Dialogue Volume 14 Issue 3 2018 | Page 14

COUNCIL AWARD
You have developed a passion for palliative care . What makes this type of medicine unique ? Surprisingly , palliative care has the potential for a lot of success . When you are part of a palliative care team , you enter a situation that is often fraught with anxiety and questions about existential matters . The goals of palliative care are different from other areas of medicine as the focus is not on crisis management or saving lives . Instead , the goal is to help normalize the situation for patients and families and walk them through the experience . You can do so much when the goals of care are changed and it can make such a difference to families when you help turn a terrible situation into something manageable .
What are the major barriers to physicians choosing a career in rural medicine ? One of the main barriers is visibility – many places just don ’ t have the public profile that makes a move to their community intuitive . If not for my wife , who grew up close to Barry ’ s Bay , I would not be living here today . I take on as many medical residents as I can in order to get more exposure for my region . Family factors can also present a significant barrier , so when a community is courting a potential new physician , you have to take into account the broader needs of their family , such as schools and social activities . For example , physicians ’ spouses are often concerned about the portability of their own careers . We make a point of introducing spouses to local people in similar professions to foster an understanding of living and working in our community .
You are a prolific user of social media as a tool to promote healthy living . How does social media help you connect with your patients ? I have a medical practice Facebook page . At first , I used it to announce simple things such as office hours , vacation closures and the like . Then I put up information about the availability of flu shots and it started to snowball into more general health and lifestyle advice . The reception has been good and has led to another level of engagement with my patients and the broader community . I think it ’ s important to do what I can to break down barriers between doctors and the public as that can make it easier for them to have uncomfortable discussions with me . Health advocacy , in general , is an important part of my role so I also use traditional media such as radio and community newspapers to talk about health-care issues such as the importance of getting your annual flu shot . I also visit schools to talk with students about mental health , addiction and healthy eating .
What advice do you give to physicians considering a career in rural medicine ? When I found Barry ’ s Bay , my wife and I spent time getting a feel for the place . Almost instantly , we could picture ourselves living here : working , shopping in the streets and raising a family . And when I met with people in the medical community , I felt a great ‘ family ’ vibe amongst all of them . So , I tell physicians thinking about a move to rural Ontario to do their research and find a community in which they can fully immerse themselves . If you do that , then the rewards just keep coming back . It ’ s worth it to pick the right community – one that you can love and will love you back . MD
14
DIALOGUE ISSUE 3 , 2018