Caitlyn Howe | Fourth-year medical student matched to family medicine, Moose Jaw. I was born and raised in Moose Jaw in a family of six. As a teenager while working as a lifeguard, I found my passion for health care. I attended the University of Saskatchewan directly out of high school and obtained a BSc in anatomy and cell biology. To cope with the incredible pressures of applying to medical school, I started running.
What do you like to do with your leisure time and why? I spend a great deal of my leisure time running. I completed my first half marathon the May of my first year of university (2011) and was hooked. I completed my first full marathon the May of my first year of medical school (2015). I achieved my goal of running the Boston Marathon in April 2017. When I am not running, I am in the kitchen with my boyfriend cultivating my culinary skills, playing with my puppy or spending time with family and friends.
Why do you think it is important for physicians to have outside pursuits? It is important for physicians to have interests and goals outside of medicine because the job can be heavy, and at times, all-consuming. It is necessary to have people and activities outside of work to come home to and place your attention on. My interests outside of medicine are my way of de-stressing and have played a major role in shaping me into the person that I am today and, I believe, the doctor that I will be in the coming years. ◆
Dr. John Dosman | Family physician, Saskatoon Community Clinic I was born and raised in Saskatoon, received a BSc in environmental and conservation sciences at the University of Alberta, received an MD from the U of S College of Medicine and took the Prince Albert rural family medicine residency program.
What do you like to do with your leisure time and why? Outdoor pursuits are where I really am able to recharge and reset – canoeing, paddleboarding, camping, hiking, skiing and spending time at the family cabin at Emma Lake. I still play hockey regularly with some of the same minor hockey friends I’ve had for decades. I’m also a year-round cyclist and use a bicycle to commute most days to clinic, hospital and for errands. I’m on the board of Saskatoon Cycles, a local advocacy and education group that strives to promote a city in which cycling is a viable, year-round mode of transportation that is safe and convenient for all ages. I wanted to advocate for something that promotes a healthier natural environment as well as healthier patients. Cycling is a simple solution to many complex social, environmental and health problems.
Why do you think it is important for physicians to have outside pursuits? During medical school and residency my mental health really suffered. A big part of that for me was being completely immersed in my studies and feeling like I didn’t have time for anything else. Getting back into pursuits outside of clinical medicine has been invaluable to me in getting healthier and having more balance in my life. ◆ 6
SMA DIGEST | SUMMER 2018