Our VisionExcellent health care close to home for all rural Canadians. | Our MissionChampioning rural generalist medical care through education, collaboration, advocacy and research. |
About the Society
The Society of Rural Physicians of Canada (SRPC) is the national voice of Canadian rural physicians. Founded in 1992, the SRPC’s mission is to provide leadership for rural physicians and to promote sustainable conditions and equitable health care for rural communities.
On behalf of its members and the Canadian public, SRPC performs a wide variety of functions, such as developing and advocating health delivery mechanisms, supporting rural doctors and communities in crisis, promoting and delivering continuing rural medical education, encouraging and facilitating research into rural health issues, and fostering communication among rural physicians and other groups with an interest in rural health care.
The SRPC is a voluntary professional organization with over 3,000 members representing rural physicians in Canada's 5 regional divisions spanning the country.
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President
Past-President
Dr. Tom Smith Windsor BSC MD CCFP FCFP FRRMS
Prince Albert, SK
E-mail
Has provided medical services to the First Nations Community of Montreal Lake since 1991. In 1999, he began serving as a civil aviation medical examiner with Transport Canada and a medical examiner with Immigration Canada. Dr Smith-Windsor has now retired after 26 years of practice at the Associate Medical Clinic in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, but continues to provide service once weekly at a nearby First Nation. He is also currently working as Associate Dean, Distributed Medical Education, U of S.
Dr Smith-Windsor is credited for leading the development of a successful rural family medicine resident training program in Prince Albert that also teaches enhanced surgical skills—a first in Canada. Dr Smith-Windsor has served on many national and provincial committees focused on rural medicine and rural medical education. Currently, he participates as a member of Advancing Rural Family Medicine: The Canadian Collaborative Taskforce, a CFPC and Society of Rural Physicians of Canada initiative.
Treasurer
Dr. Gabe Woollam
Happy Valley Goose Bay, NL
E-mail
Secretary
Dr. Elaine Blau MD CCFP FCFP FRRMS
Tobermory , ON
E-mail
Dr. Blau is a proud U of S alumnus ('91), rural doc, assistant clinical professor, McMaster Dept of Fam Med and SRPC member. From 1994-2015 she spent 10 years in comprehensive rural practice, 5 years at McMaster in teaching practice then 6 years rural locums including work in ON & Inuvik, NWT. From 2004-2016 she was Rural Residency Director at McMaster, instituting a SIM med day annually for rural residents and successfully doubling rural residency CaRMS spots over that period while building, supporting and encouraging rural faculty teaching within that program. She has been back living rurally since 2015, enjoying rural generalist clinical practice and teaching on the beautiful Bruce Peninsula where she is also Grey Bruce Health Services Rural Medical Staff President for 5 rural hospitals. Since residency, she has been a member of various CFPC committees on family medicine rural curriculum and competencies, involved in program evaluations & accreditation. Dr. Blau is currently privileged to be part of the new OCFP Rural Expert Panel/Steering Committee for Rural Medicine that will combine CPD and mentorship networks for rural docs. She is doing her best to sit at local, provincial and national tables to make a difference for rural communities where possible while enjoying life with her lovely husband Brian who works for Parks Canada. She is sustained and guided by their dog Thurman, enjoys photography, hiking, kayaking and paddle-boarding from her front doorstep.
Member-at-Large
Dr. Stefan Grzybowski
Salt Spring Island, BC
E-mail
Stefan Grzybowski practiced as a family physician for twelve years on the Queen Charlotte Islands/ Haida Gwaii. After moving to Vancouver in 1994 he worked at the Three Bridges Health Centre an inner city clinic until 2006. He currently provides part time rural locum services and is active in the SRPC, RCCbc, and the Division of rural and remote Family Practice. He is interested in health services research and is a Professor at the University of British Columbia’s Department of Family Practice. His current research is focused on studying the sustainability of rural health services with the goal of improving health services for rural people and their communities. He has also had a long term commitment to building research capacity through strategies to support clinical investigators in family medicine.
Member-at-Large
Dr. Merrilee Brown
Port Perry, ON
E-Mail
Merrilee Brown is a Family Physician who has worked in Port Perry for over 20 years. She continues to deliver babies, do consult palliative care, do walk-in clinic and ER shifts, OR assist, as well as office & retirement home. She is a self described teaching mercenary who has appointments at UofT, Queens and NOSM. She is on the OCFP Rural Expert Panel for the Rural Mentorship Integration Network and the CAEP Rural Section. She is happily married with two teenagers and a goofy Golden Doodle. She plays a mean French Horn, sings in a chamber choir and loves to ski, hike and cook for large numbers of people.
Member-at-Large
Dr. Gavin Parker
Pincher Creek, AB
E-Mail
Gavin Parker is a full scope rural family physician and GP-Anesthetist that has practiced in Pincher Creek for over a decade. He is the father of three wonderful children and husband to even more wonderful wife Jennifer. He has chaired numerous national medical educational conferences, has obtained an M.Sc. in medical education, and holds a position as Assistant Professor with the University of Calgary. He serves his community through positions such as medical director for the visitor safety program in Waterton Lakes National Park and Castle Mountain Ski Resort, is vice chair of the St. Michael's School Council, and Jennifer and Gavin run the Barracuda Judo club in town. He hold black belts in karate and judo, enjoys golf and soccer, and is proud of the medical team in his community.
To contact any of our Regional Representatives, please send your email to info@srpc.ca |
To contact any of our Standing Committee representatives, please send your email to info@srpc.ca |
Anesthesia Canadian Journal of Rural Medicine Communications Emergency Enhanced Surgical Skills (ESS) First Year in Practice Indigenous Health International Maternal and Newborn Care Nominations and Awards | Research Resident Committee Rural and Remote Planning Committee Rural Critical Care (RCC) Rural Road Map Implementation Specialists Student Committee |
Officers of the society are elected as per the bylaws at the annual meeting. Other volunteers from across the country help to make the work of the Society of Rural Physicians happen. These are your contact people. Please pass information, questions and problems through them for discussion at our monthly teleconference. The outcome will come back to you via the rural news, this website, the RuralMed mailing list, or directly via your representative. We can always use more manpower and ideas. If you have feel you have something to contribute, let us know!