Written by: Dr. Jovita Beyer
Hello, my name is Jovita Beyer and I am a full service family physician who works out of Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, and the Misericordia Hospital.
Recently, like most of us in family medicine, I have been feeling the moral distress of our profession. Demand from patients, the government, and our own selves has placed us in a situation with not a lot of hope.
FILLING MY CUP
I was recently on maternity leave and during that time, I was able to make it work to coach a high school rugby team. This is something I have not been able to do since medical school due to time constraints.
When I was in high school, my assistant rugby coach was a family doctor in my small town. He was the reason I chose to change my trajectory in undergraduate studies to try and get into medical school.
During my coaching this year, I was reminded why I love it so much. I got to interact with youth from the community in a positive and unassuming way, which allows me to be both a mentor to their sport and also their lives. They can be exposed to someone in family medicine and get to interact with me on a personal level (and not just because they are sick).
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Overall, even though it takes time away in the present moment from our job and current patients, being a family doctor involved in your community creates long term benefits. I am an example of that–having made this career choice based on the interactions with a mentor.
I realise this may come across as ANOTHER thing to add to your to do list–but I promise I’m not trying to say you have to coach an entire rugby team to make an impact. Chances are, you are already doing things, and I just want you to realise the butterfly effect you are having and get some hope from that. Maybe you teach medical students, and even though that is at work, you also support them on a personal level and make an impact on their lives forever. Maybe you donate to a local shelter, or maybe you shovel your neighbours driveway sometimes. Maybe you have a young babysitter who watches your children and thinks, “I’m going to do family medicine someday”.
Let us know what is filling your cup:
I see you giving your all everyday at work and in your community, and I thank you.
