Victoria Doctor Named BC's Family Physician of the Year
Dr. Darlene Hammell, assistant dean of student affairs for the Island Medical Program (IMP) at the University of Victoria, has been honoured by her peers as one of Canada’s Family Physicians of the Year for her work as a Victoria-area physician, leader, teacher and mentor of medical students and residents.
The national College of Family Physicians of Canada accords 10 top awards – one per province – each year. The BC Chapter chose Hammell in recognition of her exemplary work as a clinician and for her service to the community through her teaching, mentorship and activism including voluntary work overseas.
“I was stunned and thrilled when I heard about this. At first I thought they had sent the email to the wrong person,” says Hammell. IMP is a distributed program of the University of British Columbia (UBC) Faculty of Medicine based at the UVic. “I hope this award encourages students to see the breadth and fulfilment of being a family doctor. I love the work that I do and have done for 32 years—the developing of a doctor-patient relationship, the teaching and passing on of knowledge. It is a joy to see these aspects of family medicine being celebrated by this award.”
Hammell, together with Dr. Jim Stockdill, helped to establish the UBC Family Practice Residency Training Program in Victoria in 1992. As a UBC clinical professor, she has taught postgraduate students (residents) through her family practice for the past 19 years. In 2004 she joined the UBC Faculty of Medicine MD undergraduate program responsible for IMP student affairs.
“Not only is Dr. Hammell a gifted family physician, but she’s also an inspiring educator and mentor whose leadership both in the Department of Family Medicine and the IMP is ensuring we provide the best student experience and training available to BC’s next generation of doctors,” says Dr. Gavin Stuart, dean of the UBC Faculty of Medicine. “We are thrilled that her contributions are being recognized by this tremendous honour.”
As a strong advocate of education in her clinical practice, Hammell organized the first women’s health forum at UVic sponsored by Victoria physicians.
For several years she was also active in Canadian Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, now known as Physicians for Global Survival, and has volunteered her medical services to developing countries. Next year Hammell plans to go to Ecuador to assist with pre- and post-operative medicine in a small Catholic hospital.
But first Hammell will attend the Family Medicine Forum in Quebec City in November where she and the other recipients will receive their Family Physician of the Year awards and will be recognized for their significant achievements.
The national College of Family Physicians of Canada accords 10 top awards – one per province – each year. The BC Chapter chose Hammell in recognition of her exemplary work as a clinician and for her service to the community through her teaching, mentorship and activism including voluntary work overseas.
“I was stunned and thrilled when I heard about this. At first I thought they had sent the email to the wrong person,” says Hammell. IMP is a distributed program of the University of British Columbia (UBC) Faculty of Medicine based at the UVic. “I hope this award encourages students to see the breadth and fulfilment of being a family doctor. I love the work that I do and have done for 32 years—the developing of a doctor-patient relationship, the teaching and passing on of knowledge. It is a joy to see these aspects of family medicine being celebrated by this award.”
Hammell, together with Dr. Jim Stockdill, helped to establish the UBC Family Practice Residency Training Program in Victoria in 1992. As a UBC clinical professor, she has taught postgraduate students (residents) through her family practice for the past 19 years. In 2004 she joined the UBC Faculty of Medicine MD undergraduate program responsible for IMP student affairs.
“Not only is Dr. Hammell a gifted family physician, but she’s also an inspiring educator and mentor whose leadership both in the Department of Family Medicine and the IMP is ensuring we provide the best student experience and training available to BC’s next generation of doctors,” says Dr. Gavin Stuart, dean of the UBC Faculty of Medicine. “We are thrilled that her contributions are being recognized by this tremendous honour.”
As a strong advocate of education in her clinical practice, Hammell organized the first women’s health forum at UVic sponsored by Victoria physicians.
For several years she was also active in Canadian Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, now known as Physicians for Global Survival, and has volunteered her medical services to developing countries. Next year Hammell plans to go to Ecuador to assist with pre- and post-operative medicine in a small Catholic hospital.
But first Hammell will attend the Family Medicine Forum in Quebec City in November where she and the other recipients will receive their Family Physician of the Year awards and will be recognized for their significant achievements.
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