SUNDRE — A local doctor who has been named the 2020-21 Professional Association of Resident Physicians of Alberta’s Clinical Teaching Award expressed a passion for providing mentorship to enthusiastic learners.
“It’s like watching your own kids grow up — you feel very proud of them and as they succeed, you feel a little like you played a role in that,” said Dr. Michelle Warren, a clinical preceptor through the University of Calgary who also owns and runs the Moose & Squirrel Medical Clinic in Sundre with husband and colleague Dr. Rob Warren.
The award is presented in recognition of physician preceptors who have demonstrated excellence in resident physician education, along with a $750 donation to a charity of the recipient’s choice, which in this instance will be the Alberta Children’s Hospital.
“I was surprised and thrilled,” said Warren about how she felt upon hearing the news.
“I’ve been involved in teaching since 1999 and to be recognized like that means a lot because it’s something that I really enjoy,” she said.
Over the years, which have spanned into decades, Warren said she has enjoyed the opportunity to mentor learners throughout their careers as they progress from students to practising professionals.
“It is a part of something that I’ve done ever since I was a resident myself many, many moons ago,” she said with a chuckle.
“It encourages you to stay on top of things, to realize that medicine is always changing and evolving as we learn more. And it keeps you young, because they come in with passion and optimism.”
Being exposed to that kind of energy can be contagious, but in a good way.
“It’s easy to stay enthusiastic when you’re surrounded by enthusiastic people,” she said.
Playing a large part toward inspiring her down this path was Dr. Mike Tarrant, the preceptor she had during her time as a student resident in Calgary.
“He really started to get me involved in teaching early on and encouraged me to become involved with the residency program as soon as I graduated,” she said, adding that jumping into an educational role so soon after graduation can be a nerve-wracking proposition for a lot of new physicians.
Among the reasons Warren set her sights on Sundre early on is because the community already had a reputation as a "renowned teaching site. Working with doctors like Dr. Hal Irvine, Dr. Carol Rowntree, Dr. Glenn Kowalsky, they’d have been involved in teaching a long time and when I came through, I was able to kind of look at their teaching styles and develop one of my own.”
Exposure to a group that emphasizes the value of teaching and being involved in education “rubs off,” she said, adding both of the local clinics in Sundre actively participate in teaching at both universities at all levels.
An important part of that process, she wanted to add, is a base of accommodating patients.
“I think the reason that we have such an amazing reputation, is because of the acceptance that our patients have,” she said, expressing gratitude for their support as well.
Dr. Stephanie Smith, who is in her second year as a family medicine resident at the University of Calgary and also enrolled in the Military Medical Training Plan, was among Warren’s nominators.
Originally hailing from a rural community in New Brunswick, Smith has spent some time Sundre, where Warren became the first physician she worked with as a first-year medical student, and later as a clinical clerk before eventually completing a rotation in rural family medicine.
“I had the best experience under her,” said Smith, calling her mentor a supportive person who fosters a friendly and positive team atmosphere at her clinic.
Smith, who in 20 years of service has reached the rank of captain, added that if she wasn’t serving in the military, she would seek to work at Moose & Squirrel, and might yet pursue such an opportunity in the future after completing her commitment to the armed forces.
“This clinic, in general, really does foster a very safe working environment for learners,” she said.
“People come here and then they want to return because they like the learning environment — it’s very focused in on patient-centred care, but also on the learners developing new knowledge in a safe environment free of judgement or criticism,” which isn’t always the case in all medical environments, she said.
But in the short term, Smith will upon finishing her studies move back to her hometown in July to work at CFB Gagetown.
In the meantime, Smith said Warren’s success in creating a nurturing, educational atmosphere for medical students highlights that whether big or small, a clinic has the potential to focus “on different ways of teaching learners and making it fun and interesting.”
The award is the most recent among others Warren and the Moose & Squirrel Medical Clinic have received over the years.
