CONTENTS
1) COFAS Call for Abstracts Fast Approaching!
2) COA Annual Meeting Hotel Cut-Off is May 1
3) Showcase Your Career Opportunities with Us
4) Attention Tekkies: Raise Funds for Hip Hip Hooray! On-line!
5) CMA Participates in Physician Assistant Discussions

1) COFAS CALL FOR ABSTRACTS FAST APPROACHING!
The Canadian Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (COFAS) is holding its 4^th Annual Specialty Day on Sunday June 4^th, 2006 in Toronto, ON (in conjunction with the COA’s Annual Meeting). Abstract submissions are being accepted until May1, 2006. Any original paper that has not been accepted for presentation at the COA Annual Meeting is eligible for consideration. Please submit abstracts (maximum length 300 words) as a Word file attachment directly to CynthiaVezina at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Further submission details could be found on the COFAS page on the COA web site: www.coa-aco.org > click on the COFAS link under the “Societies” menu on the right side. Here’s a direct link: http://www.coa-aco.org/en/cofas/meetings/4th_annual_specialty_day.html

2) COA ANNUAL MEETING HOTEL CUT-OFF IS MAY 1
The hotel reservation cut-off date for the Sheraton Centre is May 1. Rates and room availability after this date cannot be guaranteed. Click on the “Hotel Information” link under the photo of the Vegas Girl and CN Tower on the COA homepage: www.coa-aco.org to make your reservations or contact the Sheraton Centre at: 416 361-1000 and let them know that you are attending the COA Annual Meeting. Here’s a direct link to our meeting rates and online booking form: http://www.starwoodmeeting.com/StarGroupsWeb/booking/reservation?id=0501034886&key=529B

3) SHOWCASE YOUR CAREER OPPORTUNITIES WITH US
The COA is hosting a job fair during the 2006 COA Annual Meeting in Toronto. Displays and representatives will be set up around the registration desk on Friday, June 2 and Saturday, June 3. If you have current or anticipate any upcoming job openings in your area, table top displays are available at no charge for COA members to advertise their opportunities during the job fair. If you wish to participate, please contact Cynthia Vezina: (514) 874-9003 x 3 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it to obtain a sign up package. Space is limited so please secure your space by contacting us without delay!

4) ATTENTION TEKKIES: RAISE FUNDS FOR HIP HIP HOORAY! ON-LINE!
Visit www.givemeaning.com and click “Create Your Own Fundraising Page”. The step-by-step instructions will have you fund-raising on-line in about 20 minutes and after that it’s as simple as sending an email. It’s all automated, but if you do get stuck, GiveMeaning offers responsive technical support – just click on “Support” at the top of their web site. The fund-raising pages are free to charities, fundraisers, and donors, and your funds raised will be credited to the walk site you choose when you set up your page. Even if there isn’t a Hip Hip Hooray! walk in your community you can help raise funds to support research, patient and professional education online.

Want to see a sample? View the Foundation’s Executive Director, Angelique Berg’s fund-raising page at:

http://www.givemeaning.com/account/l-pool.aspx?thon_id=19&tc=ca5631b2-d217-45) CMA PARTICIPATES IN PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT DISCUSSIONS
Following the COA Board's directive at the December 2005 Mid-Winter Meeting, the National Standards Committee (NSC) has continued its work examining the potential for introducing Physician Assistants (PA) into orthopaedic practice in Canada. On April 12, members of the NSC including Dr. Michael Dunbar as well as Dr. Eric Bohm, COA President-Elect, Dr. Brendan Lewis and Doug Thomson met with the CMA in Ottawa to discuss the issue. Although the CMA board has not endorsed the adoption of physician assistants, the CMA is very interested in examining PAs in depth. Widespread adoption of the PA model in Canada offers the potential to better utilize existing orthopaedic surgeons, to improve their quality of professional life, to reduce patient waiting times and to improve patient satisfaction. At the meeting, Dr. Bohm and Chris Rhule, a Clinical Assistant in Winnipeg, outlined improvements in effectiveness and cost efficiency when clinical assistants are utilized. Also discussed at the meeting were issues of professional liability, education, interaction with other health providers and policy implementation.

Over the last couple of years, the CMA has shown increasing interest in Physician Assistants. In April 2005, the CMA held a conference with the Canadian Military on PAs in the Canadian Forces. Prior to that, the CMA had accredited the military PA training programme. As a result of our recent meeting, members of CMA will be working jointly with the NSC on this issue. A discussion paper will be presented at the Annual Meeting in June.