Education Committee Chair of PAMA, the Performing Arts Medicine Association, Dr. Kat Cottrell joins Alexa this week. Kat is a pianist, flautist, and percussionist turned GP and now cares for performing artists at the Musicians Clinics of Canada, supporting them with both mental and physical challenges related to their profession. Kat is here to discuss PAMA and is bringing us news of the PAMAthon, a free 24-hour event on the 9th of September.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Join the PAMAthon! On September 9-10 PAMA hosted the inaugural PAMAthon, a 24hr virtual gathering of all those involved in the care of performing artists. It is a collection of panels, presentations, and networking events, with specific sessions for vocalists and those who support vocalists either as educators or health care providers. Come and join the party, it’s free! Register here: artsmed.org/events/the-pamathon
• PAMA is an organisation of dedicated medical professionals, artists, educators, and administrators with the common goal of improving the health care of the performing artist. 
• The goal of PAMAthon is to connect all those involved with performing arts medicine around the world, and ensure they have an opportunity to participate at some point during their weekend hours, no matter what their time zone or income is. 
• The PAMAthon will consist of a mixture of panels, presentations, keynotes and networking opportunities. There will be opportunities based upon performing arts discipline and professional specialty, as well as sessions aimed at all participants.

BEST MOMENTS

‘PAMA really believes that we can’t help performers unless we include everyone in the team’
‘We though how can we come together and share information to change the world’
‘We offer a fair amount of things for free because we’re aware of the financial troubles in the world today’

EPISODE RESOURCES 

Website:

• Musicians Clinics of Canada: musiciansclinicsofcanada.com
• PAMA: artsmed.org

Social Media: 

• Handles: @pamassoc & @musiciansclinic

Relevant Links & Mentions: 

• Names mentioned: Dr Hara Trouli; Claire Cordeaux; Dr Finola Ryan; Dr Lucina Halstead
• University College London Performing Arts Medicine MSc: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/taught-degrees/performing-arts-medicine-msc
• BAPAM (British Association of Performing Arts Medicine): www.bapam.org.uk
• The Health and Wellbeing of Professional Musicians and Music Creators in the EU: op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/35056e64-922f-11ed-b508-01aa75ed71a1/language-en
• The Voice Foundation: voicefoundation.org
• Collegium Medicorum Theatri: comet-collegium.com
• British Voice Association (BVA): britishvoiceassociation.org.uk

ABOUT THE GUEST 

Dr. Kat Cottrell attended the Junior Royal Northern College of Music growing up, playing piano, percussion, and flute. Great joy came from accompanying choirs over the years. She studied medicine at Imperial College London for its proximity to the Royal College of Music and Royal Albert Hall. After working in the UK for a couple of years she discovered the Musicians’ Clinics of Canada based near Toronto, creating a new dream of moving to Canada. As a GP in Canada, she is now privileged enough to care for performing artists at the Musicians’ Clinics of Canada, supporting them with both mental and physical challenges related to their profession. She is also a Board Member and Education Committee Chair of the Performing Arts Medicine Association (PAMA), an international organisation made up of medical professionals, artists, educators, and administrators all working to improve the healthcare of performing artists.