Dr. Rogan Thavarajah talks with Dr. Adam Paarlberg about his journey moving from the United States to Canada (White Rock-South Surrey, British Columbia) to work as a Family Physician at a clinic.At 22 minutes Dr. Paarlberg talks about the differences in pay.At 40 minutes Dr. Paarlberg talks about the processes and paperwork involved with the move (and his drive with his family from Indianna to British Columbia).Who is Andrea that Dr. Thavarajah mentions a few times? Andrea McCorkell is our Physician Recruiting Manager and can be reached at amccorkell@wrssdivision.ca.
In this podcast, Dr. Rogan Thavarajah has a conversation with Dr. Arjun Odedra about why he and his family chose to move from the United Kingdom to White Rock-South Surrey, British Columbia (BC), Canada. Arjun talks about the benefits of being a family physician and how he loves the natural beauty in BC. In the podcast, you'll hear what steps are involved in becoming a family physician in BC which in Arjun's case was a year from decision to practicing in White Rock-South Surrey.
Host, Dr. Rogan Thavarajah, talks with Dr. Sharon Wang about her journey from Ontario to White Rock-South Surrey. Sharon finished her Residency in Ontario and then decided to move with her family and is now a Locum. Hear about her journey and why she enjoys being a Locum and living in the West of Canada.
I sat down with George Passmore, for the latest Real Conversations with Rogan podcast. George is an Executive Director with Sources Community Resources. Time marks for topics in this 1 hour, 26 minute podcast: Beginning to 32 minutes - About Sources programs and growth to 400 employees, 300 volunteers, and 40 programs 32 minutes - George’s journey to counselling and sharing heartfelt personal stories 42 minutes - what family physicians can do to help with mental health journeys 56 minutes - counselling philosophy and outcomes 1 hour, 6 minutes - societal and individual challenges with male populations and some of the root causes 1 hour, 13 minutes - George’s first “gig” at the age of 27 co-facilitating group therapy at a correctional facility with adult male sex offenders
I had the privilege of talking to Dr. Debra Harper about the Opioid Agonist Treatment in White Rock-South Surrey–why physicians such as Debra get involved, how it began, clients, and what’s needed for recovery. Not surprisingly, housing and safety are the biggest barriers to recovery.
In the latest episode of Real Conversations with Rogan podcast (see links below), I speak with Dr. Pritam (Preet) Brar, Family Physician Lead for our Primary Care Network (PCN). In an honest and philosophical discussion, Preet shares his passion to serve and his desire to improve healthcare in our community, as well as the challenges of taking on a leadership role in our community.Despite Preet's unflattering description of his work as sometimes feeling like a Sisyphean task, I believe that we have indeed got that rock near to the top of that mountain with 99% of our clinics joining our PCN. We are hearing so many positive words from Family Physicians who are in the PCN and how patients are benefitting from the work of the PCN clinicians.
Host, Dr. Rogan Thavarajah speaks to Dr. Grace Park, in a packed episode covering the early days of the Peace Arch Hosptial maternity clinic, founding of the White Rock-South Surrey Division of Family Practice and her ongoing work as Regional Head for Home Health and her work with social prescribing for seniors.
In this month's Real Conversations podcast, host Dr. Rogan Thavarajah speaks with Dr. Manpreet (Micky) Cooner, Physician Lead for Office Supports at the White Rock-South Surrey Division of Family Practice and Family Physician at Hilltop Medical Clinic. We talk about her passion for medical education and teaching; and as mutual Brexitters reflect on the idiosyncratic UK medical system.
Dr. Purkis has had a varied career, being our first full time ER doc and Department Head at Peace Arch Hospital. He has attended five Winter Olympics as the medical doctor for the Canadian Freestyle Skiing Team. He was involved with Dr. Perold's missions in Liberia and with Baraka and continues to serve our community through his involvement with Move for Life.
When I arrived in BC some 7 years ago, I took over the practice of a certain Dr. Bob Cheyne. It was a busy practice and he was much loved by his patients. He was and still is known for his willingness to do pretty much anything to support his colleagues whenever they needed a hand. He was a popular figure with his dry humour. All this I knew of Dr Cheyne. But what I didn't know was how much Bob had contributed to the history of our medical community both locally and provincially. I didn't know that he served as the head of many different hospital departments; that he had worked for Doctors of BC for many years.
Dr. Pritam Brar was the guest host and interviewed the "real" host, his esteemed colleague, and good friend, Dr. Rogan Thavarajah. Rogan has an exceptional life story--his upbringing in the UK, his journey to medicine that took him to many far flung places around the world, and some of the pivotal moments in his life that would eventually forge a path from Sudan to Canada.
Dr. Toma Timothy works at West Coast Medical and is a member of the Tla'amin First Nation. He grew up on a reserve in Powell River and speaks candidly about his father’s experiences in residential school and of how he survived these experiences and went on to rediscover his culture as a traditional carver, a journey that Toma himself has started upon. Toma works with Vancouver Coastal and rural communities to help bring about cultural awareness and change in healthcare.
As family physicians I believe we are drawn to our work through our love of diversity and variety in our lives. New and varied experiences keep us young and helps slow down the short time we have in this world. This love of variety is something that appears to be a common theme amongst family doctors I have spoken to, extending well beyond medicine and is embodied by Dr. George Francis. I like to think that I have fingers in many different pies but struggle to compete with Dr. Francis' variety of interests. From aspirations of becoming a priest to medicine and art, gardening, rural practice to his work as the lead for Mental Health in the PCN, Dr. Francis packs a lot in.
Host, Dr. Rogan Thavarajah, talks with Dr. Tahmeena Ali about creativity and medicine, benefits of trauma informed care, power of unity for positive change in health care, adversarial versus collaborative cultures in health policy, and her role as President-Elect with BC Family of Doctors. Rogan knew her as his predecessor as the Chair of the White Rock-South Surrey Division of Family Practice and in this conversation found her personal story and dedication to raising awareness around adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to be deeply humbling. Rogan says "Of course with a person as dynamic as Tahmeena there is always a lot to talk about; writing her novel, her work in rural medicine and her journey as a leader."
With Dr Ramneek Dosanjh, President of Doctors of BC. Rummy worked in our community as a family physician and then as a hospitalist at Peace Arch Hospital. She served on the WRSS Division of Family Practice Board for four years before becoming President of BC Family Doctors. Rummy speaks openly about her own medical challenges, and of her experiences of disability. But most of all she speaks with passion about advocacy, and of her mission to try and change our flawed healthcare system. With the challenges that we and our patients face, this is a passion we need. With PMA negotiations ongoing Rummy wants to hear our opinions and views. Please email Rummy at president@doctorsofbc.ca.
A conversation with Dr. Liz Varughese about her family’s journey to White Rock-South Surrey and her work with Baraka community partnerships in Zambia.
Next to a wood fire and with a beer in hand, I listened as Dr. Charles King recounted his truly remarkable career. It was a story of how our community was founded from humble beginnings by family physicians. Family physicians who manned everything from maternity, to anaesthetics to the emergency department at Peace Arch Hospital. The story of how a small single doctor practice became Crescent Beach Medical practice and of how our community started one of the first Divisions of Family Practice in BC. As the interview hit 50 minutes and I considered ending it, I was drawn in once more by his passion for his life long anti-nuclear advocacy.
During my podcast conversation with Dr. Susan Lee, we talk about the Pathways Referral Tracker project. I found this an inspiring conversation about how as physicians we can make change happen in our healthcare system, that solutions can be formed through our leadership, both personal and collaborative. I was inspired by the ownership that Dr. Lee took of a problem that affected us in all our offices. It is a great example of how the Division and its members can solve a local problem that ultimately leads to province wide change.
Dr. Rogan Thavarajah interviews Dr. Kasandra Harriman, a family physician and maternity doctor at the Peace Arch Hospital Maternity Unit, about her passion for her work there.
Dr. Rogan Thavarajah interviews Dr. Lourens Perold about his time in Liberia working as a physician.