Workshops

Saturday, May 10, 2025 - 1:30 pm – 5:30 pm

Concurrent Workshop #1

Behavioural Change Counselling

What happens next? Addressing behavioural, lifestyle and mental health challenges following bariatric surgery - and how motivational communication can help.

Bariatric surgery has is often the first big step in the weight loss journey of many patients with severe obesity. However, long-term weight loss and maintenance depends on patients making significant changes to their lifestyles (e.g., diet, physical activity, alcohol consumption) and adapting many aspects of their way of life. National guidelines recommend behavioural weight management interventions (i.e., physical activity, nutrition counselling, cognitive-behavioural therapy) as adjunct treatments for bariatric patients, yet few patients receive behavioural and psychosocial support. This workshop will identify the major behavioural and psychosocial challenges faced by bariatric patients post-surgery (many of which are determinants of their severe obesity), and how healthcare providers involved in the care of bariatric patients can use motivational communication techniques to engage, motivate and empower patients to achieve their personal health goals

Max participants: 20-30 (French and English group)
Room: Grand Ballroom: Salon D

Speakers

Dr. Kim Lavoie, PhD, FCPA, FABMR

Professor, Chair of Behavioral Medicine, University of Quebec at Montreal (UQAM)

Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Behavioral Medicine
Co-Director, Montreal Behavioral Medicine Center (MBMC)

Researcher, Chronic Disease Division, CIUSSS-NIM - Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montreal

Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal

Co-Lead, Canadian Behavioural Intervention Trials Network (CBITN: www.cbitn.ca/)
Co-Lead, International Behavioral Trials Network (IBTN: www.ibtnetwork.org)

Chair, Canadian Network for Health Behavior Change (CAN-Change: www.can-change.ca)

Member, College of the Royal Society of Canada

Dr. Vincent Gosselin-Boucher, MSc, PhD

Adjunct professor/professeur associé | département des sciences de l'activité physique Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)
Scientist in residence/Scientifique en résidence | Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux du Québec (MSSS)

Vincent Gosselin Boucher is an adjunct professor in the Department of Physical Activity Sciences at the Université du Québec à Montréal. He holds a Ph.D. in Psychology and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of British Columbia’s School of Kinesiology. His research focuses on behaviour change, population health promotion, and digital health technologies. He specializes in developing and evaluating training programs in health promotion and behaviour change, designing tools for health assessment and monitoring, and exploring the well-being of healthcare professionals. He is also interested in science communication, digital health, and combating misinformation. His goal is to make behavioural interventions and health promotion programs more accessible to the public.

Concurrent Workshop #2

Endoscopic Suturing

Workshop #2 Registration

Endobariatric Hands-on Workshop: Introduction to ESG and TORe Procedures

4 stations: Max 12 participants
Room: York A/B

Presenters

Dr. Andras Fecso, MD, PhD, FRCSC

Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery; Therapeutic Endoscopy - University Health Network
Surgeon Investigator - The Institute of Education Research, University Health Network
Assistant Professor - Department of Surgery, University of Toronto
Associate Faculty - Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto

Dr. Andras B. Fecso, MD, PhD, FRCSC, FACS completed his medical school at the George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Targu-Mures, Romania.

After completing his postgraduate training in general surgery at the University of Toronto, he subsequently completed fellowship training in Minimally Invasive & Bariatric Surgery and Therapeutic Endoscopy at University of Toronto. He obtained a PhD degree in surgical education, at the Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto.

He is a Surgeon Investigator at the Institute of Education Research; an Assistant Professor at University of Toronto; the Endoscopy Education Lead at the Temerty Advanced Surgical Education & Simulation Centre at the Michener Institute; an Associate Faculty at the Institute of Medical Science.

His clinical interest focuses on minimally invasive foregut surgery, luminal therapeutic and bariatric endoscopy. His academic and research interest is in education and innovation in the field of surgical and bariatric endoscopy.

Dr. Fecso has established and leading the first academic endobariatric program in Canada, at University Health Network, which embraces the expertise of a multidisciplinary team to offer a personalized, patient centered care.

Dr. Radu Pescarus, MD, FRCSC, Conference Chair

Foregut and Bariatric Surgery
Hôpital Sacré-Coeur de Montréal
Assistant Professor, Université de Montréal

After completing a Bachelor of Science in Biology at McGill University, Dr. Pescarus continued his medical studies at the University of Montreal. He pursued his general surgery training in the hospitals of the University of Montreal, followed by a one-year fellowship in Bariatric and Minimally Invasive Surgery at McMaster University. Subsequently, he underwent a second clinical fellowship in Portland, USA to further his knowledge of esophago-gastric surgery as well as advanced gastrointestinal therapeutic endoscopy.

Upon his return to Quebec, he joined the surgery department of the Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal and is currently an Associate Professor at Université de Montréal. His clinical practice specializes in minimally invasive bariatric surgery, foregut surgery, as well as gastrointestinal therapeutic endoscopy, including third space endoscopic procedures.

Dr Pescarus is currently the Vice-President of CABPS and the 2024 Canadian Obesity Weekend Program Chair. He is equally involved with the clinical and research training of international bariatric surgery fellows, as well as senior residents during their minimally-invasive surgery rotation every year. His academic interests include clinical outcomes research in revisional bariatric surgery and the endoscopic treatment of upper gastrointestinal surgical complications.