Thoughts on why I do what I do:
- Yes, I am a Rhodes Scholar who is "just" a Family Doctor. Here's why (August 2015): the stigma against family doctors/GPs is unfortunately still too prevalent today. Sometimes it's not even recognized by those who hold it. But it's not just unfair to family doctors, it's also bad for medical students and, ultimately, for patients. Family doctors are so much more than what they're thought to be, and they can do a lot of good for the world. Here's why.
- The College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) is Canada's only national family medicine representative body. It certifies thousands of family medicine trainees every year and ensures practicing family doctors remain comptenent after we graduate and throughout our careers. Despite all that it does already, I believe the CFPC still has so much unfulfilled potential to be the national advocate for family medicine in Canada. I also believe the CFPC can more prudently utilize hard-earned fees that members pay annually. So, in my 2nd year of practice, I decided to run for the CFPC Board of Directors in the 2019 national election - on a platform to increase CFPC's relevance for members. I was honored to have been elected to the Board by the CFPC membership. Now, as a Director, I strive to ensure all CFPC strategy is designed in the members' best interest.
Other thoughts:
- The Patient's Medical Home (PMH): An Updated Vision for Family Medicine (June 2019): Canada's population is changing - becoming older, and burdened more and more by chronic disease. Simultaneously, people's expectations of healthcare are changing, especially with more types of care providers available to help them (pharmacists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, social workers, psychologists, etc). In this changing landscape, the profession of family medicine must not only adapt, but lead. As Interim Chair of the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC)'s Patients Medical Home Steering Committee in 2018-2019, I wrote this peice about an updated vision for family medicine, published in the Medical Post.
- Tasting the Benefits of Reducing Food Waste (August 2015): My case for Canada to develop a national food waste reduction strategy, one that will save money for individuals and businesses, fight climate change, and cut down on hunger. I was quite surprised to see that the version the Herald published online did not include my original references. For a list of citations and bibliography, click here.
- March 2011: Saving money and solving the global food crisis at the same time? We can, by reducing and redirecting our food waste. (Before being published in the Queen's Journal, this article was entiled "Stop Foodling around!", which I still think is a much more appropriate name...)