History of Medicine Days: March 11 and 12 at the University of Calgary

The 20th Annual History of Medicine Days Conference takes place on the 11th and 12th of March at the University of Calgary.

The History of Medicine Days is an annual two-day Nation-wide conference held at the University of Calgary in which undergraduate and early graduate students from across Canada give 10-12 minute presentations on the history of medicine and health care. The topics generally tend to include areas from Classics, the History of Public Health, Nursing, Veterinary Medicine, Human Biology, Neuroscience, etc. Prizes are awarded and there are associated receptions and an awards banquet.

Each student is matched with a faculty preceptor (required for Calgary students and strongly recommended for all others), who provides guidance for the preparation of the History of Medicine Days presentation and acts as a discussant and mentor for the student. Click here for all the details.

Living Archives team member Dr. Frank W. Stahnisch is the Conference Chair.
Living Archives team member Dr Gregor Wolbring conceptualized the Panel described below.

“PANEL ON THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF THE THALIDOMIDE CATASTROPHE”
the panel will take place on March 11 with the following speakers

An Account from Personal Experiences – Nancy Blain (Alberta)
Being a Biochemist and a Thalidomider – Dr. Gregor Wolbring (Calgary, AB)
A Perspective from the Pharmaceutical Industry on the Thalidomide History – Dr. Jerry Zeldis, Chief Medical Officer, Celgene Corp. (Warren, N.J., USA)

The conference also has a session on Eugenics on March 11 in which Natalie Ball and Sheila Gibbons (undergraduate students of Living Archives team members, Gregor Wolbring and Erika Dyck) will present.

SESSION 4 – “HISTORY OF EUGENICS”

The Alberta Eugenics Movement and the 1937 Amendment to the Sexual Sterilization Act – Mikkel Dack
Analyzing the Public Perception of Early Forced Sterilization Programs from a Historical Viewpoint – Alessandra Uifalusi
Mothers of the Race: Questions of Eugenic Feminism in Alberta – Sheila Gibbons
Eugenics through the Eyes of Nobel Laureates – Natalie Ball

The complete program can be found here.