Please join us in welcoming the newest members of our Division Leadership Team through these new Associate Head roles.
Associate Head of Research: Dr. Pippa Hawley
Dr. Hawley is a general internist by background, and has been the Medical Director of BC Cancer’s Pain and Symptom Management/Palliative Care Program, since 1997. She is currently the PI and sponsor of a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of the effects of medical cannabis oil extracts on symptoms in cancer patients, and working with medical student and junior colleague on two studies on the use of methadone for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.
She is keen to make participation in medical research more patient-centred and is a co-author of “Lap of Honour: a no fear guide to living well with dying”, for patients and their families living with serious illness. Pippa has carried out qualitative research on medical cannabis use in cancer patients and on implantable intrathecal infusion pumps for cancer pain.
Read more about her here.
Associate Head of Faculty Development and Wellness: Dr. Wai Phan
Read more about him here.
Associate Head of Education: Dr. Mei Wen
Mei is looking forward to serving as the Associate Head of Education. The initial spark that led her down the path of palliative care were a combination of phenomenal informal bedside teaching by role model physicians during medical school training at the University of Toronto as well as formal teaching of palliative care principles in a fourth year elective in Oahu, Hawai’i. She saw firsthand the importance of introducing palliative care principles early on in training and is motivated to improve access to palliative care education in undergraduate medical training as well as post-graduate medical training in various areas of medicine. As Associate Head of Education, she will be working closely with the Department of Palliative Care (DOPC) clinicians in promoting interdisciplinary education for students and clinicians at the undergraduate and postgraduate medical education levels. She have completed a Master in System Leadership and Innovation at the University of Toronto and looks forward to bringing that experience to this role. She will organize DOPC Education Advisory Committee throughout the year to communicate and support various ongoing educational projects/initiatives. I look forward to working with the BC Centre for Palliative Care to connect with like-minded individuals and working groups throughout the province to build connections and strengthen the network for improving palliative care education.Read more about her here.