Support Program, active with Direction 180 Opioid Agonist Treatment Centre, and a consultation physician with Gender Affirming Care for Youth, K'jipuktuk-Halifax.
*A note on the Doctor's Lounge Community of Practice and 2026 Provincial Physician Leadership Development Program:
This activity meets the certification criteria of the College of Family Physicians of Canada and has been certified by Dalhousie University Continuing Professional Development and Medical Education for up to 1.0 Mainpro+® Certified Activity credits.
This event is an Accredited Group Learning Activity (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and approved by Dalhousie University Continuing Professional Development and Medical Education. You may claim a maximum of 1.0 hours (credits are automatically calculated).
Through an agreement between the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and the American Medical Association, physicians may convert Royal College MOC credits to AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Information on the process to convert Royal College MOC credit to AMA credit can be found at: edhub.ama-assn.org/pages/applications.
