Our VisionExcellent health care close to home for all rural Canadians. | Our MissionChampioning rural generalist medical care through education, collaboration, advocacy and research. |
Treasurer
Dr. Gavin Parker - BSc, MSc (Med. Ed.), M.D., CCFP (FPA), FRRMS
Pincher Creek, AB
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Dr. 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.
Secretary
Dr. Elaine Blau - MD CCFP FCFP FRRMS
Tobermory , ON
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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 - MD MClSc FCFP FRRMS
Salt Spring Island, BC
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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 - B.A&Sc(Hon) CCFP FCFP FFRMS
Assistant professor Queens, Lecturer UofT, NOSM
Port Perry, ON
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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.
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!