Nicole Bajcar presented preliminary data on a multi-phase project funded by Diabetes Canada at the Institutes of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation's Research and Impact Day. The project uses an education program to prevent and manage diabetes-related foot problems early. By combining education theory with practical healthcare improvements, it addresses both clinical and community challenges in diabetes foot care. The goal is to improve access to preventive care, ensure timely intervention for high-risk patients, and foster collaboration for lasting change in the health system.
May 7, 2025
Wilson Centre Graduate Fellows in Health Professions Education Research (HPER) attended the Brian D. Hodges Symposium on Thursday, May 29, 2025 at the BMO Education and Conference Centre. This year’s theme, “Professionalism and Health Professionals in the Age of Advocacy and Activism,” featured a keynote by Dr. Tasha Wyatt, an internationally recognized scholar on race, culture, and professional identity formation in medicine.
May 29, 2025
ExCEL Lab members, Ellena Andoniou and Donald Bettencourt, together with faculty from pharmacy, nursing and CAPE, have introduced an interprofessional elective at the University of Toronto to prepare future pharmacists, nurses, and other health professionals to address inaccurate or misinformed health beliefs. This innovative course blends history, case studies, and relationship-centred strategies to help learners respond to misinformation with evidence, empathy, and trust-building, equipping them to navigate one of health care’s fastest-growing challenges.
June 5, 2025
Nicole Bajcar is a PhD student in Health Professions Education Research at UofT / UHN and a Research Fellow at the Wilson Centre. At the 2025 Summer Training & Research Program, she presented on bridging theory and practice through applied research design, demonstrating her passion for innovation and collaboration in health professions education.
August 7, 2025
Nathan Cupido is a PhD student in Health Professions Education Research at UofT / UHN and a Research Fellow at the Wilson Centre
At AMEE 2025 Nathan shared his study about how different learning activities aligned with the development of adaptive expertise were enacted in a primary care education program. We conducted a rapid video ethnography of sessions within the ECHO Concussion program to observe how these learning activities occurred among participants. Results highlight how intended learning outcomes and the utility of learning activities can be challenged by the context in which learning takes place. This research raises new considerations for how to support the development of adaptive expertise in real-world education settings.
August 23-27, 2025
To improve access to primary care for underserved populations, Nicole presented research on a CPD program for Physician Assistants that combines online modules with hands-on placements in Indigenous Health, Refugee Health, Mental Health, Substance Use, and Long-Term Care. Thirty PAs completed the training, contributing to over 6000 patient encounters across 555 clinic days. This blended learning model - grounded in education science and adaptive expertise - prepares PAs to make an immediate impact in underserved care settings.
EcCEL Lab member, Nicole Moreira shines a light on how home healthcare workers seek and struggle to access emotional support in the workplace.
Home healthcare workers endure high levels of occupational stress, yet their experiences of emotional support in the workplace remain underexplored. In this cross-sectional study of 249 professionals (including personal support workers, nurses, and rehabilitation providers), Moreira et al. investigate who workers turn to (and why) when they need emotional support, what barriers prevent them from seeking help, and how organizations might better respond.
September 25, 2025