Message from the WCCHSE Chair

Dear WCCHSE Community-

I write this message during the COVID pandemic, which has been a time of uncertainty and challenges for our world as a whole, but particularly for those who work in or are peripherally involved in health care or have at risk or ill family members. The resulting changes to both our personal and work lives have impacted everyone, notably the dramatic changes to health care education. A silver lining is the exponential interest in and uptake of both real time and virtual health care simulation.

It has also been a significant year for the WCCHSE group! You’ll note our new website, which has a fresh look and improved useability. The executive has worked tirelessly under the leadership of past chair, Connie Evans, with the group officially becoming a registered Society under the BC Societies Act in the spring. As a result of this process, the group had to make a minor change to the name, and you’ll note the extra C in our title- WCCHSE, which stands for The Western Canadian Collaborative of Health Sciences Educators Society. WCCHSE also initiated a simulation educator’s sub-committee this past year. For more information on joining this committee please contact Lee-Anne Stephen at Lee-Anne.Stephen@ufv.ca

Sincere thank you to Executive members that left their positions this past spring- Connie Evans moved from Chair to Past Chair, Kym Bontinen from treasurer to a Member at Large, Colleen DuManoir left her role as secretary, while Leah Dawe and Kathryn Jackson both left as Members at Large.

I’d like to extend a warm welcome to new Executive Board Members- Sarah Neville as secretary, Yujin Lim as co-treasurer, Paula Stubbings, Anne Redmond, Kym Bontinen and Rob Paquin as Members at Large.

The WCCHSE group has an exciting and bright future for lab education and simulation and we look forward to all that it brings.

Shari Caputo, WCCHSE Chair