The University of Ottawa Journal of Medicine (UOJM) is pleased to present issue 15.1 to our readership. Medicine and healthcare remain central concerns for the people of the Ottawa region and the Canadian population. During these times, there are many groups committed to advancing various areas of investigation, and we take pride in supporting and publishing their work.

From innovative therapeutic approaches to emerging trends in healthcare, research continues to serve as a catalyst for challenging existing practices and informing future improvements. The high quality of the articles in this issue reflects the dedication of our authors to expanding our knowledge on a wide range of medical and healthcare topics. This work also highlights the ongoing commitment and tireless efforts of our reviewers and editorial team in maintaining the highest standards of scholarship.

This edition brings together scientific progress, clinical insights, and expert perspectives that address some of the most pressing challenges and opportunities in modern medicine.

The University of Ottawa Journal of Medicine (UOJM) is proud to share this special issue featuring the top-ranked, winning submissions in each category of the third annual UOJM National Commentaries Contest. Through academic writing, this contest seeks to give a platform for trainees across Canada to communicate and reflect on timely topics in medicine and research. The commentaries received ranged in topics from current controversies in healthcare to advances in training and social issues impacting healthcare.

This annual contest is open to any student, medical resident, and post-doctoral fellow across Canada. Trainees were invited to submit a 1000-word commentary article on any topic related to the medical field in French or English. In the spring of 2023, UOJM received well over 80 submissions which were peer-reviewed by the UOJM Editorial Team. Double-blinded submissions were initially scored by independent peer reviewers and submissions that ranked in the top quartile of each submission category were then evaluated by faculty experts at the University of Ottawa.

The University of Ottawa Journal of Medicine (UOJM) is pleased to have concluded the second edition of the UOJM National Commentaries Contest. This contest seeks to foster critical thinking and creativity in timely issues in healthcare through academic writing. Trainees from across Canada were invited to submit a commentary on a current medical issue, controversy, or social determinant of health, written in English or French. Each commentary was evaluated using a double-blinded procedure by the UOJM Editorial Team. Top-ranked submissions were further evaluated by clinicians and researchers at the University of Ottawa. Evaluation criteria included: topic relevance, writing quality, supporting evidence, and call to action. This current special issue of UOJM features the commentaries which placed in the top quartile of each submission category, including the winning submissions of the contest.

UOJM is pleased to have collaborated with the University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute and the Faculty of Social Sciences to put together this special issue. The abstracts found in these conference proceedings highlight the quality and diversity of ongoing research at The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), Savoir Montfort, Élisabeth Bruyère Hospital, and the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. This conference marked the institute’s first in-person event since 2019 before the onset of the global pandemic and we're proud to welcome back 170 registrants safely onsite. We’d like to thank all members of the Brain Health Research Day committees, the UOJM team, and all students involved for their hard work in contributing to and finalizing this special issue.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing mandates have caused disruptions across the health care industry. Health care providers have grappled with adapting care and resources to provide physical distancing, from in-person to video conference environments. School closures and curriculum modifications have resulted in limitations to the training of students and residents. Importantly, patients have struggled with cancelled appointments and delayed care, ultimately placing their health care needs at risk. 

In this issue, we present a collection of articles centered around innovations in health care delivery and education. Insights, research, and personal experiences are shared by medical staff and trainees, who have dealt with the obstacles presented by COVID-19 or faced the limitations of health care delivery and training in general. 

The pandemic has brought injustices to the forefront of public health. In Issue 11.2: Social Justice in Healthcare, we feature several articles that highlight gaps in the evidence regarding Canadian medicine and education that may exacerbate health inequities, differences in health that are unfair and unjust. These articles relate to current healthcare challenges faced by Canadians in vulnerable and minority groups. Each article presents practical information which can meaningfully advance the personal and professional development of all UOJM readers.

UOJM is pleased to have collaborated with the Department of Psychiatry Research Day committee to put together this special issue. The University of Ottawa Department of Psychiatry virtually hosted its annual Research Day on November 17, 2021. This year’s theme was Climate Change and Mental Health. The online event welcomed 168 registered individuals. The abstracts found in these conference proceedings highlight the quality and diversity of ongoing research within the Department of Psychiatry. We’d like to thank all members of the planning committees, the UOJM team, and all students involved for their hard work in contributing to and finalizing this special issue. 

The University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine was pleased to virtually host the 2021 edition of its annual Research Day on September 24, 2021. 18 oral presentations and more than 200 posters were shared with the research community of the University, in English and French. Among these, 62 abstracts have been published in the present conference proceeding, at the authors’ discretion. We invite you to peruse this special issue of the University of Ottawa Journal of Medicine that highlights the amazing research conducted at the Faculty of Medicine!

UOJM is pleased to have collaborated with the Brain Health Research Day committees to put together this special issue. The abstracts found in these conference proceedings highlight the quality and diversity of ongoing research at the University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), Savoir Montfort, Élisabeth Bruyère Hospital, the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, and l’Université du Québec en Outaouais, of which we are incredibly proud. We’d like to thank all members of the Brain Health Research Day committees, the UOJM team, and all students involved for their hard work in contributing to and finalizing this special issue.

The University of Ottawa Journal of Medicine (UOJM) is pleased to have conducted the first edition of the UOJM National Commentaries Contest. The  goal of this initiative was to foster critical thinking and creativity in resolving issues in healthcare through academic writing. Students from the Faculties of Medicine across Canada were invited to submit a commentary on a current medical issue, controversy, or social determinant of health, written in English or French. Over 80 students from 11 different universities across the nation submitted creative and original commentaries this spring. The commentaries were evaluated in duplicate using a double-blinded procedure by the UOJM editorial team. Top-ranking submissions were further evaluated by University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine professors. Articles were judged on topic relevance, the quality of writing, supporting evidence, and call to action. This current special issue of UOJM features a selection of the best commentaries submitted.

We wish to first thank all the participants for their outstanding submissions that made the first edition of this contest a great success! We would also like to thank the contest reviewers, the faculty professors who served as final judges, and the UOJM sponsors, for their investment in UOJM’s vision and mission. A special thank you to the Francophone Affairs of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Ottawa for sponsoring the totality of the Francophone prizes.

We hope you enjoy perusing the commentaries published in this special issue of the UOJM!

UOJM Co-Editors in Chief
Zacharie Saint-Georges & Omar Dewidar

UOJM Issue 10.2 is our second issue to not have a theme to highlight the variety of work being undertaken by Canadian medical students. Also included in this issue is an interview with The Ottawa Hospital Chief of Staff Dr. Virginia Roth on the COVID-19 pandemic and leadership in medicine, of which a recording can be found on our website. While this year has certainly been challenging, we want to thank all those who contributed to this issue and our Editorial and Executive Teams for their passion and dedication to making 10.2 a success!

UOJM is happy to have collaborated with the Faculty of Medicine Research Day Committee to put together this published book of abstracts from projects that were presented during Research Day 2020. The following abstracts highlight the quality and diversity of ongoing research at the University of Ottawa, of which we are incredibly proud. We’d like to thank all those on the Research Day Committee, the UOJM team, and all students involved for their hard work in contributing to and finalizing the abstract book.

UOJM 10.1 is the first issue that does not have a theme, as we wanted to give authors the opportunity to publish in whatever topic of their choice to highlight ongoing academic work throughout Canada. This issue also marks the first podcast for UOJM, which is titled "An Interview with Dr. Christopher Tran." Even as there are changes to UOJM, we will always try to promote authors and their publications. Please support us as always, and we hope you enjoy UOJM 10.1!

UOJM is happy to have collaborated with the Faculty of Medicine Research Day Committee to put together this published book of abstracts from projects that were presented during Research Day 2019. The following abstracts highlight the quality and diversity of research that is ongoing at the University of Ottawa, of which we are incredibly proud. We’d like to thank all those on the Research Day Committee, the UOJM team, and all students involved for their hard work in contributing to and finalizing the abstract book.

Though the principles of medicine remain unchanged, patient-centred medical practice is heavily dependent on demographics, social landscape, and accessibility to resources that are specific to every region. It is our hope that UOJM 9.2: Inner-City and Rural Healthcare will inspire clinicians and researchers to always appreciate the societal and environmental nuances that are so critical to effective patient-centred medicine.

UOJM 9.1: Medical Innovations explores the awe-inspiring, yet enigmatic, nature of scientific revolution. We begin this issue with an interview of one of the leading clinician-scientists at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute for a discussion of innovations in clinical cardiology and the importance of training future clinician-scientists. We then weave empirical articles pertaining to practical innovations that are being championed at the University of Ottawa, including 3D printing for clinical practice and medical education. Finally, we highlight the engrossing experiences of medical students who have witnessed medicine outside of Canada, and have drawn conclusions that could transform one’s understanding of medicine and egalitarianism in medical practice. Thus, this issue focuses on the multitude of ways that innovation can be cultivated in medicine: from the laboratory, to the classroom—to a giant tanker traversing the Arctic Circle; but, as you will come to see, the requirements for becoming a true medical innovator are consistent—an unfettered curiosity and passion, a dogged work ethic, and a grounded sense of humility and self-awareness that is free of confirmation bias and personal ego.

UOJM 8.2: Genetics explores the advances, as well as the inherent barriers to progress in the dynamic and rapidly-growing fields of basic and clinical genetics. Beyond the building blocks of DNA itself, our understanding of the human genome at a structural level has allowed us to tackle the broader domains of human health, including immunology, cancer, neuroscience, chronic illnesses, and much more. Thus, this issue focuses on the implementation of gene editing technologies to understand and effectively fight inheritable genetic diseases, vector-borne illnesses, and psychological disorders.