Rewards

...in the beginning it was the work that kept me going (back) and now it's the people that keep me going.

- Dr Naseem Janmohamed

I feel that the logistical support we have here has grown out of a culture of humanity. It feels like a very humane place to work

- Dr. Chris Giles

Why practice family medicine in the Sioux Lookout Zone?

Variety and challenge. The challenge of geography and of medicine practiced at a distance. The chance to make a difference. The opportunity to work in a team and maximize professional skills. A medical career that's truly out of the ordinary.

Broad-Spectrum Medicine

Zone doctors take on new professional challenges every day. Meeting these challenges gives them the satisfaction that comes from knowing they are providing the best quality health care possible despite the odds. And there is never a dull moment. From obstetrics to trauma, from chronic disease to wellness care, Zone docs meet it all on a daily basis. As one Zone doctor puts it, "If I stayed here for another 10 years, I don't think I'd ever get bored." Interest in the medicine and feeling right to be at least a small part of the solution to the big health problems people face in northern communities. These are the rewards of the work.

A Sense of Community

There is the appeal of working as a member of a community of professionals. Zone physicians have reframed the idea of primary care. They are usually not the entry point for service but are, rather active members of a team of community health care professionals - nurse practitioners, community health representatives, mental health counsellors - working together to ensure seamless patient care. There is access to specialist services through visiting physicians or via telehealth and long distance phone, but Zone doctors enjoy a growing sense of community-created health solutions.

Hooked on the People

Patient and Doctor Much of their medicine is done at a distance, but Zone doctors still count the contact with the people in the communities they serve as a significant reward of their jobs. For them it is a privilege getting to know their patients and coming to understand the realities of life in a remote First Nations community in Northern Ontario. It takes awhile to connect with them but once they do, it's easy to be "hooked"on the people.

A learning environment

Zone doctors become part of a stimulating learning environment. They learn from and support each other as they stay up-to-date on everything from smoking cessation to cardiac arrest. They value mentoring because they are passionate about the need for exposure to health issues of the people of the area. At the same time Zone docs feel they are richer because of their exposure to the Ojibway, Oji-Cree and Cree people of the area learning about and from them.

An elder, a cancer patient, came here for palliative care and stayed in the hospital until she died... Sometimes there would be as many as fifty family and community members in the room with her - singing hymns, praying, drinking tea, visiting, having sharing circles and celebrating her life. It was dying but there was so much joy. It's really a privilege to be involved with that.

Last week I saw two elders whom I had never seen before, one of whom was in her mid 90's and the picture of health...she is a person who relies on her traditional knowledge and was very suspicious of doctors and of the nursing station. It was a privilege to meet her and to reassure her that I'd like to see her more often, not to impose a lot of medicines but rather to work with her, to learn from her about how she had kept her health and to answer questions she might have about how we could help her in a way that is accessible to her to stay healthy.

Sioux Lookout Zone Family Physicians