Family physicians are the foundation of our health care system. They handle the majority of health issues that patients face over their lifetime, and they deliver relationship-based, comprehensive, longitudinal care across all stages of life. More importantly, family doctors are specialists in the whole person who provide care that improve the overall health of a population, leading to better collective outcomes.
In 2010, the World Organization of Family Doctors declared May 19 as World Family Doctor Day, in recognition of the critical role family doctors play in the health care ecosystem. As of 2018, May 19 has also been declared annually as Family Doctor Day in the province of British Columbia, thanks to the rallying efforts of the BC College of Family Physicians.
In celebration of World and BC Family Doctor Day 2025, we spoke with some of the Department of Family Medicine preceptors and residents at the UBC Health Clinic. Read on to learn about how they found a common passion for longitudinal team-based care, the diverse roads that led them here, and their hopes for a team-based future for family medicine in British Columbia.
The roads to longitudinal care
Longitudinal care is at the heart of family medicine. It is a thread that weaves together the ongoing relationship between a doctor and their patient, one that fosters trust through every interaction. For Dr. Olivia Tseng, who has been mentoring residents at the UBC Health Clinic as a Supervising Physician since 2017, longitudinal care means supporting patients through every major transition of their lives. “You end up knowing someone from elementary school to university, onwards to the rest of their life, and hopefully after that,” she says.
Michelle Shih, a year-1 resident, was a pharmacist before she decided to pursue family medicine. Though she enjoyed her previous work, Shih often wondered what happened to the patients after she helped them fill their prescriptions. “While working as a pharmacist, I was inspired by what family doctors can do to continue to advocate for their patients,” she shares. “These brief glimpses into patients’ lives helped me realize how much I value continuity of care.” Now, Shih’s prior experience helps to inform her interaction with patients.
“I decided to work in family medicine because I wanted to be able to help people, and to meet them where they are,” says Dr. Joy Russell, who has been practicing family medicine in Vancouver for over 40 years. “While there are many challenges to the career, what holds it all together for me are the invaluable personal relationships. You get to know the whole family.”
Year-1 resident Penelope Neocleous found her calling after she was inspired by her own family doctor. “She modeled longitudinal care so well that I wanted to be able to provide it for others,” she says.
A family doctor is often a patient’s first point of contact, and a generalist who can refer the patient to more specialized care. At these critical junctions, timing and accurate judgement are of the essence. “It’s very rewarding when you recognize a patient’s symptoms and send them to the right specialist just in time,” says Dr. Tseng, who derives a lot of job satisfaction from these encounters.
Medicine has become so complex. It’s a big job and it’s hard to do it alone. But having specialists who can provide different types of support offers a more sustainable model, for patients and everyone on the care team, including physicians.
Dr. Cailey Lynch
Medical Director, UBC Health Clinic
Family medicine is also a precise balance of both science and art. “You learn the science and technical knowledge about the body, but also the art of how to communicate with others,” says year-2 resident Gavin Naicker. “Each patient is different, and every situation requires a bit of finesse to make sure the interaction works for them.”
For the Clinic’s Medical Director Dr. Cailey Lynch, being a family doctor represents having the freedom and agency to provide patients with the long-term care they need, regardless of external pressures. Before pursuing family medicine, Lynch worked as a Registered Nurse for 10 years. In her last role as an RN, she provided primary care to residents of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Her patients, many of whom were women in recovery, helped her forge a conviction for sustained longitudinal care. “It was a very rewarding career, until my clinic’s funding was cut,” she says. “I saw the detrimental effect this had on my patients first-hand, and realized I wanted to be in a position of longitudinal care without being at the mercy of funding bodies.”
Team-based care
Longitudinal care most often refers to the ongoing relationship between a family physician and their patient. It can also be a useful model to reconceptualize the relationship between family doctors and other health and medical specialists, who can all work together to support patients more holistically. “Medicine has become so complex,” says Dr. Lynch. “It’s a big job and it’s hard to do it alone. But having specialists who can provide different types of support offers a more sustainable model, for patients and everyone on the care team, including physicians.”
Dr. Christie Newton, who is an Associate Professor in the Department of Family Practice, and UBC Associate Vice-President Health, is an ardent advocate for team-based care. “As you work together, your clinical team becomes like your family. This is a version of longitudinal care that can improve the well-being of the care providers, while bettering patient outcomes,” she says. “I am optimistic about the future of family practice,” Newton continues. “It’s a team sport.”
In addition to improving the experience of patients and care providers alike, learning in a team-based care environment can be hugely beneficial for learners who are eager to take in as much as they can. At the UBC Health Clinic, residents are supported by preceptors in internal medicine, maternity care, pediatrics, psychiatry, and sports medicine, in addition to exceptional family physicians.
Our residents are bright. They keep me up-to-date. They tell me what’s on the cutting edge, and I can tell them what’s tried and true. Eventually, together with the patient, we figure out what’s the best path forward.
Dr. Christie Newton
Associate Professor, Department of Family Practice
Associate Vice-President, UBC Health
“There is a large group of preceptors, staff, and residents here at the UBC Health Clinic,” says Dr. Russell, who has been a Supervising Physician at the Health Clinic since 2014. “The interactions between individuals in different roles creates a really rich educational experience for everyone. It’s a great opportunity for residents to be able to see various approaches to medical practice.”
“This team-based setting allows us to review details in a systematic way to help residents establish a thinking process, and learn how to collect and manage information while honing their craft,” adds Dr. Tseng. “Because of this level of support, the UBC Health Clinic has more flexibility to take on learners of diverse needs. We can personalize learning plans and support residents every step of the way.”
Naicker agrees. “Because of the different staff I get to work with, I’m able to see how each person approaches the same challenge from different angles. I get exposed to a lot more perspectives here at the Health Clinic, compared to other clinics I’ve trained at.”
“It’s one of the few clinics where I have the space to look at issues holistically, and with deeper care,” says Shih. “Not only do I feel well-supported by staff with diverse experiences, it’s also a rare opportunity to receive feedback from an array of supervisors, compared to the more common one-on-ones with preceptors at other clinics.”
For Neocleous, these unique perspectives lead to enriching discourse that deepen her understanding of the case at hand. “We have more agency as residents at the Health Clinic, while we also have access to a team of experts with whom we can consult.”
In pursuit of a human connection
While completing his residency at the Health Clinic years ago, Dr. Vincent Wong found himself drawn to its team-based model and nurturing environment. Now, he helps learners as a Supervising Physician at the Health Clinic, and as Co-Site Director (Vancouver-Fraser) for the Family Practice Residency Program. “My experience as a learner here launched my medical education career,” he reflects. “It strengthened my belief in the importance of teaching the next generation of family doctors to apply their knowledge and provide patient-centred care with their whole hearts.”
Speaking to advice he would give himself as a resident, knowing everything he knows now, Wong emphasizes the importance of the human connection. “A good family doctor can never be substituted because we deliver a unique value to patients, one that is imbued with human connection. It is up to us as family doctors to deliver this value to patients. At the same time, know that the level of care we provide cannot be replaced by other roles or technologies.”
“Family doctors are the foundation of the health care system,” says Dr. Newton. “We are doing our best to train as many family doctors as possible. Until we can address the shortage, the entire system is going to struggle.” For now, along with a team of inspiring colleagues, Newton is enjoying the purpose she finds in fostering the next generation of family doctors. “Our residents are bright. They keep me up-to-date. They tell me what’s on the cutting edge, and I can tell them what’s tried and true,” she says. “Eventually, together with the patient, we figure out what’s the best path forward.”
Mentor the next generation of family doctors.
Become a Preceptor at the UBC Department of Family Practice.