Four decades of medicine. Four decades of leadership. One commitment.
Healthier Physicians + Healthier Canadians + A Sustainable Health Care System
Why I'm Here
I grew up in Montreal, studied at McGill, and earned my MD at Dalhousie in 1980. In 1982, I began practising family medicine in Liverpool, Nova Scotia, and I've been here ever since.
I chose medicine because I wanted to make a meaningful difference in people's lives. I wanted to help people feel comfortable, confident and genuinely cared about when it came to addressing their health and well-being.
I chose rural family medicine for two reasons: relationships were the heartbeat of the practice, and it offered tremendous variety.
Over 44 years, my practice has included the clinic, the emergency department, obstetrics, the operating room, hospital care, nursing homes, group homes and house calls.
I've had the privilege of teaching four decades of medical students and residents as an Assistant Professor of Family Medicine at Dalhousie, and I've spent my career furthering my knowledge and challenging myself through a multitude of leadership positions and academic endeavours (MBA, EDBA, ICD.D).
What I've Done
Hundreds of physician phone calls
As President of Doctors Nova Scotia, I invited every physician in the province to talk with me about their concerns, then called each one who said yes. I made several hundred phone calls. No president had done this before.
Physician Leadership + The Pandemic
In 2019, I helped close stalled physician payment negotiations with the province. When COVID-19 hit, I negotiated financial support with the Minister of Health for physicians whose earnings collapsed during the pandemic.
A national voice, three times
I was elected to CMA General Council three times and served on the CMA Holdings Board (MD Management) and the CMA Council on Medical Education.
Reforming primary care
I co-chaired Doctors Nova Scotia's Primary Healthcare Reform Committee, sat on the province's executive steering committee, and helped develop the blended capitation payment model for family physicians.
Ahead of the curve
In 2000, I wrote the first comprehensive Canadian guidelines on legal issues in telehealth, a foundation for national guidance that would follow years later.
Research on burnout
I completed a doctorate in business administration in 2026, focusing on physician leadership and burnout.
1980sBegan practice in Liverpool · Medical director · Chief of Staff
- MD, Dalhousie University (1980); CCFP (1982)
- Began rural family practice in Liverpool, NS (1982)
- Medical Director, Hillsview Acres Home for Special Care (1986–present)
- Assistant Professor, Family Medicine, Dalhousie (mid-1980s–present)
- Examiner, CFPC oral examinations (1986–1989)
- President, Queens-Lunenburg Medical Association (1988–1989)
- Chair, CME Committee, CFPC Nova Scotia (1988–1989)
- Chief of Staff, Queens General Hospital (1989–1991)
- Medical Examiner, Queens and Lunenburg counties
1990sFirst term on CMA General Council · Executive MBA
- CMA General Council (1991–1994)
- CMA Council on Medical Education (1990–1994)
- CFPC national Criteria Statement Review Group (1991, 1994)
- Consultant, NS Department of Health, acute medical services review (1990)
- Fellow, College of Family Physicians of Canada (1996)
- Executive MBA, Saint Mary's University; class president (1997)
- Advisory Council, Physician Manager Institute (1999–2002)
- Mentor physician for colleagues returning to practice
2000sSecond CMA term · Doctors NS board · Primary care reform
- Telehealth legal guidelines, NS Telehealth Network (2000)
- CMA General Council (2001–2006)
- Board of Directors, CMA Holdings / MD Management (2001–2003)
- Board of Directors, Doctors Nova Scotia (2001–2006); Chair, Finance Committee
- Co-chair, Doctors NS Primary Health Care Reform Committee (2003–2006)
- NS Department of Health Executive Steering Committee for Primary Health Reform (2004–2006)
- Chair, Doctors NS Board of Trustees and Member Services Committee
- Chief of Staff, Queens General Hospital (2008–2016)
2010sCollege of Physicians & Surgeons · Doctors NS President
- Council (Board), College of Physicians & Surgeons of NS (2013–2018), with its Investigations, Audit and Nominations committees
- Co-chair, Doctors NS Policy & Health Issues Committee (2014–2016)
- Doctors NS GP Council (2016–2019)
- Chair, Doctors NS Working Group on Medical Assistance in Dying
- CMA General Council (2018–2020)
- President, Doctors Nova Scotia (2019–2020)
2020sPandemic leadership · Jubilee Medal · Doctorate
- Led Doctors NS through the start of the COVID-19 pandemic
- ICD.D, Institute of Corporate Directors (2022)
- Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal (2023)
- Research presentations in Halifax, Calgary and Vancouver (2023–2025)
- Board of Directors, Queens General Hospital Foundation (2024–present)
- Executive Doctorate in Business Administration, Saint Mary's University (2026): thesis on burnout in Canadian physician leaders