About CPD Network

The CPD Network Association, founded in 2016, represents Canadian specialists and Family Physicians in education.

The association’s goal is to assemble multiple inter-disciplinary healthcare professionals who have an above-average interest, focus and commitment to assuring high quality, consistent medical education and e-learning programs aimed at improving clinical practice methods and patient outcomes.

Members are particularly interested in adult learning principles and providing outcome-oriented educational programs that add value to the healthcare system in innovative and relevant formats preferred by physicians.

We offer cost-free membership to all Canadian physicians and other allied health providers who are seeking high-quality, accredited continuing education content and other educational opportunities. Membership benefits include:

Access to online, in-person and hybrid education
Opportunities to participate in program creation including but not limited to participating as members of a scientific committee
Voting in referendums which shape aspects of the CPD Network activities, including topic selection for programs, suggested format for program, leadership selection
Collaboration with other physician organizations and educational groups with similar goals in providing high-quality continuing education

The CPD Network has collaborated on the development of hundreds of in-person educational events and has developed a robust online learning portal through which members can receive and participate in education, reflection and self-assessment from their home and offices. The CPD Network currently has hundreds of physician and allied health members across Canada.

Founding Members

While general membership of the CPD Network includes hundreds of HCPs across Canada, the following Founding Members formed the initial leadership group which collaborated on how best to meet the objectives of this organization.

	Dr. Jordan Weinstein (Director) is a nephrologist at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto and Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto. His background is in medical education, web and application development. Dr. Weinstein is a veteran developer of advanced e-learning websites with special proficiency in PHP-based content management systems. Dr. Weinstein's clinical interests are in diabetic hypertension and chronic kidney disease, kidney stones and management of end-stage renal failure. Dr. Weinstein's academic portfolio is that of a clinician teacher and he has led many CMEs at a regional and national level in the areas of hypertension and chronic kidney disease. As well, he continues to serve as co investigator for clinical trials in nephrology and hypertension.
	Dr. Jeffrey Habert (Director) is a Family Physician in Thornhill for the last 28 years. He is an Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto. Dr. Habert is also a Peer Assessor for the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, Investigating Coroner for the City of Toronto and a Peer Leader at OntarioMD. He has an interest in the use of clinical practice guidelines, and has participated on committees to establish guidelines in the areas of Depression, Stroke and Thrombosis. He has recently served on the Scientific Committee for the 2016-2017 Canadian Stroke Prevention Guidelines and is the Co-Chair of Thrombosis Canada Guidelines Committee. He is also on the 2017 Canadian Stroke Congress planning committee. Dr. Habert is very involved in the continuing education of Family Physicians in the areas of Thrombosis/Stroke, Diabetes, Osteoporosis, and Depression.
	Dr. Alice Cheng (Founding Member) is an Endocrinologist at Trillium Health Partners (Credit Valley Hospital) in Mississauga and St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto and is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto. After completing Endocrinology training at the University of Toronto she also completed the Master Teacher Program offered through the Department of Medicine. She has served on the Expert Committee for the 2003 Diabetes Canada clinical practice guidelines and the Steering and Expert Committees for the 2008 revision. She has also served as Chair for the 2013 Diabetes Canada clinical practice guidelines. Dr. Cheng is actively involved in continuing education and has received a Certificate of Recognition from the Ontario College of Family Physicians for her contributions to diabetes care and family medicine education. In addition, she has been awarded the national Charles H. Best Award by Diabetes Canada.
	Dr. Louis Girard joined the Division of Nephrology at the University of Calgary in July of 2010. He is a Nephrologist and Clinical Associate Professor. Within the Division of Nephrology, Dr. Girard focuses on clinical immunology and infectious diseases in chronic kidney disease patients. He is the medical director of the Glomerulonephritis Clinic and the Medical Director of Apheresis. Furthermore, he has developed a multi-disciplinary rare diseases clinic that operates out of the Southern Alberta Renal Program. In addition to patients with GN/Vasculitis, this clinic focuses on patients with complement dysregulation, Tuberous Sclerosis and ADPKD. Dr. Girard has a strong commitment to education and has won numerous awards in this area.
	Dr. Diane McIntosh graduated from Dalhousie University, where she completed an undergraduate degree in pharmacy before completing her medical school training. She completed 2 years of a pediatric residency and then an adult psychiatry residency. She is a clinical assistant professor at the University of British Columbia and has a community psychiatry practice. She is extensively involved in continuing medical education programs to colleagues nationally and internationally, with a focus on rational pharmacology. She has a particular interest in the neurobiology of mood and anxiety disorders and ADHD. Dr. McIntosh is the co-founder of SwitchRx, the online psychotropic switching tool. She has her own continuing medical education program, called Psyched Up, developed to encourage appropriate, rational prescribing She sits on the Board of Directors of CANMAT, the Canadian Network For Mood and Anxiety Treatments and the Advisory Board for CADDRA, the Canadian ADHD Research Association. She has published blogs in the Huffington Post, focusing on mental health issues and, most recently, she is the co-founder of wedomatter.org, which advocates more compassionate care for psychiatric patients and their families.
	Dr. Jafna Cox (Founding Member) obtained his MD in 1988 and trained in internal medicine at the University of Toronto. Following a fellowship in cardiology at Dalhousie University, Dr. Cox completed post-doctoral work in health services research at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences in Ontario from 1993-1995. He is currently the Heart and Stroke Foundation Endowed Chair in Cardiovascular Outcomes. His research relates to health services, outcomes and disease management; prevention of cardiovascular disease; and the rapid and effective translation of available research knowledge into clinical practice, including via computer decision support. Given these interests and expertise, he has led or participated in several major network studies across Canada. Dr. Cox has had specific experience with large public-private research partnerships and population-based studies involving outcomes management and knowledge translation. He was a consultant to the New Brunswick Government regarding tertiary cardiovascular services and is currently the Scientific Advisor to the Nova Scotia Government’s cardiac care program.
	Dr. Indy Ghosh (Founding Member) gained his medical degree at Queen's University, his residency at University of Toronto and his Emergency Medicine fellowship at McMaster university. He established a reputation of being a superb clinican and educator at McMaster and was appointed the Program Director of the CCFP EM Fellowship. From there, he was recruited to Mackenzie Health (formerly York Central) to be their Director of Medical Education & Research. Success in this role translated to his Board appointed role as Chief and Medical Director of the Emergency Department at Mackenzie Health. He has also served as the Executive Medical Director for a private healthcare company. He was then recruited to CKHA to lead their Emergency Department and his work here garnered him a promotion as the Senior Medical Director for Strategy, Access and Flow within the organization. Currently, he continues his faculty teaching appointment with McMaster University and clinical role as an Emergency Physician at Trillium Health Partners.
	Dr. Sol Stern (Founding Member) obtained his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Toronto in 1982 after obtaining a BSc and MSc at the same university. He started a family medicine practice in Oakville, Ontario in 1983 and has been practicing in Oakville ever since. Dr. Stern spends about 1/4 of his time involved in CME and has developed and collaborated on many CME workshops including the topics of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic pain management. He has presented over 1000 CME programs over the last 20 years. He is married to Janet (34 years) and has 4 children Erin, Michelle, Diana and Ben (2 son in-laws, Adam and Ben).
	Dr. Andre Bélangér (Founding Member) obtained his Doctor of Medicine from Université Laval in 1984. He is an expert in the management of chronic pain and is very active in the creation of management guidelines for this area. As well, he is active in the maintenance of guidelines for the management of Fibromylagia. Apart from his involvement in education and guidelines for chronic pain management, Dr. Bélangér is very active in Continuing Medical Education for Family Doctors with particular focus on diabetes, osteoporosis, dementia and care of the elderly.