Drafted by Dr. Kun-Young Sohn, CACB Secretary
The CACB Winter Board Meeting was heldin Toronto, ON on February 8, 2025. The followingis a summary of the discussion.
Report from the CACB Chair – Dr. Isolde Seiden Long
Regulation of the Profession and Advocacy Subcommittee updates
The Committee has held several meetings in 2024, including in September and January. A feature on its activities appeared in the July 2024 issue of CSCC News.
Ongoing activities
The Chair thanked Dana Nyholt, CACB vice chair, and Valerie Olteanu from Head Office for their ongoing support. The CACB-OCQ spring meeting is set for April 2025 to strengthen collaboration and harmonization efforts. Stay tuned for more updates.
Report from the Secretary– Dr. Kun-Young Sohn
The Boardapproved to accept eight new Fellows and approved transfer of three Fellows to Emeritus Fellows and the resignation of one Fellow. As of January 30, 2025, a total of 231 Fellows were registered (4 Founding Fellows, 67 Emeritus Fellows and 160 Fellows).
Report from the Treasurer‘s Report – Dr. Saranya Arnoldo
The Treasurer reported the financial statements for the period of Jan 1–Dec 31, 2025. The Treasurer noted that budgeted expenses for Board meetings, Certification, and Awards were higher for 2025 due to the annual conference being held this year in Chicago.
Report from the Maintenance of Competence Committee – Dr. Ihssan Bouhtiauy
Membership
The MOC Committee is still seeking a bilingual (English-French) member to support SQBC and ABCQ conference accreditation. If interested, please contact the MOC Chair or Head Office with suggestions or expressions of interest.
Accreditation
Seven meetings were accredited in 2024:
- Alberta Society for Human Toxicology AGM, March 1-2
- CSCC-SQBC Joint Annual Scientific Meeting, June 16-19
- IATDMCT International Congress, September 14-18
- Ontario Society of Clinical Chemistry (OSCC) ASM (joint with IQMH), October 10
- 44ème Session de formation continue de l’ABCQ, October 8-11
- Alberta Society of Clinical Chemists (ASCC) AGM, October 18-19
- BC Section Travelling Lecturer and Invited Speaker, October 21
PD Audit
All 20 Fellows who were audited passed the audit – 17 on the first pass, 3 on the second pass (second pass requires the auditee to submit additional supporting documentation).
PD Program Non-Compliance
Four Fellows remain non-compliant, with follow-ups in progress. New online reminders improved PD credit submissions. Free Education Roundtables and IFCC webinars (Category 1 credits) support Fellows in meeting requirements.
Online PD certificates
The MOC approved a move to online PD certificates for member convenience and for sustainability. An announcement was distributed to Fellows via the CSCC ListServ. Feedback from Fellows has been positive. Fellows can access and download their 2024 PD certificate on the Certificates History tab in the Members Only section of the website.
Report from the Training Program Accreditation Committee – Dr. Vilte Barakauskas
Announcements
Heather Paul is the new co-director of the University of Calgary Training Program, replacing Dr. Hossein Sadrzadeh, who has retired. Fahed Elian has joined TPAC as the Trainee Representative. TPAC seeks a new member-at-large, preferably bilingual, to assist with accreditation and a call for candidates may go out via ListServ.
Pre-Site Visit Questionnaire
The assessors for the University of Montreal training program provided feedback on the TPAC pre-site visit questionnaire, specifically prompts for additional information which could be helpful for the assessment. These suggestions were incorporated into the questionnaire, and the revised document has been circulated for TPAC member feedback. The final document will be presented at the next CACB Board meeting for review/approval.
Syllabus Review
The revised syllabus is currently under review by TPAC, the Examinations Committee, and trainees. After feedback is incorporated, a French translation will be completed in February/March 2025, followed by OCQ review and wider membership consultation. Completion and publication is expected by late 2025. Implementation timelinesare being developed with TPAC consultation before being finalized by the Board.
Accreditation Standards
TPAC continues discussions on establishing formal accreditation standards for CACB training programs, with engagement from training directors. A working group will balance internal and external perspectives. The Board supports this initiative following the syllabus review. Discussions are ongoing to determine whether the pre-site visit questionnaire or accreditation standards should take priority. A detailed project plan is in development.
Report from the Credentials Committee – Dr. Marie-Hélène Levesque
Certification Applications (since June 2024)
Four certification applications were received and approved:
- University of Toronto (2)
- McMaster University (1)
- University of Calgary (1)
Fellowship Applications (since June 2024)
Nine Fellowship applications were received and approved:
- Route 1/CACB certification: 5
- Route 2/ OCQ certification: 1
- Route 4/DABCC certification: 3
Some Route 4 applicants have asked the Credentials Committee to review their CVs prior to submitting their applications. The Board reaffirmed that applications, along with the required fee, must be submitted directly to the Credentials Committee. If not approved for the oral exam, the exam fee will be refunded.
Remedial Training Applications (since June 2024)
No Remedial Training applications were received.
Committee membership
The committee remains unchanged with Marie-Hélène Levesque (Chair), Nadheige Lochard, and Nicole White-Al Habeeb. Dr. Lochard has been on indefinite leave since 2004, with Dr. Dana Nyholt temporarily filling her position.
Report from the Certification Committee – Dr. Dana Nyholt
CACB Oral Exam
The CACB Oral Exam was held in person from June 14-16, 2024, at the annual conference in Mont St-Anne, Quebec. Eight candidates participated, with six passing, achieving a 75% success rate. To address potential flight disruptions, the Exam Committee had a virtual examiner on standby, though their services were not needed this year. The Chair has contacted former CACB examiners to create a “standby examiner” list, providing details on the position and responsibilities.
CACB Written Exam
On November 4, 2024, five candidates challenged the CACB written exam, with three passing, showing a higher failure rate than in previous years. An audit based on training programs is underway, and a survey has been sent to candidates for feedback. To promote transparency, the written exam is reviewed with TPAC and Training Program Directors. A recommendation was made to include a request for accommodationssection on the CACB Certification application form.
CACB Exam Committee
The Certification Committee will resume monthly meetings in 2025 to develop oral and written exams, alongside finalizing multiple-choice questions for a November 2026 launch, in collaboration with OCQ.
Report from the Nominations and Awards Committee – Dr. Daniel Beriault
Nominations & Awards Committee members
The Committee comprises four members: Daniel Beriault (Chair), Ron Booth, Isolde Seiden Long, and Yu Chen.
CACB award for Outstanding Service to the Profession of Clinical Biochemistry
The winner of the 2025 Award will be announced shortly.