About Creating Space, CAHH’s Annual Conference

Conference Tone

The Canadian annual national conference in Health Humanities, called "Creating Space" brings together scholars, teachers, clinicians, artists and their respective students. The meeting is held in a different city each year, typically close to the International Congress on Academic Medicine (formerly Canadian Conference in Medical Education). It attracts speakers and participants from across the many fields that form Health Humanities from Canada and internationally. Founded in 2010, it is designed to be highly interactive and interdisciplinary. Sessions take many forms – formal papers, panels, workshops, performances, installations and posters – and are designed to encourage fervent, critical dialogue and collaboration. Networking opportunities are encouraged and the registration pricing allows those with limited means the chance to attend.

CAHH takes responsibility for the conference series but each Creating Space is unique because it is planned by a local Health Humanities leaders. This shared accountability model has resulted in a richly varied and engaging set of conferences.


Peterkin Brett-MacLean Student Prize

The Peterkin Brett-MacLean Prize for best student presentation was created to encourage student involvement. Consisting of a certificate and a prize of $500, it honours the contributions of Drs. Allan Peterkin (University of Toronto) and Pamela Brett-MacLean (University of Alberta) as founders of the conference series.

This award is presented by CAHH to a student (undergraduate or graduate) or resident whose oral presentation/paper, poster, performance, installation, or other contribution at Creating Space is judged to be the best.

Eligibility criteria:

  • The abstract must be accepted and subsequently presented at Creating Space.

  • The primary submitter must be a CAHH member and be a registered student (undergraduate, or graduate), resident or fellow at the time the contribution is presented (a copy of the student card or other evidence of learner status must be provided to meet this requirement).

  • Submissions that are co-written or co-developed with other learners are eligible. Submissions co-written/developed with a faculty member are not eligible. The cash award is to be shared among co-contributors, if applicable.

  • Submissions will only be considered if the primary submitter has NOT previously received the award in the past two years.


Annual General Meeting

An integral part of Creating Space is the Annual General Meeting of the Canadian Association for Health Humanities. The AGM includes reports from the Executive and Advisory Council including a report of the budget and auditor’s report. It allows members an opportunity to vote on topics important to the development of the organization, such as electing new members for open positions on the Executive and Advisory Council from those nominated before or at the AGM. Members may also raise any other issue of importance to them. Robert’s Rules of Order are used.