Across Canada and around the world, a growing shortage of family doctors is creating a crisis in primary care medicine. In Canada alone, it’s estimated that 23,000 more physicians are needed to meet demand. The consequences are far-reaching: reduced access to preventative care, greater health inequalities, and growing strain on emergency departments.
In this free webinar – the first in a new virtual event series exploring some of the world’s most pressing issues – a panel of Queen’s alumni and faculty experts will explore the roots of the primary care crisis. Together, they’ll dive into how the problem connects to broader global trends and what can be done to create lasting change.
You’ll walk away with:
• A deeper understanding of the global and local drivers behind the shortage of family doctors.
• Insight into the ripple effects on communities, health care systems, and innovation.
• Solutions being proposed by leaders in medicine, research, and policy.
• Perspectives from Queen’s alumni and faculty who are at the forefront of tackling this challenge.
Featured experts
Dr. Anthony Sanfilippo Artsci’76, Meds’81
Dr. Sanfilippo has spent five decades learning, researching, practicing, and teaching medicine. A professor of medicine and cardiology at Queen’s, he holds clinical appointments at Hotel Dieu and Kingston General Hospitals, where he also directs echocardiography labs. He is the author of The doctors we need: Imaging a new path for physician recruitment, training and support.
Dr. Douglas Woodhouse Sc’98, Meds’05
Dr. Woodhouse is a physician-engineer with extensive consulting experience across North America and Europe that has given him deep insight into how policy and system design impact care delivery. He currently works in primary care and serves as a medical director at the Alberta Physician Learning Program and a clinical assistant professor in the University of Calgary’s Department of Family Medicine.
Dr. Allan Grill
Dr. Grill is the Chief of the Department of Family Medicine at Oak Valley Health, and the Lead Physician at the Markham Family Health Team where he enjoys an active community-based clinical practice. He is also Assistant Dean of the Queen’s-Lakeridge Health campus, providing administrative, operational and educational leadership.
Moderator
Carly Weeks ´¡°ù³Ù²õ³¦¾±â€™03&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
In her 20-year career in journalism, including 17 years as an award-winning health reporter with The Globe and Mail, Carly Weeks developed a reputation as one of the country's leading authorities on health-related issues. Carly was one of the reporters leading the Globe's coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on the health care system. Carly is now working directly in the health care sector as Executive-Vice President of Public Affairs with St. Joseph's Health System, a major health provider in southwestern Ontario.
Accessibility
This event will offer optional live captioning.
