About Us
ADDING VALUE TO MEDICAL EDUCATION
WHO WE ARE
The ACADEMY for Continued Advancement in Healthcare Education is a Canadian non-profit organization founded by a group of physicians who believe that continuing health education (CHE) is an essential tool for improving practices and medical care.
By adhering to strict educational, managerial and ethical standards, the ACADEMY – and its expert scientific collaborators – assume responsibility and accountability for the design, planning, implementation and the evaluation of its evidence-based continuing professional development (CPD) activities, which are aimed primarily at specialists and primary care physicians.
ACADEMY educational initiatives, financial operations and partnerships comply with the National Standard for Support of Accredited CPD Activities, Canadian Medical Association Code of Ethics, Provider Guidelines of CPD programs of the College of Family Physicians of Canada, the code of ethics of Innovative Medicines Canada and the code of ethics of the Quebec Council for Continuing Professional Development of Physicians.
OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
The ACADEMY for Continued Advancement in Healthcare Education is committed to fostering an environment of equity, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of its operations. We recognize that diversity in all its forms – including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, religion, age, and disability – enriches our organization and strengthens the healthcare community as a whole.
The ACADEMY is dedicated to providing a welcoming and inclusive learning environment for all participants in our CME programs. We strive to create spaces where individuals feel respected, valued, and empowered to engage fully in their learning experiences. We actively work to ensure that our educational materials, speakers, and content reflect the diversity of the healthcare workforce and patient populations.
Through our commitment to equity and diversity, the ACADEMY aims to advance the goals of health equity and social justice in continuing medical education. We recognize that achieving these goals requires ongoing dedication, introspection, and action. As such, we are committed to continuously evaluating and improving our practices to ensure that we are fulfilling our mission of promoting excellence and equity in continuing medical education for all.
LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE
Sharing a strong desire to add value to medical education and an unwavering commitment to improving patient care, the two co-founders have created an organization focused on scientific rigor through interdisciplinary collaboration. ACADEMY’s non-profit organization was approved on May 8, 2016.
The ACADEMY has a formal governance structure, accountable to and serving, among others, its physician members by:
Continuing professional development
Opportunities to optimize patient and clinical care
Research and education
BOARD MEMBERS
Jennifer Payne, MD, FRCPC
Psychiatry
Montréal, QC
Dr. Jennifer Payne is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. She completed her residency and fellowship training at McGill University in 2004. Dr. Payne graduated from the University of Calgary Medical School in 1999 after earning her undergraduate degree in Anatomy and Cell Biology at McGill University, with distinction. While at McGill, she served as Co-Vice-Chair of the Academic Department of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Dr. Payne began her clinical career in a teaching hospital at the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal from 2004 to 2008, honing her skills in inpatient and outpatient psychiatry. Dr. Payne has also devoted time to the McGill University Mental Health Clinic and worked with students, a demographic she is particularly interested in addressing. In 2010, Dr. Payne left the hospital setting and opened her own practice in Montreal. She now focuses on consultations, support and follow-up with front-line doctors in the community.
Elissa Weinberg, MD, CCFP, FCFP
Family Physician
Toronto, ON
Dr. Elissa Weinberg received her medical degree and completed her residency training in family medicine at the University of Ottawa in 2000. She has been a family physician at Thornhill since 2000. Dr Weinberg is an active member of the College of Family Physicians of Canada and the Peer Review Committee for the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario to provide quality assurance. Continuing professional medical education is an important topic for Dr. Weinberg, who has been leading a practice-based small group learning program (PGBP) at McMaster for 20 years. Dr. Weinberg has also served on various scientific committees for the creation of high quality accredited programs in multiple therapeutic areas. Currently, Dr. Weinberg is on staff at North York General Hospital.
Valerie Oliveira
Executive Director, CPD Programs
Nazia Fidahoussen
Membership & Implementation Manager
SCIENTIFIC COLLABORATORS
The ACADEMY collaborates with a group of professional experts in a wide range of medical specialties. Depending on their expertise and interests, these collaborators become members of the scientific committees that oversee the design of the ACADEMY’s programs. All stages of the creation of a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) program are supervised by these scientific experts to ensure that this program complies with national and provincial guidelines and meets the real needs of its audience. Thanks to the contribution and commitment of its expert scientific collaborators, the ACADEMY is able to offer healthcare professionals outstanding training programs.