Focusing on breadth of competence

Dr Sandell¹ has some interesting arguments in the September issue of Canadian Family Physician as to why we should call ourselves GPs. Is the term family physician inaccurate? Perhaps. As a recent Canadian family medicine graduate, I currently work in a beautiful rural community hospital—the only hospital in a 150-km radius of dense forest with a single access road. We serve a diverse population of locals, including Indigenous people who compose the backbone of our community, and numerous visitors and tourists. Here, physicians trained in family medicine truly are GPs.

With the vital support of our nurses, allied health care professionals, and few specialist colleagues, GPs allow our hospital to function. In fact, despite being undervalued and often criticized for systemic shortcomings, they allow our entire health care system to operate smoothly. Their versatility, breadth of knowledge, and skills enable them to treat both acute and chronic conditions in patients of all ages, from the first day of life to the very last. Witnessing the excellent work my GP colleagues accomplish, whether in the family medicine clinic, emergency department, hospital ward, delivery room, palliative care unit, short stay geriatric unit, or in home visits and long-term care homes makes me proud to be part of this group. In the end, physicians trained in family medicine are the most versatile physicians out there. And whether we decide to call ourselves family physicians, GPs, or even primary care physicians, we are all truly making a difference.

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