Message from the Department Head

Christmas day in healthcare is pretty much like any other day of the year. People get sick and professionals take care of them. If you are working over the holiday  then a special thanks to you. It is not easy juggling family and friends and their expectations with the pressure of call and patients. Hopefully you will manage the demands successfully and feel especially virtuous. That feeling of doing something worthwhile is important. When I discuss the career of a family physician with students I talk about the dividend we have as health care professionals in looking after people. For most of us it gives an additional meaning to our lives that is very positive. The same can be said of people who help train health care professionals such as the administrators in Terrace or Nanaimo who schedule undergraduates or residents rotas or the research coordinators helping the residents research projects. The department is made up of many groups of individuals who all contribute to the health of people in BC. Our programs have had, and continue to have, a major positive impact on the people of BC and you should feel justifiably proud of your contributions to that work.

Family practice often may feel like a poorer cousin compared to other health professionals but  that feeling is sometimes shared by other specialties. This week’s Christmas edition of the British Medicial Journal compared the intelligence and grip strength of orthopaedic surgeons and anaesthetists. Orthopaedic surgeons had a statistically significantly greater mean grip strength (47.25 (SD 6.95) kg) than anaesthetists (43.83 (7.57) kg). The mean intelligence test score of orthopaedic surgeons was also statistically significantly greater at 105.19 (10.85) compared with 98.38 (14.45) for anaesthetists. They concluded that orthopaedic surgeons have greater intelligence and grip strength than their male anaesthetic colleagues, who should find new ways to make fun of their orthopaedic friends.

I hope you enjoy your holiday and do not need the attention of either of these groups of respected colleagues if you are out skiing or enjoying other activities.

Martin