Following several years of service to the community as a locum physician, Dr. Jonathan Somerville joined the Greenwood Family Physicians full-time last fall.
No stranger to Sundre, Somerville initially arrived in town in 2015 to do part-time work to help out at Greenwood Family Physicians as well as the Moose and Squirrel Medical Clinic.
When two physicians retired from Greenwood over the summer of 2015, Somerville was asked to look after their patients and has since remained involved there.
Word of mouth networking led him to learn about the opportunity to do locum work in Sundre.
“There’s always a demand for locum physicians in a lot of the smaller towns to help fill the gaps,” he said during an interview at the Greenwood Family Physicians clinic located adjacent to the Sundre Hospital and Care Centre.
Somerville said local doctors Michelle and Rob Warren helped to introduce him to the local medical community.
When the two doctors retired from Greenwood, the physician said he decided to sign on with that clinic for a year to look after their patients. Since the clinic still required his services after a year went by, Somerville decided to say on for another year.
That period of time helped him to develop a close familiarity with patients, which paved the way for him to transition from a part-time locum to a full-time physician.
“I joined the practice formally back in October of last year.”
As early as his years in high school — during which time he recalls enjoying biology, science and dissecting animals — the 34-year-old knew he wanted to pursue a path in a medical profession.
“By high school, I had sort of figured out that this is what I wanted to do.”
He enrolled first at the University of Alberta, where he completed a bachelor of science along with a major in biological sciences, and then went on to medical school at the University of Calgary, where he graduated in 2011.
Specializing as a general practitioner, Somerville said his roles encompass appointments at the clinic, family medicine, emergency room coverage, low risk obstetrics, palliative care, as well as geriatric care.
Family medicine requires a specific mastery of providing comprehensive care. The practice provides the opportunity to get to know patients in a context of “cradle to grave” as well as to learn how to interpret information in the context of their work, relationships, family and cultural backgrounds, he said.
Being able to forge lasting relationships and see the continuity of care provides a source of motivation for the physician, who enjoys building a rapport with his patients as well as seeing them improve on their road to recovery following an ailment.
“You can really see people in the emergency room, in the delivery room, in the clinic, and you can see them at different stages in their life,” he said.
“It’s very rewarding.”
Although a general practitioner does not focus on one organ system such as, for example, a cardiologist, the position is a specialty in its own right, he said.
“I love that question,” he said when asked if he felt like a jack of all trades and master of none.
“There’s a real need for a general mindset in medicine.”
The Airdrie resident has grown accustomed to the commute to Sundre and although Somerville does not have plans to relocate here so he can stay closer to family, he nevertheless remains committed to this community.
Although his sights are not set specifically anywhere else for the time being, Somerville said his career is early on and that speculating about long-term plans is difficult. But for now, the physician said he’s very happy with his position.
“It’s a great place to work,” he said about Sundre, which he described as tight knit.
Having a family background in farming, Somerville said he finds people in small towns like Sundre are more down to earth as well as easier to communicate with and relate to.
“The community’s been very welcoming. I get positive reinforcement for being here all the time, and I appreciate that. I feel that’s a big contributor to wanting to stay here and keep working here.”
See a coming issue of the Round Up for a followup feature on another new full-time Sundre physician.
