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About Cabin Fever

Join us at Cabin Fever 2026, February 6–8 at the stunning Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge. This annual faculty development conference brings together rural physicians, residents, and healthcare professionals to share ideas, spark innovation, and explore the future of rural medical education.
Connect, learn and be inspired in the heart of Kananaskis.


Registration is subject to approval, with priority given to rural physicians and healthcare providers.


By the end of Cabin Fever you will be able to:

Update your practice

List and apply at least two ways your practice will change due to attending learning sessions.

Improve training methods

Create a personal toolbox of training methods based on workshop presenter experiences.

Improve learner interactions

Evaluate and apply a variety of communication strategies to enhance interactions with learners.

Meet Cabin Fever's Indigenous Elder

Harley Crowshoe’s ancestry is Blackfoot and originates from the Piikani Nation Reserve in southern Alberta.

Harley has extensive Aboriginal Policing experience with First Nations people in Alberta and British Columbia. Throughout his RCMP career he held supervisory positions and after 20 years of service with the RCMP he retired as rank Staff Sgt.

Harley joined the Aboriginal Policing Directorate as the Regional Manager, responsible for Alberta and Northwest Territories. This provided him the opportunity to continue working closely with the First Nations communities in Alberta and NWT.

Harley has worked for AHS for many years, first serving the AHS Wisdom Council as chair; then the AHS South Zone as the Indigenous Health Senior Advisor; the AHS South Sector as Indigenous Health Provincial Director; and has supported AHS as an Indigenous Health Advisor. Now retired, Harley worked parttime with Aakom-kiyii Health Service guiding their accreditation journey. He also sits on a number of committees, including a Member of the National Advisory Committee on Missing Children and Unmarked Burials.

Harley is a recipient of both the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of Canadian Confederation and the 25 Year Service Award from Public Service Canada. He was also presented a Soapstone sculpture and Sacred Eagle Feather in recognition for contributions to the First Nations people of Canada. He was inducted as an Honorary Chief of the Piikani (Blackfoot) Nation – including traditional transfer of sacred eagle headdress.

Meet our Plenary Speakers

Richard Buck,
MD, CCFP, CCFP(EM), FCFP

Dr. Buck is the inaugural Regional Associate Dean for the Southern Alberta Medical Program, a role he is pleased to take on. He was also part of the first RAS class of 2001, reflecting his long-standing involvement in distributed medical education in Southern Alberta.

Clinically, Dr. Buck practices in the Chinook Regional Hospital Emergency Department and occasionally provides surgical assists and rural locum coverage. Outside of medicine, he enjoys running in the coulees with his dog Emily, curling during the winter months, and gardening with his partner David. 

Lena Derie-Gillespie,
MD, CCFP, BSWM, MPH

Dr. Derie-Gillespie grew up on a ranch near Oyen, Alberta, and has since built a career defined by versatility and curiousity. Often described as a "medical Swiss Army knife", she embraces a wide range of clinical interests and enjoys being a reliable tool for almost any situation.

Dr. Derie-Gillespie has trained in social work, public health, and rural family medicine, with special interests in skin cancer, women's health, and MAID. She is also a self-published fiction author with two medical thrillers to her name.

Outside of Medicine, she enjoys community theatre and camper-vanning adventures. She lives in Medicine Hat with her daughter.

Nadine Caron,
MD, MPH, FRCSC

Dr. Caron is a member of the Sagamok Anishnawbek First Nation and a surgical oncologist who provides cancer care in rural, remote, and northern BC. She is the only Indigenous physician within BC Cancer and the sole Indigenous faculty member in UBC’s Faculty of Medicine. She holds the inaugural FNHA Chair in Cancer and Wellness and co-founded the UBC Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Health. Her work includes leading the Northern Biobank Initiative and co-leading the Silent Genomes project to advance safe, culturally grounded cancer and genomic research for Indigenous communities.

Workshop Speakers

Andrea Brose

AnnaMaria Mundell

Ashley Rommens

Benjamin Andruski

Brenda Holder

Chris Waller

Colton Lewis

Elaine Godwin

Emma Morin

Erin Weir

Gavin Parker

Jaelene Mannerfeldt

Joanna Gladue

Jonathan Somerville

Katie Lin

Kristy Penner

Liana Hwang

Martina Kelly

Michelle Keough

Nathan Archibald

Rebecca Malhi

Sally Bolstad

Simon Ross

Tara Fuselli

Agenda

AGENDA


time iconFebruary 5, 2026 06:30 pm
Woody's Pub
time iconFebruary 6, 2026 07:00 am
Rockies Room - Forte Restaurant
time iconFebruary 6, 2026 08:30 am
Gold Room
speaker headshot

Dr. Aaron Johnston

speaker headshot

Dr. Adrian Harvey

speaker headshot

Kristy Penner

speaker headshot

Elder Harley Crowshoe

time iconFebruary 6, 2026 08:45 am
Gold Room
speaker headshot

Richard Buck

time iconFebruary 6, 2026 10:00 am
Bronze and Silver Room
time iconFebruary 6, 2026 10:20 am
Sinclair Room
speaker headshot

AnnaMaria Mundell

speaker headshot

Tara Fuselli

speaker headshot

Simon Ross

speaker headshot

Joanna Gladue

time iconFebruary 6, 2026 10:20 am
Palliser Room
speaker headshot

Gavin Parker

time iconFebruary 6, 2026 10:20 am
Dawson Room
speaker headshot

Elaine Godwin

speaker headshot

Kristy Penner

speaker headshot

Nathan Archibald

time iconFebruary 6, 2026 10:20 am
Stewart Room
speaker headshot

Andrea Brose

speaker headshot

Erin Weir

time iconFebruary 6, 2026 11:20 am
time iconFebruary 6, 2026 11:30 am
Sinclair Room
speaker headshot

Brenda Holder

time iconFebruary 6, 2026 11:30 am
Palliser Room
speaker headshot

Kristy Penner

speaker headshot

Sally Bolstad

speaker headshot

Chris Waller

time iconFebruary 6, 2026 11:30 am
Dawson Room
speaker headshot

Martina Kelly

speaker headshot

Nathan Archibald

time iconFebruary 6, 2026 11:30 am
Stewart Room
speaker headshot

Liana Hwang

time icon
time iconFebruary 6, 2026 10:30 am
Rockies Room - Forte Restaurant
speaker headshot

Corey Baskin

time iconFebruary 6, 2026 01:00 pm
Wildflower Room
time iconFebruary 6, 2026 04:00 pm
Walker Room
time iconFebruary 6, 2026 06:00 pm
Convention Foyer
time iconFebruary 6, 2026 07:30 pm
Explorer Room
time iconFebruary 7, 2026 07:00 am
Rockies Room - Forte Restaurant
time iconFebruary 7, 2026 08:30 am
Gold Room
speaker headshot

Dr. Aaron Johnston

speaker headshot

Dr. Adrian Harvey

speaker headshot

Kristy Penner

time iconFebruary 7, 2026 08:45 am
Gold Room
speaker headshot

Dr. Nadine Caron

time iconFebruary 7, 2026 10:00 am
Silver Room
time iconFebruary 7, 2026 10:20 am
Sinclair Room
speaker headshot

AnnaMaria Mundell

speaker headshot

Tara Fuselli

speaker headshot

Simon Ross

speaker headshot

Joanna Gladue

time iconFebruary 7, 2026 10:20 am
Palliser Room
speaker headshot

Colton Lewis

time iconFebruary 7, 2026 10:20 am
Dawson Room
speaker headshot

Ashley Rommens

speaker headshot

Benjamin Andruski

time iconFebruary 7, 2026 10:20 am
Stewart Room
speaker headshot

Michelle Keough

speaker headshot

Jaelene Mannerfeldt

time iconFebruary 7, 2026 11:20 am
time iconFebruary 7, 2026 11:30 am
Sinclair Room
speaker headshot

Jonathan Somerville

time iconFebruary 7, 2026 11:30 am
Palliser Room
speaker headshot

Emma Morin

time iconFebruary 7, 2026 11:30 am
Dawson Room
speaker headshot

Rebecca Malhi

time iconFebruary 7, 2026 11:30 am
Stewart Room
speaker headshot

Katie Lin

time iconFebruary 7, 2026 11:30 am
Bronze Room
time iconFebruary 7, 2026 12:45 pm
Bronze Room
time icon
time iconFebruary 7, 2026 02:00 pm
Pocaterra Room
time iconFebruary 7, 2026 02:00 pm
Rockies Room - Forte Restaurant
speaker headshot

Dr. Carolyn Hutchison

time iconFebruary 7, 2026 06:30 pm
Olympic Ballroom
speaker headshot

Dr. Aaron Johnston

speaker headshot

Dr. Adrian Harvey

speaker headshot

Kristy Penner

speaker headshot

Elder Harley Crowshoe

time iconFebruary 7, 2026 06:00 pm
Explorer Room
time iconFebruary 7, 2026 06:00 pm
Stewart Room
time iconFebruary 8, 2026 07:00 am
Rockies Room - Forte Restaurant
time iconFebruary 8, 2026 09:00 am
Gold Room
speaker headshot

Lena Derie-Gillespie

time iconFebruary 8, 2026 10:15 am
Gold Room
speaker headshot

Dr. Aaron Johnston

speaker headshot

Dr. Adrian Harvey

speaker headshot

Kristy Penner

speaker headshot

Elder Harley Crowshoe

Family Group Activities

Corey Baskin

Join Corey for a relaxed painting
session. He brings his passion for
creativity to every event and makes
painting fun and welcoming for everyone.

All ages welcome.

Carol R. Hutchison, BSc, MD, MEd, FRCS(C)

Enjoy a gentle, family-friendly yoga class
with Dr. Carol Hutchison. With 15 years
of teaching experience, Carol creates a
calming space to stretch and unwind.

Ages 10+.

Research Presentations


Kaia Thauberger

Beyond Retention: Life-Course Insights into Women’s Rural Medical Careers

Kapilan Panchendrabose

Bringing Just Culture to the Frontier: Validation of an Adapted Assessment for Rural Family Medicine Residents

Karolina Huartson

Meaningful Community Engagement in Undergraduate Medical Education Rural Clinical Experiences: A Pilot Project in Raymond, Alberta



Laurel Ford & Adrienne Teske 

None. No Training. The Lack of Emergency Preparedness Training among Rural Medical Learners

Caroline Holicka & Palak Sharma 

The Good, The Bad & The They Way Forward: Exploring the Factors Influencing Simulation Training Uptake in Rural Alberta

Kristopher Radke

An Observational Retrospective Study on Pickleball Injuries in a Canadian Cohort

Leo Ochieng

Barriers and Facilitating Factors for Black Medical Learners Working in Rural Practice Medicine

Grace Perez

Becoming More Integrated into the Community: A Qualitative Study on Learners’ Insights from a Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship

Paula Pearce

Building PeersCARE: Lessons from Developing a Faculty-Wide Postgraduate Peer Support Team at the University of Calgary

Julia Gospodinov

Canadian Clinical Practice Guidelines: Are They Relevant in Rural Settings?

Heba Mahmood

Cognitive and Psychological Adjustment of Refugee Children: Implications for Rural and Remote Healthcare Delivery

Adam Guthrie

Comprehensive Review of the Role of Telemedicine in Surgical and Anesthetic Care in Urban and Rural Settings across North America and Australia: A Scoping Review

TBD

Draw & Doodle Simulation versus Theatre-based Simulation to prepare medical students for acute care scenarios at electronic dance music festivals

Abeer Ahmed

Enhancing Equity in Medical Educations: Creating Diverse Anatomical Illustrations for Improved Clinical Training

Doha Hassan

Evaluating the Implementation and Feasibility of a Community-Partnered Health Screening and STEAM Outreach Program in a Rural Indigenous Context

Zuha Qureshi, Martina Ann Kelly

Factors That Influence Medical Students' Perceptions and Motivations Towards Conducting Research: A Scoping Review

Mitchell Chorney, Ryan Dion

Feedback Loops on Cards

TBD

Hidden Identity Simulation: Using Secret Roles to Practice Navigating Event Medical Team Dynamics

Priyanka Mungara

Impact of Maternal SARS-CoV-2 Infection on Abnormal Placental Pathology and Neonatal Outcomes in Alberta, Canada

Punit Virk

Intermittent fasting in rural family medicine: What happened over six months

Rick Buck

Large Groups and Regional Sites

Carly Checholik

Makoyoh’sokoi (Wolf Trail) Program Facilitator Training Evaluation and Quality Improvement Project

Katelyn Duplessis

Perceptions of Birthing Experiences in Rural Southern Alberta

Ali Bayrouti, Palak Sharma

Piloting an Innovative Low-Fidelity Simulation for Emergent Cases with Skin Manifestation

Dr. Gail Lam

Providing equitable access to specialist women's health care in Alberta: A pilot project exploring Lethbridge as a distributed postgraduate OBGYN training site

Skanda Kaushik

Promising, yet Unproven: Telehealth's Role in Recruitment and Retention of the Rural Healthcare Workforce

Mike Paget

Quality Assurance: Scanning our Clerkship Survey data for Insights into the Student Experience in Urban and Rural Settings

Aaron Johnston

Residency Program Directors and Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship Students

Ethan Smith

SIMergizers: Energizers to Simulate Teamwork and Communication Skills Practice for Electronic Dance Music Festival Medical Teams

Aliya Kassam

Spiritual Well-Being of Resident Physicians: A Narrative Inquiry Study

Yingying Zhao, Lana Fehr

Strengthening Research Roots in Rural Alberta Through Longitudinal Clerkship Engagement

Abdul Al-Shawwa, Daphne Nakhid

Translating the Calgary Blackbook: Accessible and Inclusive Medical Presentation Schemes for Distributed Sites

William Betzner, Joshua Perka

Urgent Care and Rural Emergency Physician Attitudes on a Pilot Uniprofessional Theatre-based Simulation Experience

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Book Your Accommodation!

Cabin Fever is returning to the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge. Nestled in the Canadian Rockies, the lodge is a scenic 100 km drive from Calgary for local commuters or attendees flying in from other provinces.


Please do not book accommodations until your registration has been confirmed.


Once confirmed, you may book your stay using the online reservation link below or by calling 403-591-7711. When calling, please use the code CF1 to access preferred rates. Please note that room availability at the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge is limited.


Book Online




F.A.Q

Have questions about Cabin Fever? Browse our FAQs. If you do not see the answer to your
question below, please email our team at dlri@ucalgary.ca


To book your accommodations, please call 403-591-7711. Use code “CF1” for preferred rates.
To access the conference agenda, please navigate to the “agenda” section of the Cabin Fever 2026 landing page. You can also access both your conference agenda and your personal agenda through the Cabin Fever app available in the app store. Stay tuned for more information about the official Cabin Fever agenda.
To get the Cabin Fever app, please follow the below steps:
I. Go to the app store.
II. Search for “Cabin Fever 2026”.
III. Click the “download” button.
Once you open the Cabin Fever app, you will be prompted to register and create a personal profile. Once this is done, you should be able to access all information about the Cabin Fever conference. This includes agendas, conference notifications, speaker information, and more.
Yes, childcare services have been arranged by DLRI and will be available during the banquet on Saturday, February 7. These services will accommodate children aged 0-12 years. A special children's buffet will be provided for those under 12, while children aged 12 and older are welcome to enjoy food from the main banquet buffet, with a designated space provided for them to eat.