Council Award
Port Colborne FP
presented with
Council Award
Dr. Amanda Bell
photo: D.W. Dorken
A
Port Colborne family physician was
recently presented with a Council Award
for her outstanding work as a doctor,
teacher, mentor and community leader.
Dr. Amanda Bell runs a full spectrum family practice with special interest in adolescent health, women’s
health and sexual health. She is also an assistant professor at McMaster’s medical school.
Dr. Bell grew up in Ottawa and obtained her
medical degree in 1998 from McMaster University.
After completing her residency in family medicine
(rural stream) at the University of Ottawa, she set up
practice in Port Colborne, where she rapidly became
an integral part of the community.
She has been praised for her compassionate nature,
investment in her patients’ health and determination
when advocating on their behalf.
“She is the rare combination of funny and approachable, conscientious and thorough, and evidence-based
and patient-centred that immediately puts patients at
ease and earns their trust,” said one former medical
student of Dr. Bell’s. “I am so grateful that Dr. Bell was
my introduction to medicine and I hope that one day
that I can do for someone else what Dr. Bell had done
for me.”
Dr. Bell has also gained recognition for her expertise
in adolescent health care issues. She has worked with
teenagers with eating disorders and has promoted sexual
health among adolescents by serving as a clinical consult
with the local public health department. She is a vocal
advocate for expanded services for adolescents and has
led workshops and presentations to students, teachers,
parenting groups and community organizations on the
myriad of issues facing adolescents. In 2011, her efforts
were recognized by the College of Family Physicians of
Canada when it presented Dr. Bell with the Daniel Glazier Award on Adolescent Mental Health and Substance
Abuse.
Recently, we spoke to Dr. Bell about her life and
work.
What attracted you to family medicine?
I always had a vision of being a small town family doctor.
I liked the idea of being part of a community; of building
relationships, having a meaningfu