CIMVHR Forum 2019
Ottawa - Gatineau
In October 2019, CIMVHR hosted its 10th Annual Military and Veteran Health Research Forum, which attracted the largest delegation to-date with over 700 participants. Delegates included researchers, clinicians, serving military members, Veterans, family members and public safety personnel as well as leaders from government, industry and philanthropy.
The Forum agenda featured over 240 research presentations that were chosen from 325 abstract submissions. Under the guidance of Drs. Heidi Cramm and R. Nicholas Carleton, Co-Chairs of the CIMVHR Forum Scientific Committee, the agenda was a high-quality and diverse representation of military, Veteran and family health research happening across Canada and around the world.
A panel discussion entitled Investing in Impact: The role of research in the lives of military members, Veterans and their families opened the 10th annual Forum. The panel discussed their perspectives on creating impact, barriers to quantifying and tracking impact, and gave suggestions on ways to increase the impact of research on our military, Veterans and their families. The panel was moderated by Nora Spinks, CEO, The Vanier Institute of the Family and included:
Jitender Sareen, MD, Professor and Head, Department of Psychiatry, University of Manitoba; Medical Director, WRHA Mental Health Program; and CIMVHR Fellow
Dr. Sareen describes the top 3 ways that researchers can produce impact.
Sanela Dursun, PhD, Director, Research Personnel and Family Support, Defence Research and Development Canada
Dr. Dursun discusses the complexity of measuring impact and the development of the impact performance measurement metrics which will help to identify the key indicators of impact as they relate to the "Life After Service Study"
Lacey Cranston, Managing Editor, Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health, Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research
Lacey Cranston describes how reading a research article by Dr. Jitender Sareen changed the lives of her and her husband.
In recognition of the Forum’s 10th year, CIMVHR invited an esteemed guest and our first-ever keynote speaker from the inaugural Forum in 2010 to address the delegates and reflect on the highlights of CIMVHR over the past ten years. As a former Chief of Defence Staff and now Deputy Minister of Veterans Affairs Canada, General (Retd) Walter Natynczyk lends invaluable insight into our serving members and Veterans' needs.
General Natynczyk highlights some of the ways that CIMVHR has helped to foster impact to improve the lives of military personnel, Veterans and their families
Forum 2019 also featured keynote speaker LGen (Retd) Eric B. Schoomaker, former Surgeon General of the United States Army. Veterans Affairs Canada recognized the unique expertise that Dr. Schoomaker could bring to Forum and sponsored his presentation entitled Integrated Comprehensive Pain Management in the US Military and VA. LGen (Retd) Schoomaker offered insights from his time leading the Pain Management Task Force, which was created to advise the United States Army on holistic, multidisciplinary and integrative approaches to pain management.
Watch as LGen (Retd) Eric B. Schoomaker talks about how he is leading a "whole-of-government" approach to pain management in the United Staes, and how the new taskforce is using research to support alternative and effective approaches to pain management.
Forum Workshops
CIMVHR Forum is a time when leading military, Veteran and family health researchers and clinicians from all across the globe gather for this extraordinary three-day conference. Outside of regular Forum programming, a series of workshops are offered to advance the discussion in areas of emerging research.
These workshops provide an invaluable opportunity for attendees to connect, discuss, share knowledge and move the field forward. They are also always well attended. In fact, in 2019, CIMVHR received an overwhelming response for attendance with each of the five filled to capacity. Here are a few highlights.
Workshop Highlights
Out of the Shadows: Living with Chronic Pain
Hosts :
Alexandra Heber, MD, Veterans Affairs Canada, and James Thompson, MD, Queen’s University
Workshop Highlights
Psychological Consequences of Exposure to Sexual Trauma during Military Service in Female-Identifying Canadian Military Members and Veterans
Hosts :
Margaret McKinnon, PhD, McMaster University; LCol (Retd) Alexandra Heber, MD, Veterans Affairs Canada; Ruth Lanius, MD, PhD, Western University; LCdr (Retd) Rosemary Park, MSc, Servicewomen’s Salute; and LCol Suzanne Bailey, MSW, Canadian Forces Health Services Group
Forum Awards
Each year, CIMVHR’s annual Forum wraps up with an awards ceremony, celebrating the incredible research presented over the course of the three-day conference. CIMVHR Forum 2019 was no exception. The following five awards were presented for exceptional research contributing to improving the field of military, Veteran and family health research.
It is remarkable to note that four of the five awards were presented to students and early career researchers. This demonstrates the outstanding contributions these young researchers are making to their field as well as the support and leadership that they are receiving from their mentors and senior researchers. The future of military, Veteran and family health research is promising and CIMVHR looks forward to seeing these researchers continue to make substantial contributions to the field for the years to come.
Congratulations to all the recipients!
