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Why do I Teach Family Medicine?
By: Dr. Kathryn McFarland
I have been in private General Practice in Ottawa since 1992 in Blackburn Hamlet after graduating from the University of Toronto and completing my Rotating Internship at the University of Ottawa. I am a member of Connexion FHT and involved in a full time practice, run a monthly Memory Loss clinic with the team and spend one day a week working as Clinical Liaison for the FHT. I was also a Surgical Assistant for 6 years with the Orthopaedics Department at the Civic Hospital.
Training in Toronto was very intense and alienating and I remember barely having any personal moments with my Preceptors, certainly no one ever mentored me – something I vowed to change if I ever worked with students in my career. I didn't decide on Family Medicine – I think it found me – I was going to be a surgeon but wanted to take a year off and do locums in FM. I realized then that this specialty allowed me to pursue my special interests and develop a long-term relationship with patients. The latter is what I think has made me more effective clinically.

I have been teaching at uOttawa as a Clinical Preceptor for about 6 years with first, second, third and fourth-year students. It has been very fulfilling to see the same student transform from an eager and keen first year to an efficient and pensive fourth year. This year I also started with Paediatric Residents from CHEO as well. I have the younger students in for 4 afternoons and seniors full time for a variety of lengths from 2 to 5 weeks.
Teaching allows me to slow things down in my day and re-focus on why I chose Medicine. Students challenge me - they open my mind to new ideas and approaches with my patients. I think I learn more from them some days! I have noticed over the years that my patients enjoy the opportunity to have a turn at greeting a new face and have really opened up to them, encouraged and mentored them in their own unique way.
I would encourage other Physicians to consider teaching. It is part of the Pay it Forward philosophy – and if we want Physicians with Humanity we first have to take time to remind them of what a privilege it is to have been chosen to be a MD and show them compassion, gentle direction and reinforce that this special Professional Community we all belong to is there to support them throughout their career.