2025 AHPA Virtual Post-Course
Saturday, March 22, 2025 — 1:00–4:00 pm EST
Agenda
| Time | Session |
| 12:30-1:00 | Networking |
| 1:00-1:10 | Welcome |
| 1:10-2:00 | Moving More with Inflammatory Arthritis: The Benefits of Physical Activity and Strategies for Supporting Physical Activity Behaviour Change (Dr. Manuel Ester) |
| 2:00-2:10 | Break |
| 2:10-3:00 | Distinct Symptom Clusters Predict Initial Response to MTX in Adults with New RA: A Longitudinal Analysis of the Canadian Early Arthritis Cohort (Dr. Susan Bartlet) |
| 3:00-3:30 | Inside The Great Debate: Interview with Julia Brooks |
| 3:30-3:35 | Pause and Refresh |
| 3:35-3:55 | From Experience to Impact: How Patients Can Shape the Future of Rheumatology (Natasha Trehan) |
| 3:55-4:00 | Wrap-Up |
| 4:00-4:30 | Practice Reflection Breakout |
Presenters
Dr. Manuel Ester — Moving More with Inflammatory Arthritis: The Benefits of Physical Activity and Strategies for Supporting Physical Activity Behaviour Change
Manuel is a physical activity specialist with expertise in physical activity for chronic conditions, focusing on helping people create lasting physical activity habits. At the University of Calgary, he works closely with individuals with RA, rheumatologists, and others to improve physical activity support in rheumatology care. Manuel is passionate about the transformative power of movement for all individuals with chronic conditions, which is why he dedicates his time to projects that empower individuals through moving more.
Dr. Susan Bartlett — Distinct Symptom Clusters Predict Initial Response to MTX in Adults with New RA: A Longitudinal Analysis of the Canadian Early Arthritis Cohort
Dr. Bartlett is a highly accomplished member of AHPA and internationally recognized. Among her educational accomplishments, she received her Master of Education in Counseling Psychology from McGill University, a PhD in Clinical Psychology from Syracuse University, and subsequently honed her expertise through a Post-Doctoral Fellowship at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She has been a licensed psychologist since 1988 and has advanced academically to become a tenured Professor of Medicine at McGill University specializing in Clinical Epidemiology, Rheumatology, and Respiratory Epidemiology. She also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University in Rheumatology, and Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine.
As an educator and advocate, Dr. Bartlett has profoundly impacted the next generation of interdisciplinary health professionals. She has taught a wide range of courses on topics like outcome measures in rheumatology, adherence in pediatric rheumatology, behavior change, and digital health innovations, to name a few. Beyond her lectures, she has mentored countless trainees from diverse fields, including counselling psychology, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, kinesiology, medicine, and more.
Dr. Bartlett has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to rheumatology through active roles in the Association of Rheumatology Professionals (ARP), a membership division of the ACR, the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT), and of course AHPA with focus on our research committee. She also contributed to numerous grant review panels for esteemed organizations like the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Arthritis Society Canada, Arthritis Alliance of Canada, and many more.
Dr. Bartlett’s groundbreaking research has transformed arthritis care. Her RCT on yoga for arthritis demonstrated significant benefits in physical health, mobility, mood, and quality of life, inspiring the development of an accessible, recorded arthritis-friendly yoga resource. She developed tools like the OMERACT RA Flare Questionnaire to better measure disease activity based on patient priorities. She also co-founded PROMIS-Canada [or Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System-Canada], advancing patient-centered outcomes research with work being done to translate and culturally validate a number of the PROMIS item banks into French.
Some of Dr. Bartlett’s accolades include four AHPA Carolyn Thomas Research Awards, recognition from the ACR, the Laurentian Rheumatology Society, the Society of Behavioral Medicine, and the YWCA Foundation of Montreal, American Thoracic Society Lifetime Achievement Award, and the prestigious ARP Master Award, honoring her exceptional contributions to rheumatology.
Julia Brooks — Inside The Great Debate: Interview with Julia Brooks
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Julia Brooks is a physiotherapist who has been working in the areas of Rheumatology and Hemophilia for the last 18 years at the Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary. She has a special interest in the use of POCUS as an adjunct to clinical assessment. Julia did a fantastic job representing AHPA during the Great Debate at the CRA Annual Scientific Meeting, advocating in favor of the resolution: "Be it resolved that MSK (POC) US should be a mandatory component of rheumatology curricula."
Natasha Trehan (Founder | Executive Director, Take A Pain Check) — From Experience to Impact: How Patients Can Shape the Future of Rheumatology
Natasha Trehan is a university student pursuing Translational and Molecular Medicine at the University of Ottawa. She founded the Take a Pain Check podcast in March 2021, which inspired her to establish the Take a Pain Check Foundation in October 2021. Take a Pain Check hosts podcasts, runs ambassador programs, and pilots events to empower young individuals with rheumatic diseases. Natasha is a trained patient researcher from the University of Calgary through the PaCER program. She is also actively involved in research and contributes to several advisory boards including Pain Canada, Choice Research Lab, and Arthritis Research Canada. Natasha has conducted research as a Research Student at the University Health Network and the Hospital for SickKids. She is committed to making a positive impact in the field of healthcare.