We are pleased to welcome three more VPSA members who are working to improve medical staff engagement by taking part on our committees. Drs. Colin Siu and Christopher Skappak have joined the VPSA Projects Committee, while Drs. Siu and Simone Schülein are now members of the VCH Medical Staff Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
The Projects Committee develops the process and criteria for annual project selection and provides ongoing leadership and support to VPSA-funded project leads.
Dr. Skappak works in the Emergency Department and ICU and has a PhD is translational research. He has successfully submitted grants to the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians and has been a team member for CIHR grants. Dr. Skappak has also served on teaching award selection committees as well as honorary degree selection committees.
“The Projects Committee offers an amazing opportunity to help steer new innovations at VCH,” said Dr. Skappak. “In addition to my experience, I bring the perspective of a relatively new clinician. This offers me a different lens with which to view potential projects and may lead to more novel or alternative selections. I also see my work on the committee as a great opportunity help support and serve my colleagues.”
Dr. Siu, who works in family medicine, recently completed a master’s degree in public health at Harvard University. He has a special interest in quality improvement. Dr. Siu also sits on the Doctors of BC Health Promotion Committee. He has joined both the VPSA Projects Committee and the Meaningful Metrics Working Group of the VCH Medical Staff Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
“As a new-to-practice physician, I believe I can bring a fresh perspective to the table and encourage other new physicians to participate in physician-led projects,” said Dr. Siu. “My QI and health promotion experience will help me with not only selecting physician projects but also providing constructive feedback to further enhance these proposals.”
Dr. Siu is also passionate about collecting meaningful metrics on equity, developing sustainable models for data collection, and interpreting and applying data through an equity-focused lens.
Dr. Schülein has also joined the VCH Medical Staff Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee’s Meaningful Metrics Working Group. A cardiac anesthesiologist for over 10 years, she joined VCH in early 2022. Dr. Schülein completed level 3 of the PQI certificate course in 2020-21 as well as a bioethics course with Fraser Health. She has been a member of the UBC Anesthesiology CaRMS Selection Committee since 2019 and has been part of its process of incorporating EDI measures.
“Having trained and worked in a number of countries (South Africa, UK, Germany briefly and Canada), I hope that I can offer some alternative insights into EDI and how equity, diversity and in particular the difficult one, inclusion, can be measured in an objective and rational manner,” said Dr. Schülein. “I went through schooling, university and residency at a time of social and political upheaval and was a firsthand witness to South Africa’s attempt to redress the divisive and racial past and present. I hope to be able to contribute in meaningful way to the EDI Committee’s Meaningful Metrics Working Group.”