I am honoured and excited to be elected as the 2024 President-Elect for Doctors of BC. I am dedicated to representing the needs of the physician community, specialists and family doctors alike. Our collective wellbeing is crucial for a well-functioning, equitable and effective health care system. 

As a family physician who has worked in both community and facility settings for the past 27 years, I bring to the table diverse clinical and leadership experiences from longitudinal full-service family practice, obstetrics, long-term, and acute care, COVID, vaccine and virtual clinics. Like you, I have felt both the joys of our vocation and the struggles we face as physicians. I, too, know the moral distress and overwhelming fatigue caused by administrative burdens and the frustrations of striving to do your best amidst a complex and under-resourced health care system. Despite these hurdles, I have witnessed the enormous impact we, as the doctors of BC, have on the lives of our patients and our profession. 

What I want you to know about me is that I am a person of action and determination. I am energized by the opportunity to right a wrong in the system and am tenacious and resilient enough to make positive change.

This perseverance was evident when I led the negotiations and multi-stakeholder development of Burnaby’s Primary Care Networks, one of the first PCNs in BC, where physician-led teams provide much needed mental health, social work, and other services. I also led the development of Burnaby’s New Immigrant clinic, which provides holistic and culturally safe care to vulnerable refugees and new immigrants.

We are all struggling to provide quality care to the people of our province. While this past year has seen some impressive progress on new billing models and team-based care, we see the effects of long wait-times and the over one million British Columbians without a family doctor. This shortage of primary care affects us all, as we endeavor to meet B.C. patient needs, by the right provider, at the right time. I am passionate about collaborating with my specialist and family medicine colleagues to enable positive healthcare reform, with a particular focus on championing physician-led team-based care and upholding the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion.

I will continue to listen to and amplify our collective voice, advocating for policies that support our profession. I will work tirelessly towards a fair, accessible healthcare system that puts patients and families first. I value honesty, open communication, and real partnerships. By working together with healthcare leaders and policymakers, we will tackle our profession’s challenges, ensure accountability, and create lasting solutions for everyone in British Columbia. 

Leadership, I believe, is not only about guiding the organization towards its objectives but also about fostering unity and empowerment among its members. I have a proven track record of bringing diverse groups together, fostering dialogue, and finding common ground to drive progress. I am committed to ensuring that every physician voice is heard, respected, and valued.